Guardian ranks Swansea as one of ten greenest universities in UK

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Swansea University is once again ranked as one of the top ten greenest Universities in the UK.

The People and Planet University League ranking, published today in The Guardian has seen the University rise from 10th place to 9th place since last year. 

The People and Planet University League awards UK universities degree-style classifications based on their environmental and ethical management and performance.  The ranking is important as students want the university they choose to be a ‘sustainable’ institution.

Singleton Abbey Students Walking

Hilary Lappin-Scott, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Microbiology at Swansea University, said: “We are delighted to see Swansea University is firmly in the top ten ‘green league table’. I’m proud to work in an organisation that has such values and I feel this will really act as a driver for attracting excellent staff and students too, ensuring further success for the university.”

Full marks were awarded in the areas of:

  • Environmental Auditing & Management Systems
  • Staff Sustainability 

The University also scored highly in:

  • Environmental Policy
  • Energy Sources
  • Carbon Management (With the University recently being accredited to the latest version of ISO 14001 and has published new Carbon Management and Biodiversity Action Plans.) 

Dr Heidi Smith, the University’s Head of Sustainability and Staff Wellbeing said: “We are proud that Swansea University has risen up the ranks in the People and Planet University League Table for the fifth year running. This is testament to our innovative approach to embedding sustainability and wellbeing across the University, and the hard work of our staff and students. We were the first university to achieve ‘Bee Friendly’ status this year, and Public Health Wales also awarded us Corporate Health Standard Silver.”

“The University continues to have high levels of staff and student engagement and was Highly Commended for its SWell programme in the Guardian University Awards. We were also Highly Commended in the most recent National Passenger Transport Awards, and are current finalists in the edie Sustainability Leaders Award and the Sustain Wales Awards.”

The excellent results achieved in the last year are testament to the hard work of staff and students, and have allowed the University to maintain its First Class Award.