University of Manchester named UK’s most sustainable university
The University of Manchester has been named as the UK’s most sustainable University, placing top 3 on a global scale.
At the QS EduData Summit 2024 held in June 2024, we were awarded the title of ‘Sustainability Champion’ in celebration of our standout achievements within the area of environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.
Institutions receiving the award scored in the top 10 for the QS Sustainability Indicator by displaying proven leadership in tackling climate change and embedding sustainability. This comes after we were announced as top University in Europe, top in the UK, and second in the world for our performance towards the UN Sustainable Developemnt Goals in the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
As a University, we understand that we have a crucial role to play in meeting the environmental and social challenges the world faces. This recognition highlights the strength of our sustainability and social responsibility strategies and celebrates the approach we have taken to reduce our carbon footprint, promote social responsibility and sustainability in our teaching and learning and research and innovation and engage with and support our community.
The efforts undertaken by our staff and students to support the strategy have significantly contributed to this achievement. By continuing to embed sustainability practices into our daily lives, whether through recycling, taking sustainable transportation to campus, or finding new ways to reduce our environmental footprint, we can collectively achieve an even greater impact for a sustainable future.
Alongside this, ongoing work across campus to lower our emissions underscores the importance we place on sustainability. This includes:
- our long-term maintenance project to make our buildings more sustainable by increasing energy efficiency and improving the comfort and structure;
- the redevelopment of the Old Quad area on campus to increase biodiversity; and
- a recent landmark solar farm deal, which will see up to 65% of our electricity demand supplied by renewables.
From leading the way on groundbreaking research solutions that address environmental and social challenges, to actively collaborating with our staff and students – as well as industry, the government, and local communities – to raise awareness and amplify our impact, this award emphasises the successes of our collective effort.
Dr Julian Skyrme, Director of Social Responsibility, said: “This recognition by QS comes from the strong overall performance we showed to environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance in the QS global Sustainability Ranking, where we were placed top in Europe and top in the UK in 2024. It reflects the contributions of thousands of our academic and professional staff, students, and partners.”
Julia Durkan, Acting Head of Environmental Sustainability, said: “We are delighted to be recognised for our ongoing commitment to sustainability and the collaborative efforts of our entire community to creating a zero carbon and climate resilient future. We acknowledge there is still much to do, and we remain dedicated to continually learning, leading by example and inspiring others to act.”
Our sustainability strategy
The University’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy was published in 2023, outlining our commitment to sustainability.We aim to achieve zero direct carbon emissions by 2038, surpassing net zero, and are committed to addressing global challenges through research, education, public engagement, and responsible campus operations.
To achieve this, we must continue to embed sustainability practices into all systems and processes across campus. There are a wide range of opportunities for colleagues to get involved in sustainability initiatives – these can be found on our “Get Involved” webpage.
The University’s Social responsibility and civic engagement plan, published in 2020, sets out five priorities (social inclusion, prosperous communities, better health, environmental sustainability and cultural engagement) to make a difference locally, nationally and internationally across our full range of activities.