Sustainability in action: Our progress so far

Professor Stephanie Panichelli-Batalla

Staff and students are part of Warwick’s Sustainability Action Groups, working on projects from climate literacy training to circular economy initiatives - and much more. We spoke to Professor Stephanie Panichelli-Batalla (Global Sustainable Development) to find out what impact the groups have made this year, and how they are helping to drive positive change across Warwick.

What do the Sustainability Action Groups do?

"Staff and students come together in these groups to support the delivery of Warwick's sustainability ambitions - across both environmental and social. Each Action Group focuses on a specific area, such as energy, circular economy, education, research, responsible AI and digital sustainability.

Members may be invited based on their expertise, professional role or to represent key areas of the University. We also regularly advertise opportunities to join or chair groups through University communications like insite, helping to make sure there is broad representation and giving colleagues opportunities to contribute to and shape Warwick's sustainability agenda."

What are three achievements you're most proud of?

"It's difficult to choose only three achievements, as every Action Group has delivered impactful work over the past two years. However, if I had to choose, these are three that stand out for me personally. First, we launched Warwick's refreshed Environmental Sustainability Strategy, alongside our first University-wide Environmental Sustainability Conference. We also introduced a progress monitoring framework to improve accountability and transparency, helping us track progress and demonstrate our commitment to continuous improvement.

Second, we developed a University-wide Climate Literacy Certificate available to all staff and students. We also embedded sustainability into staff induction and student registration processes. These initiatives help make sure that everyone understands Warwick's sustainability commitments, recognises the role they can play in achieving our objectives, and feels empowered to contribute."

"Third, I am particularly proud of the work led through our Circular Economy initiatives. Projects such as our support for Coventry's CovConnects programme, which helps tackle digital poverty across Coventry by refurbishing and redistributing IT equipment, alongside the Donation Drive and the Kitchen Kit Market. These support local communities, help address cost-of-living pressures faced by students, enable us to donate to local charities, and strengthen our connections with the wider community.

What excites me most about these achievements is that they demonstrate how environmental and social sustainability can go hand in hand, creating positive impacts both on campus and across our local community."

Where do we rank for sustainability?

"A comprehensive review of sustainability rankings data collection and reporting processes helped significantly improve Warwick's performance in both the QS Sustainability and People & Planet rankings. Warwick rose from 117th to 83rd in the QS Sustainability Rankings and from 82nd to 45th in the People & Planet University League.

While rankings are not an end in themselves, they are an important way of demonstrating our progress and commitment to sustainability. Strong performance enhances Warwick's reputation and helps prospective students, staff and partners better understand the values and priorities that underpin our strategy."

What are your hopes for the Action Groups in the next academic year?

"Each group supports a specific aspect of Warwick's sustainability ambitions, spanning both environmental sustainability and social responsibility, and the level of maturity varies across these themes. Over the next academic year, we will continue building on existing successes while further developing newer areas, including the Responsible AI and Digital Sustainability Action Group.

My hope is that all Action Groups continue to drive progress towards our sustainability objectives and targets, while fostering collaboration across the University. By bringing together expertise, enthusiasm and different perspectives, they can help accelerate change, identify innovative solutions and ensure sustainability remains embedded in decision-making across Warwick."

Find out more

Take a look at the Sustainability Action Groups' key achievements from the 2025/26 academic year - showcasing the collective impact of work across governance, education, operations, and engagement.