Swansea University is 1st Class for its green credentials

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Swansea University is among the top 30 most environmental and ethical universities in the UK.

Swansea University have won a First Class Award and ranked 21st out of 151 universities in the People & Planet University League 2015 – the UK's only comprehensive and independent green ranking of universities unveiled today in the Guardian newspaper.

People and Planet 2015 Swansea Uni award logo

Professor Richard Davies, Vice Chancellor of the University said:  “Once again, the University has demonstrated rapid improvement in its league table position, with an impressive 18 place rise. This year has seen us retain our ISO14001 accreditation, with environmental action plans now in place across every department and College; staff and students have helped build the ORACLE – our outdoor low impact classroom; we have undertaken a host of community and biodiversity projects; and even presented our sustainability work at the Hay literary festival!.“

The People & Planet University League, an annual ranking by the national student campaign group, assesses the environmental and ethical performance of all universities, awarding First Class 'degrees' to the greenest and Fail to those doing the least to address their environmental and social impacts. Swansea University is one of 30 universities to achieve a ‘First’ in the 2015 league. The University scored full marks in the areas of auditing and Environmental Management Systems, engagement, environmental policy and staffing.

Dr Heidi Smith, the University’s Sustainability Manager said:

“Staff, students and friends of the University have worked hard again this year to support our social and environmental projects; this is reflected in our top 30 position in the table. We have a growing programme of work around corporate social responsibility, and with our Bay campus becoming operational in 2015, we have further exciting opportunities to innovate and engage our students and other stakeholders in these future issues.”

Hannah Smith, who compiled the People & Planet University League, said:

"Swansea University is proving to be one of the UK's leading universities for environmental and ethical standards. People & Planet celebrate their achievements working with their students, staff and community to bring about a culture of change in social and environmental practice. It's the progressive universities ranking top 30 in the league that are setting an example of what can be achieved in higher education, responding with speed to the oncoming challenges of climate change and global inequality.”

  • The People & Planet University League is the only comprehensive and independent league table of UK universities ranked by environmental and ethical performance. It is compiled annually by the UK’s largest student campaigning network, People & Planet. For more information: http://peopleandplanet.org/university-league. Link to the Guardian web page http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/jan/20/how-green-university-people-planet-green-league.

  •  In 2015, the People & Planet University League ranks 151 UK universities – awarding them a First, 2:1, 2:2, Third or Fail– according to environmental policy, management and actual performance in areas such as carbon reduction, waste recycling, student engagement, green curriculum, energy efficiency, transport emissions, sustainable food, ethical procurement and water consumption. The ranking combines data obtained directly from universities through the Freedom of Information Act with Estates Management Statistics data obtained from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.