Greening Imperial was a cross-campus and community initiative that ran from 2017-2020 and aimed to encourage the university to become a pioneer and exemplar in sustainability. The motivation for the initiative came from a realisation that Imperial was lagging behind its peers and that significant demand existed amongst students and staff for the college to improve its ethical and environmental policies, practices and performance.
The evidence for this demand came from a student and staff survey conducted in 2017 which in turn led to a report that set out three key recommendations that would achieve a step-change in Imperial’s public and professional reputation on sustainability: to appoint a senior member of staff responsible for sustainability, to set meaningful sustainability targets and to engage the Imperial community and its networks to deliver these targets.
Following the appointment of Professor Paul Lickiss as Academic Leader for Sustainability in November 2019 and the publication of the 5-year Sustainability Strategy in December 2020, Greening Imperial came to a close having achieved its key objectives. We'd encourage any Imperial College staff and students interested in Sustainability to visit the Sustainable Imperial website and get involved in the various projects to help improve the environmental and ethical performance of the university.
Ambition
Ambition
Greening Imperial aimed to improve Imperial's performance related to sustainability and enhance its actions on tackling environmental challenges and climate change. This included reducing reputational risk and improving its global leadership standing in the world, both in research and operations.
Actions
The Greening Imperial team worked closely with the College to improve how sustainability and action on climate change were integrated into its operations, education, research and support to the wider community. From 2017-2020, achievements included securing the appointment of an Academic Leader for Sustainability (Professor Paul Lickiss), a formal Sustainability Strategy, removing single-use plastic glasses from catering outlets, introducing a coffee cup levy, replacing single-use cutlery with reusable wooden cutlery, participation in the SDG Teach In and the Student Switch Off campaign.
Find out more about the achievements of Greening Imperial.
Get involved
Talk to us
If you have any ideas on how the College can improve how it integrates sustainability and action on climate change into its operations, education, research and support to the wider community please contact sustainable@imperial.ac.uk. You can also sign up to the monthly newsletter.
Environmental Society
Students interested in sustainability should consider joining the Imperial College Environmental Society for a range of sustainability activities including campaigns on waste reduction, reducing the impact of the fashion industry and a food Co-op! Find out more
You can read the Greening Imperial Report here: Greening Imperial - A Call for Action
Existing action on sustainability is described on the Estates Sustainability pages.
The Grantham Institute
The Grantham Institute is Imperial College London's hub for climate change and the environment. It leads on world-class research, training and innovation towards effective UK and international action on climate change and the environment. Find out more about The Grantham Institute
Centre for Environmental Policy
Imperial's Centre for Environmental Policy (CEP) focuses on the interface between science and policy in key environmental subjects through the interdisciplinary study of science, technology and innovation. It aims to to produce the highest quality research, teaching and advice on environmental policy. Find out more about CEP
Imperial Estates
The Energy and Environment Team currently undertakes work related to sustainability in the College’s operations across the whole of Imperial College London. Find out more about Imperial Estates.