Engagement

Engagement: Staff

54% of staff are signed up to Green Rewards, which rewards all the positive steps our staff take for their own health, wellbeing and the environment. This year alone, they achieved:

Over 60,000 positive actions such as recycling, travelling actively and saving energy

344 volunteer submissions

970 kg of disposable cups diverted from landfill

286,000 km travelled sustainably

£1,000 donated to local charities at our celebration events

Finalist in edie Sustainability Leaders Award in the Employee Engagement & Behaviour Change category

Engagement: Students

SUBU is committed to sustainability. We make sure each event we host is linked to at least one of the UN SDGs, and we host many events, such as our annual Green Week and Green Day. Our students also voted for SUBU to have sustainability policies and we support the university’s work on sustainability. As a students’ union, we will continue to stay committed to sustainability.

Abidemi Abiodun, Vice President Community

Campus Collective Student Society were supported by BU Estates to build a polytunnel on Talbot Campus to grow their own food, and also acquired a local allotment spot close to campus, where students host regular weekend sessions. It's a haven for local wildlife and is great for wellbeing, and our 'Walk in the Park' and tours of the allotment local woodland helped students alleviate exam stress. It was lovely to hear one international student say that it was the first time that they had ever spent time in a garden! “ Campus Collective

Gillian Lewis , Community Projects Lead, SUBU

SUBU Big Give 2019

The Big Give is an annual sustainability campaign which encourages students to clear out their houses before they leave for the summer and donate their unwanted items to charity. This was the Big Give’s fifth and most successful year, diverting around 40 tonnes of unwanted items for reuse rather than ending up in landfill.

2018 2218

2019 5041

Engagement: ResLife

Reslife has had a great academic year promoting sustainability within the halls of residence. Our events, which covered nearly all of the Sustainable Development Goals, were really well received by students. Joe Dixon, Student Green Residence Assistant “

There is no better time for students to get involved in sustainability than when they move away from home. With the committed team, which includes the employment of a resident assistant specifically focusing on sustainable events, sustainability is being embedded across our halls of residences.

The year started with pop-up non-alcoholic bars in five of the biggest halls encouraging students to drink mindfully by giving away hundreds of non-alcoholic drinks. The second term hosted a Swap Shop promoting SDG12 and a bake sale to raise money for charity.

32% of students pledged support for the NUS Student Switch Off and took part in halls visits, quizzes and competitions. As a result, energy usage in halls reduced by 6%.

With the money raised from the bake sales, six children are now receiving a meal a day at school for the whole academic year.