Falmouth University shortlisted for two Green Gown sustainability awards

Falmouth University has been shortlisted for two prestigious sustainability awards.

In association with UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), the Green Gown Awards UK & Ireland recognises the exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges. It acts as a showcase for best practice within the further and higher education sectors.

The first category, Reporting with Influence, recognises the effectiveness, detail and influence of sustainability reporting within an institution.

Falmouth's Sustainability Report sets out its approach across three main themes: Learning and Teaching, Environment and Operations and People and Behaviours.

This enables staff, students and external stakeholders to measure Falmouth’s progress against its sustainability goals and celebrate the initiatives, projects and programmes that make a difference both on campus and in surrounding communities.

We must be ambitious in our actions and transparent in our communications.

– Professor Professor Emma Hunt, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive

Falmouth was also recognised in the Student Engagement category for a range of initiatives that it delivered in collaboration with campus partners FX Plus and the Students' Union. These included involving the student body in sustainability initiative design and delivery, our Sustainability Week events plus a suite of new behaviour change campaigns, partnerships and training events for students and staff.

Green Gown were also impressed with the University’s approach to hyper local biodiversity improvements – co-delivering campus conservation volunteering with the FX Plus Grounds team, which has drastically transformed their wildflower habitat management.

We’re keen to ensure that transparency and collaboration with our campus community is at the heart of our efforts to address the climate and ecological crises.

– Peter Cox, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Sustainability Lead

The University declared a climate emergency in 2019 and has since implemented a range of initiatives on and off campus to engage its campus community, improve operations and promote positive behavioural changes.

Winning finalists and highly commended entries will be announced at the Green Gown Awards Ceremony, which is set to take place on 8 November 2022 at Loughborough University.

Speaking of the University’s initial Green Gown Award shortlisting, Vice Chancellor & Chief Executive Professor Emma Hunt said, “Working with the creatives, innovators and entrepreneurs of the future, universities have a unique responsibility to lead the way on environmental and sustainability issues.

"We must be ambitious in our actions and transparent in our communications. As a specialist creative institution, it’s particularly fantastic to be recognised for sustainability reporting and student engagement activity.”

Peter Cox, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Sustainability Lead, added “We’re keen to ensure that transparency and collaboration with our campus community is at the heart of our efforts to address the climate and ecological crises.

"It’s always been important to us to communicate our outputs in a meaningful and honest way, so that our actions can be fully scrutinised, and our executive team held to account against our sustainability targets and responsibilities as a university. We’re thrilled that our latest Sustainability Report has been nationally recognised, and we look forward to publishing our third Sustainability Report in the Autumn.”

Find out more about Sustainability at Falmouth