Staff engagement

Various opportunities are offered for all staff to be involved in sustainability-related activities. 

 

Policy and strategy 

Engagement of staff members in sustainability initiatives is included in relevant policies. A dedicated budget is made available to fund campaigns and operational projects aimed to help staff be more sustainable. 

Opportunities for staff members to be involved in the development and monitoring of university environmental strategy and policy are also offered as part of relevant meetings. 

Sustainability working groups

Staff members are part of our Executive Sustainability Steering Group, as well as its adjacent working groups. 

At the groups’ quarterly meetings, staff members provide feedback on sustainability, consult on sustainability policies and engage in sustainability initiatives. 

Sustainability Champions Network 

The Sustainability Champions Network allows members of staff who are passionate about making Surrey a more sustainable working environment to promote sustainability initiatives. 

The networks’ meetings are focused on three fields:

  • Cultural change and communications
  • IT and procurement
  • Laboratories.

The champions meet every three months to discuss progress and report on initiatives. 

Recent initiatives of the champions included the promotion of a bin trial across six departments at the University to streamline waste management. The Sustainability Team, in collaboration with the champions, trialled more comprehensive labels and removed desk bins to reduce plastic liners. Funding for the trial engaging over 200 staff members was provided by the Sustainability Team.

Evaluation of the initiative was conducted by a postgraduate student working in the Centre for Environment and Sustainability, including surveys before and after the trial. 

Staff inductions and training

Sustainability is included in the induction of all staff members. This is done through presentations conducted by the Head of Sustainability to all new staff and those moving from a student to a staff role.

A short ‘Introduction to Sustainability’ course is available to all staff and students, helping to incorporate sustainability into personal life and professional practice. The course is voluntary and takes around 2 hours to complete, with a digital badge being issued on successful completion.