Sustainability Governance in Action: Annual Highlights 2025/26
The Sustainability Committee and its Action Groups bring together colleagues and students from across the University to drive meaningful change. This page highlights key achievements from the past academic year (2025/2026), showcasing the collective impact of our work across governance, education, operations, and engagement.
Sustainability Committee 25/26 Highlights
Successfully launched the Sustainability Committee, developed its supporting Action Groups, enabling a more structured, collaborative and delivery-focused approach to sustainability across the University.
The Committee noted strengthened performance across key sustainability rankings, reflecting enhanced institutional coordination, improved data collection processes and clearer articulation of impact and outcomes.
The Committee led the refresh of the University鈥檚 Sustainability Strategy, providing strategic direction, coordinating stakeholder input and ensuring alignment with University priorities and emerging sector expectations.
Action Group Highlights
Energy Action Group
(EAG)
Development and approval of the revised Scope 1 and 2 Carbon Emissions Target as part of the Environmental Sustainability strategy refresh.
Development of Phase 2 Rooftop Solar PV proposal into fully-fledged defined project including a confirmed list of buildings for implementation.
Successful proof of concept pilot using the Honeywell Forge system (remote monitoring) of six buildings showing significant cost and efficiency savings. This has resulted in a further 17 buildings being approved by Energy Action Group to be added to the system for remote monitoring.
Circular Economy Action Group
(CEAG)
A centralised process for recording and sharing impact stories across the University was created, including initiatives such as Donation Drive and CovConnects, helping to improve visibility and celebrate progress.
Began mapping and logging current and ongoing circular economy projects, creating a clearer picture of existing activity and identifying opportunities for growth and collaboration.
Contributed directly to the development of the refreshed Environmental Sustainability Strategy, helping to define and embed the University鈥檚 circular economy target and future direction.
Education Action Group
(ESD AG)
The group progressed from exploration into active framework development, creating a collaborative repository of teaching ideas, drafting a practical curriculum鈥慸esign guide, developing a case鈥憇tudy template, reviewing key ESD literature, and beginning a curriculum鈥憁apping matrix aligned with the 鈥淪ix Tips鈥�. This has established a strong foundation for the development of a future university鈥憌ide ESD framework and toolkit.
The group focussed on drafting ESD鈥慺ocussed question that will be integrated in the new MA1 and CA1 approval forms following cross鈥慸epartmental discussion. The CA1 questions have now been passed to EPQ to take forward within the wider system鈥慽ntegration project, supporting consistent and meaningful ESD consideration within quality processes.
The group developed emerging guidance for sustainability鈥慺ocused careers events, the group also noted substantial development within the Warwick Award, with opportunities to strengthen ESD鈥憆elated pathways and recognition for student engagement.
Elon Academy Sustainability Course was created and took place in June 2026, it reaches low-incomes students in the US, bringing an international widening participation dimension to Warwick's ESD work and demonstrating the global reach of our sustainability education agenda.
Multilateral Engagement Action Group
(MEAG)
Went from a working group to an action group, marking the transition from a shared collective idea to a strategic forum for supporting the University鈥檚 engagement in multilateral law and policy making processes, such as the UNFCCC.
Put into place processes for colleagues鈥� engagement in some key multilateral processes, including the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP) and intersessional meetings and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). This will hopefully provide greater transparency and visibility of opportunities for staff and students to engage and participate in multilateral law and policy processes.
Developing a network of colleagues with expertise in multilateral engagement and impact to better support our University community in multilateral engagement processes across areas of teaching and learning and research and impact.
Ecology and Landscape Action Group
(ELAG)
Initial work was undertaken to design a zonation-based management plan, enabling a more strategic and targeted approach to enhancing biodiversity and managing the University鈥檚 landscapes.
The group supported the development of a new planting scheme that uses natural methods to safeguard valuable trees and strengthen resilience against invasive pests.
Steps were taken to broaden participation and incorporate a wider range of perspectives, ensuring the group鈥檚 work effectively informs the University鈥檚 biodiversity strategy.
Sustainability Policy and Reporting Action Group
(SPRAG)
The Group noted progress in the quality, consistency and scope of sustainability reporting, supporting greater transparency and assurance across internal and external reporting requirements.
Substantial work had been undertaken to meet the expectations set out in the Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation Practice, including alignment of institutional practice with its principles and the publication of supporting guidance (sustainability travel guidance, sustainable research guidance, sustainable procurement guidance) to enable implementation across the University.
The Group highlighted improvements in performance within the QS Sustainability Rankings, reflecting strengthened data collection, clearer evidence submission and enhanced institutional coordination.
