Strategy Refresh Project
Join the Conversation
We need to hear from you on sustainability!
Sustainability is a complex issue that goes beyond environmental concerns—it also includes social and economic dimensions. Our sustainability strategy,The Way to Sustainable, was launched in 2022, and we believe it’s time for a refresh. We want to set more ambitious and measurable goals that address all aspects of sustainability while incorporating insights from across the University—spanning education, research, and operations. That’s where we need your input. We’d love to hear your thoughts on sustainability at Warwick to help shape our refreshed strategy.
We need staff and students feedback in helping us shape our Way to Sustainable Strategy refresh. Join us to share your views, we will use what you say, along with a multitude of other feedback, to help shape our strategy refresh.
Professor Stephanie Panichelli-Batalla
Academic Director for Sustainability
“As we look to the future, a refreshed sustainability strategy is essential to address emerging challenges and opportunities. Engaging our university community is crucial—each voice enriches our approach, helping us build a more inclusive, impactful path to truly advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”
Ways to Join Us
Workshops
We have designed several interactive workshops at various locations across campus for you to join us and share your thoughts on our current strategy and what should be included in the new strategy. The workshops provide a relaxed space for open conversations.
Sign up below to come to our interactive workshops and tell us what you think. There are both student and staff sessions available.
Listening Rooms
We also host listening rooms for smaller groups, such as societies and departments. Contact sustainability@warwick.ac.uk to learn more.
Feedback Dropbox
We’ve created Feedback Dropbox for you to easily share your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions at any time.
Way to Sustainable: Our current strategy
Read our current strategy here, or check out our strategy on a page below.
Glossary of Key Sustainability Terms in the Way to Sustainable Strategy
A set of 17 global goals established by the United Nations to tackle global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change. These goals guide sustainability efforts.
Scope 1, 2, and 3 Emissions
Scope 1: Direct emissions from sources owned or controlled by the University, such as burning gas for heating.
Scope 2: Indirect emissions from energy bought by the University, such as electricity.
Scope 3: Emissions from sources not directly controlled by the University but which are a result of the University's operation, such as commuting, business travel, purchased goods, or waste.
Net Zero
Achieving a balance between the amount of greenhouse gases produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere. This can be achieved through emission reduction and/or offsetting.
Energy Networks
Systems that generate and distribute energy on campus to buildings, aimed at creating low-carbon energy systems. This includes renewable energy sources, energy storage, energy distribution and smart controls.
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is all the different kinds of life you’ll find in one area—the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up our natural world. Each of these species and organisms work together in ecosystems, like an intricate web, to maintain balance and support life. Biodiversity supports everything in nature that we need to survive: food, clean water, medicine, and shelter.
Biodiversity Net Gain
A commitment to improving biodiversity, ensuring that new developments result in a measurable improvement in the environment compared to its previous state.
Rewilding
The process of restoring land to its natural state to support biodiversity and improve ecosystems.
Circular Economy
A sustainable economic system focused on eliminating waste by reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling products for as long as possible.
Linear Economy
An unsustainable economic system focused on extracting resources, manufacturing products, using them and disposing of them.
BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and EPC A Standards
BREEAM: A global sustainability rating system for buildings.
EPC A: An Energy Performance Certificate grade, with ‘A’ being the highest level of energy efficiency.
Interdisciplinary Research
Research that integrates methods, theories, and perspectives from multiple disciplines to address complex problems, such as climate change.
Living Lab
Using the campus as a real-world environment to test and implement sustainable practices, allowing for experimentation and innovation in areas such as energy use, transport, and biodiversity. This can include using existing data gathered from operations on campus for further study.
More information
Environmental sustainability in higher education focuses on reducing ecological impacts through practices such as energy efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable resource management. It encourages institutions to adopt green technologies, promote conservation, and integrate sustainability into curricula and research.
Social sustainability, on the other hand, emphasises equity, inclusivity, and community engagement. This involves fostering diverse and supportive learning environments, promoting social justice, and ensuring that educational opportunities are accessible to all. Together, these aspects aim to create a holistic approach to sustainability that prepares students to address complex global challenges.
If you would like to find out more about the work going on in environmental and social sustainability at the University, you can review the webpages below.
Education and research
- Institute for Global Sustainable Development -IGSD
- Global Sustainable Development -GSDLink opens in a new window
- Living lab
Operations and engagement
- Sustainability news page
- Energy & Sustainability newsletters
- Circular economyLink opens in a new window
- Biodiversity
- EnergyLink opens in a new window
Strategy Refresh Timeline (Estimated)
How You Can Take Part
Please sign-up for our registration form to come to our interactive workshops and tell us what you think. There are both student and staff sessions available. Additionally, we host listening rooms for smaller groups, such as societies and departments. Contact sustainability@warwick.ac.uk to learn more.
Please note that these sessions are for collecting feedback only, for any environmental sustainability related questions please contact sustainability@warwick.ac.uk.