A first for Leicester for environmental impact

Leicester has increased its position in a league table of UK universities’ environmental and ethical performance, for the first time achieving a ‘First Class’ rating.

The People and Planet University League, published in The Guardian, has ranked Leicester 30th in its 2016 league table, a rise of 64 places from 94th in 2015 and placing it in the League’s ‘First Class’ universities.

It is the only comprehensive and independent league table of UK universities ranked by environmental and ethical performance. It is compiled annually by the UK’s largest student campaigning network, People & Planet.

The most notable areas of improvement were in:

Engagement the University has recently won a Highly Commended Green Gown Award for its APPLES programme

Education – a new ESD programme includes online and face to face inter- and extra-curricular opportunities and there are plans to embed sustainability skills into the curriculum

Energy sources - the CHP scheme and other initiatives such as solar PV are now paying off

Carbon Management - energy saving schemes across the University are saving valuable resources and reducing negative environmental impacts