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RESPONSIBLE USE OF RESOURCES
We’re reducing resource consumption and waste, and helping students and staff adopt life-long sustainable behaviours.
Responsible use of resources
We’re reducing resource consumption and waste, and helping students and staff adopt life-long sustainable behaviours.
- Reducing waste and increasing recycling
- Cutting water consumption
- Working with supplies to reduce the impact of products and services we buy
- Training and empowering student and employees to adopt lasting responsible behaviours
- Choosing materials and products that have the lowest impact over their full life
Water trails to reduce water stress
We recognise the serious threat that climate change poses and, as a TCFD supporter, are committed to disclosing details of the most significant climate related risks and impacts identified for our business. These include both physical risks (e.g. extreme weather) and transitional risks (e.g. increasing regulation). We will continue to report on how these factors could affect our business and operations, and how we plan to mitigate them through changes to the way we manage our existing operations and build new properties. Water stress has been identified as a potential long term issue, leading to operational disruption and rising prices.
We recognise the serious threat that climate change poses and, as a TCFD supporter, are committed to disclosing details of the most significant climate related risks and impacts identified for our business. These include both physical risks (e.g. extreme weather) and transitional risks (e.g. increasing regulation). We will continue to report on how these factors could affect our business and operations, and how we plan to mitigate them through changes to the way we manage our existing operations and build new properties. Water stress has been identified as a potential long term issue, leading to operational disruption and rising prices.
We have been trialling ways to reduce water use in existing buildings. In 2021, we piloted new cistern-less toilet flush mechanisms which showed potential to cut water use for toilet flushing by up to 50%. We will be running further trials on a wider scale during 2022 with a view to expanding this programme in 2023 and beyond. Further detail is disclosed in our TCFD disclosure on pages 50–55 of the Annual Report and Accounts 2021 which you can view here.
Students call for strong action on climate change
In our 2021 survey on the climate crisis, undergraduates say they would like to see campus bans on single-use plastics and fines for students who don’t comply.
In the survey of 1,000 undergraduate students, carried out in collaboration with Opinium, the majority (60%) identified climate change and environmental issues as one of the top three most urgent priorities for world leaders to tackle today. This was followed by COVID-19 in second place, which was chosen by 46%.
Positive Impact – a United Nations award winning programme supported by the NUS
A United Nations award winning programme supported by the NUS Our Positive Impact programme is an iteration of the NUS Green Impact scheme, a United Nations award winning programme which targets sustainable behaviour change. Unite Students is the only PBSA participating nationally in the programme and during 2022, we are refreshing the programme for relaunch to our teams. The programme is our key vehicle for driving employee engagement and all of our city teams are working to achieve a minimal bronze level award during 2022.
A United Nations award winning programme supported by the NUS Our Positive Impact programme is an iteration of the NUS Green Impact scheme, a United Nations award winning programme which targets sustainable behaviour change. Unite Students is the only PBSA participating nationally in the programme and during 2022, we are refreshing the programme for relaunch to our teams. The programme is our key vehicle for driving employee engagement and all of our city teams are working to achieve a minimal bronze level award during 2022.
Some teams are working towards silver or gold levels, which includes a defined community project. Each city has a recognised Positive Impact Lead supported by the Social Impact team to help drive activity within a region. This year, the bronze criteria have been mapped against the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and our sustainability commitments.
Our partnerships
We want to build transparent, ethical and trusted relationships with our suppliers to work collaboratively to raise standards across the sector.
We’re committed to making a positive impact through people and places and so we look to work with partners who share our commitment to sustainable and responsible behaviours.
Recycling and helping others
The amount of rubbish generated and left by students is a huge concern for residents particularly at checkout times. Through our partnership with the British Heart Foundation we minimise this through a donation programme for unwanted items. These are sold and the proceeds used for life-saving research, with more than £1million raised to date. We also encourage unwanted food to be donated to local foodbanks.
We have food and stock donation stations in every property. Since 2017 we have worked with the British Heart Foundation and our students and employees are encouraged to donate unwanted items instead of sending to landfill.
in donations to date.
in CO2 gas emissions to date.
materials from landfill to date.
Find out more
Tackling climate change
Greener, sustainable buildings
