Sustainability
Who we are:
Energy & Sustainability Director
Head of Sustainable Operations
Head of Decarbonisation
What we do:
The University of Reading is a leader in reducing its carbon emissions. We have successfully delivered many different carbon management programmes, from smart sockets, insulation upgrades, LED lighting, improved metering through to solar panel installations on campus buildings. We have ambitious future targets and an award winning Net Zero Carbon Plan.
Waste and resource use
The University aims to be an efficient user of resources and prevent waste being created in the first place. We also want to encourage the reuse of items, recycling and recovery of materials. We want to empower our staff, students and local community to minimise their impact upon the environment.
Sustainable travel
The University is committed to supporting and encouraging more sustainable travel behaviour by our staff, students and visitors. We offer a range of offers and advice to make sustainable travel as easy and affordable as possible.
Behavioural Change and Engagement
We are passionate about involving our whole University community in sustainability. We support this in a range of different ways; running engaging events, delivering sustainability training, supporting the embedding of sustainable development into our curriculum to delivering the Our Future First behaviour change programme.
Environmental and Energy Management and Compliance
Provide advice and guidance to colleagues on applicable legal requirements and other compliance obligations related to environmental management and sustainability. We ensure that University objectives are monitored, reported and recognised and that all University operations adhere to the Energy and Environmental Policy and aim to embed sustainability into business-as-usual processes.
Highlights:
- We operate a combined environmental and energy management system, certified to ISO14001 and ISO50001 standards.
- Our Future First is the University’s sustainable behaviours programme which will embed sustainability into our culture, with everyone playing their part to create collective, positive change for our community and our planet.
- 100% of our grid electricity is from renewable sources
- Our Whiteknights campus is award winning, with over 2000 different species living here
- With our ambitious and award-winning Net Zero Carbon Plan we are aiming to decarbonise our Estate
- 63.8% carbon emissions reduction on 2008/09 baseline.
- 63.9% waste sent for recycling in 2024/25.
- Joint 42nd in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2025.
- One of two universities to be awarded Fairtrade university three-star status.
- Winner of 15 consecutive Green Flag awards for Whiteknights campus.
- 4th in the People & Planet league 2025/26.
- Joint 50th in the THE Global Impact Rankings 2025.
- Top 50 in the world for our work in three of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (Times Higher Education (THE) Global Impact Rankings 2025) – 9th in SDG12 Responsible Procurement, 36th in SDG10 Reducing Inequalities, Joint 39th in SDG17 Partnership for the Goals.
Please visit the Sustainability Website for more information about progress with objectives and how to get involved.