The University Council, in partnership with Liverpool Guild of Students, has overarching responsibility for ensuring that the University meets its SDG Accord commitments, including reporting to the UN each year on how the University has contributed to the individual SDGs.
The Senior Leadership Team has overarching responsibility for the University's Sustainability Policy and receives quarterly updates from the Sustainability Board.
The Sustainability Board meets quarterly and has strategic oversight of the Strategy, Annual Sustainability Report and Environmental Management System. It brings together the work from the individual working groups into a holistic framework.
Sustainability Strategy Group
To achieve our sustainability goals, we have established seven University Working Groups, that report to the sustainability board. Each group has a chair from across the institution and is supported by a member of our sustainability team.
Each group has a set of objectives whose ethical rationale is informed by the UN SDGs and that in turn support delivery of the four objectives linked to Strategy 2026. This means that our plan for sustainability and the work that will follow are embedded institution-wide. The membership of each group, including relevant academic and teaching expertise, students and professional services staff, affords a mechanism for new ideas to bloom from the ground up and locates the University’s vibrant and diverse community at the heart of our governance structure.
The following cross-institutional working groups grow projects and initiatives that support key ambitions of the Sustainability Policy, Strategy, and the Environmental Management System. Membership of all groups comprises academics, professional services, SLT representation and the Liverpool Guild of Students.
Biodiversity
To help improve and conserve the ecological value of the University Estate.
Built Environment
Looking at how environment, sustainability and technology are considered in implementing the Estate Masterplan.
Climate Action
Identifying urgent action to adapt to and mitigate impact of climate change.
Culture and Community
Ensure that environmental and social sustainability is embedded across the institution.
Responsible Consumption and Production
Promoting better resource efficiency on campus, including a whole life cycle approach.
Education for Sustainable Development
To develop and implement a programme that educates, activates and enables students, graduates and staff, to make their contribution to a sustainable future.
Travel and Transport
Replaces Campus Accessibility group, ensuring equitable car parking management and sustainable travel initiatives.
Key interfacing Committees supporting decision-making include:
- Capital Investment
- Wellbeing Board
- Faculty Sustainability Groups
- Liverpool Guild of Students
- Research Impact Committee
- Education Committee
Additional groups reporting to FSLT are consulted as appropriate.
The Sustainability Team
Sustainability requires committed leadership, clear strategic direction, and effective operational support, all working within a robust governance structure. The University Estates Department provides operational support and delivery across all areas of sustainability. This includes strategic drive from the award-winning Sustainability Team. The role of the Sustainability team is to:
- Create the content and support the implementation of the sustainability strategy, sustainability policy and the governance structure
- Provide specialist operational expertise in support of the Sustainability Board, its sub-groups, and the action plan
- Manage compliance of environmental legislation and other external reporting processes
- Measure and manage the continuous improvement of environmental performance and priorities of the University through the externally audited and UKAS accredited ISO 14001 Environmental Management System
- Manage the University’s externally audited and UKAS accredited ISO 14001 Environmental Management System
- Measure and report on the University’s sustainability progress, including continuous improvement of environmental performance, delivery of the Sustainability Action Plan, and embedding of the SDG framework
- To develop awareness-raising events for staff, students and partners
- To develop the annual sustainability report, and more broadly to measure performance against KPIs and report these on an annual basis
- To work with, influence and strengthen relations with external partners.
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