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The Liverpool Powerhouse Armadillo building on campus with sunlight reflecting off it.

Sustainability

Future-gazers, society-changers

Sustainability is a priority for the University, important to every aspect of our work.

Recognising both the global value of our academic role and our local impact as a large organisation, our vision is to drive forward environmental and social equity through our education, research, and operations, making a positive impact within and beyond our boundaries.

Research will be at the forefront of our efforts as we commit to achieving global impact in addressing the greatest challenges facing today’s society, including accelerating progress towards and beyond the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. And, in addition to supporting our city region to meet its net zero commitments, within our physical and organisational boundaries we will place a strong focus on our sustainability and the transition to Net Zero by 2035.

2:1
class sustainable university in People & Planet University League
89th
in the world in the THE Impact Rankings
42nd
globally in the QS Sustainability Rankings

Our objectives

Student gardening with green shoots in the foreground

Our multi-disciplinary research will create global impact in addressing the greatest challenges facing today’s society

We will:  

  • Develop new solutions through our multi-disciplinary research and partnerships that accelerate the progress of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, building on existing initiatives such as our work in human rights law and the influential research undertaken through CLEAN-Air Africa to tackle household air pollution
  • Develop collaborative global partnerships to create knowledge and impact that make a positive difference to communities globally
  • Conduct our research in a way that supports social and environmental equity.

Our students will be empowered as global citizens to make a difference in a changing world

We will:

  • Ensure that sustainability is woven into the curriculum and wider student experience, connecting each discipline to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and enabling every student to gain relevant attributes, skills and knowledge
  • Create a curriculum for all which is sustainable and inclusive in its content and delivery
  • Empower our students to be engaged citizens within Liverpool, in their wider communities and beyond.

Sustainability, including the achievement of Net Zero by 2035, will underpin how we operate within and beyond our organisational boundaries

We will:

  • Embed sustainability across our polices, processes and practices, supporting our own community to thrive
  • Support and empower staff to develop their understanding and confidence in making sustainable decisions
  • Develop partnerships which align with our values and drive forward better outcomes locally and globally
  • Improve social mobility and outcomes through our recruitment and staff development
  • Develop sustainable procurement standards which actively promote local impact and supply chain equity
  • Embed sustainability throughout all our estate operations, creating sustainable, inclusive and resilient campuses.

Our commitment to environmental and social equity is hugely important to us. This is reflected throughout our new strategy, with sustainability fully embedded, ensuring that we will make a real impact locally and globally, far beyond our campuses. Closer to home, we have already committed to achieving Net Zero by 2035, and our Climate Plan sets out how we will approach this over the next few years.  These are challenges that we all face, and we are well placed to use our expertise and collaborate with others in order to make a positive difference.

Nicola Davies, Chief Financial Officer

How will we show our impact on sustainability?

We will achieve the targets set out in our Sustainability Strategy, including Net Zero by 2035.