Sustainability
Travel
Since 2010, we have operated a multiple-campus travel plan to encourage more sustainable travel choices by our staff, students and visitors. Our approach to commuting and business travel is to provide infrastructure and procedures that enable staff and students to follow the travel hierarchy.
University actions
- HR policies and investment in our digital and physical infrastructure to enable remote working
- Increasing our understanding of international travel requirements and opportunities to reduce this negative impact, whilst maintaining our global reach
- Reduce fossil fuel dependency by 100% by 2030 for owned fleet
- Investment in electric vehicle infrastructure to facilitate fossil fuel to electric transition for personal vehicles.
Masterplan targets
2023/24
Review sustainable travel infrastructure
We have committed to reviewing the provision of facilities on campus that encourage and enable travel by low carbon, healthy modes, such as walking and cycling, with reference to the minimum cycle parking standards issued by Leicester City Council.
2024/25
Electric pool cars in Estates and Campus Services
As inter-site travel is an inherent part of carrying out the day-to-day functions of the Estates and Campus Services division, providing electric pool cars will reduce the carbon emissions associated with staff business travel in petrol and diesel vehicles.
Emission cap on fleet vehicles
When fleet vehicles are purchased or leased, specifying vehicles that are ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV) will contribute to reducing our direct carbon emissions.
Review travel policies
Where travel is deemed essential, we will actively seek to travel less often and prioritise low carbon modes of travel (whilst ensuring that Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations also remain key). This is particularly important given that business travel has returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Further work is required to increase our collective understanding of ‘essential’ business travel in order to develop examples of more and less justifiable purposes for high-carbon travel. The Travel Policy will be reviewed, informed by this shared understanding.
2025/26
Investment in digital infrastructure (to reduce the need to travel)
It is recognised that the University’s business, educational or research activities often require travel to be undertaken, yet this conflicts with the need to take positive action to significantly reduce our carbon footprint. Through the recently introduced unified Travel Policy, the University commits to increasing opportunities to connect and carry out research and innovation activities virtually wherever possible. This requires investment in our digital infrastructure to ensure such opportunities can be maximised.
2026/27
Additional electric vehicle charging facilities
We are seeking funding to further increase the number of on-site electric vehicle charging points, which would be available for both commuters and University fleet vehicles.