Sustainability at the University of Salford

Welcome to the University of Salford’s Environmental Sustainability Blog

At The University of Salford, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. Our mission goes beyond simply reducing our environmental impact; we aim to create an empowered community of students, staff, and external partners who actively shape a sustainable future.

Our Commitments and Actions

As a civic institution, we recognise the global climate and ecological crises. Our Sustainability Strategy incorporates the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, social, and economic, and commits to embedding these across all university operations. This journey includes sustainable campus practices, integrating sustainability into our curriculum, and empowering our university community to drive change beyond campus. Here’s how we’re making a difference:

Sustainable Campus: we aim for a carbon-neutral campus by 2038 by implementing energy-efficient measures, decarbonising our buildings, promoting sustainable travel, and enhancing biodiversity on our grounds in collaboration with estates, in addition to much more. You can read more about this under Sustainable Campus.

Sustainable Impact: We aim to create a sustainable impact beyond our campus. This is done through initiatives such as Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and participation in the SOS-UK Responsible Futures program, which prepares students to lead in a sustainable world. You can read more about our sustainable impact here.

Sustainable communities: Supporting sustainable communities creates partnerships beyond campus and enables a wider positive impact, empowering local and regional groups to address environmental, social, and economic challenges collaboratively, all supported by our communications and engagement strategy. Through these partnerships, we enable resilience, inclusivity, and sustainable development that benefits both our university and the communities we serve. Examples of this include our collaborations with local primary schools for the Hedgehog Friendly Campus programme, and our regular hedgehog friendly litter picks. You can read more about our work with sustainable communities here.

Our Sustainability Achievements and Goals

Salford’s Skills Survey in 2023 showed that 89% of our students believe universities should actively promote sustainability. As we build on this commitment, our updated targets focus on achieving net-zero emissions, advancing sustainable construction and procurement, and enhancing resource efficiency.

Progress and Reporting: For the latest on our sustainability milestones and goals, view our annual reports and the 2023 Integrated Report, showcasing our dedication to sustainable growth and transparency. Progress updates are posted on our blog, such as those on energy reductions on campus.

Governance and Accountability: Guided by our Environmental Sustainability Policy, we work under the BS EN ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 50001:2018 certifications, ensuring our practices meet high standards for environmental management.

Campus

Impact

Communities