Policy

All of our Policies and Procedures are available on our Policies, Plans and Procedures page.
Our overarching Policy is the Environmental Sustainability Vision, Policy and Strategy. 

Our Sustainability Ambition Statement sets out our vision, aims and key ambitions to ensure that Durham University delivers its mission of excellence in education, research and wider student experience in the most sustainable way possible.

Please view our Environmental Sustainability Action Plan and Indicators.

Human Resources

The Environmental Sustainability Strategic Planning Group oversee the University's Environmental, Vision, Policy and Strategy and are an advisory body to the UEC.

Policy and Strategy documents, governance, committees and working groups.

Please visit the About Us page for more detail on our Energy and Sustainability Team and other environmental staff at the University.

The Energy and Sustainability Team have fund allotted for Energy and Infrastructure Projects and Behavioural Change programmes. 

Environment Champion Scheme – there is a Champion for each Department, Professional Support Services and College.
More Information on the Environment Champion Network.

Auditing & EMS

After achieving the EcoCampus Gold Award in June 2020, we gained Platinum in December 2020 and renewed it in December 2021, 2022 and 2023 following external audits. To view our certificate please visit our Environmental Credentials page.

To view EcoCampus Procedure please visit our Policies Page.

In 2020 the SDG Group hired two student interns who audited the Modules across all Faculties reviewing the learning objectives, their environmental, social, economic or cultural impact, and keywords relating to the SDGs. Audits of the Colleges involved interviews with College staff, Student Environment Officers and JCR Officers/Presidents.

Ethical Investment

urham University has an active Ethical Investment Policy which applies to all our investments and is publicly available and has been signed off by University Executive Committee. It is available at  Ethical Investment Policy 

This policy seeks to support the University "to pursue an ethical approach" and to go beyond enabling investments "in any public company operating clearly within the law". It states that “the University has committed to sustainable investment by positively supporting investments in sustainable companies and through establishing restrictions on some types of investments. More specifically the University will not invest in companies that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of tobacco, armaments or fossil fuel extractive companies”. 

Durham University’s Annual Report includes a financial review as well as financial audit findings, including against the FRC’s ethical standard. It outlines the members of the Finance Committee, which includes student representation via the Student Union, as well as its work. Last year’s annual report is available at Durham University Annual Report 2024. 

Ethical Careers & Recruitment

Durham University’s Careers and Enterprise centre works to help students, staff and alumni make career plans and take the next steps to getting where they want to be. Information on the service and staff is available at Meet the team - they are not part of a combined careers service but does work with GTI and Jisc to support the career activities of students and graduates. 

The Careers Service has an active and publicly available policy – see Vacancy-Advertising-Policy---2025.pdf (reviewed June 2025). This covers the criteria which must be met in order for the careers service to work with third-party employers. 

Carbon Management

In 2011, the first Carbon Management Plan was created with the Carbon Trust, setting our targets in line with Government and Hefce targets, relating to 2013/14 and 2020. Within this plan set out a five-year plan to achieve the intermediate target of 2013/14 to review the progress of the 2020 target. We are currently in the final stages of developing a new Sustainability Strategy and Carbon Management Plan to take us to 2030. We have worked with the Carbon Trust to develop a Science-Based Target that's aligned to a pathway that limits warming to 1.5C.

Our new Carbon Management Plan contains detailed information about our carbon emissions and the actions we will take to reduce them.

• Carbon Management Plan 

We continue to monitor and report our carbon footprint in line with this policy. In the last five years, we have reduced our footprint by 34%.
An analysis of Carbon, Energy and Water Targets set out in the Sustainability Action Plan was undertaken in January 2020 and reported to the ESSPG in February 2020.

The University currently has 17 Colleges, we monitor Energy, Water and Waste from these sites (we are working with CLV to monitor usage at John Snow and South). Building energy and water use is reported to UEC annually, and student awareness campaigns are run throughout the year to reduce consumption. The analysis of Carbon, Energy and Water reviewed the use of residential buildings, this was reported to the ESSPG in February 2020, view the presentation Energy Water KPI Analysis 2021

Workers Rights

Durham University has gained formal accreditation with the Living Wage Foundation, as part of our ongoing commitment to fair pay for staff.  Why Join Us? - Durham University

From 1 April 2024 a Real Living Wage Supplement will be applied to increase the hourly rate (and corresponding annual 
salary) for points 6 to 13 of our Pay Spine. The supplement will ensure that staff on the lowest points are paid an hourly rate that is higher than the Real Living Wage Foundation hourly rate (currently £12) at appropriate incremental steps.

For more visit Human Resources & Organisational Development: Salary - Durham University

The University has been accredited by the Fairtrade Foundation since 2007. In 2019 we began working towards becoming a Fairtrade University with the Fairtrade Universities and Colleges Award.  In 2021/2022 the NUS and Fairtrade Foundation audited our work and awarded Fairtrade University status, which expired on 30 June 2024. We were audited in May 2024 and have received Fairtrade Status which will expire on 31st July 2026. The Procurement, Catering and Retail Teams consider Fairtrade, Rain Forest Alliance, and Organic Cotton where possible.

The University is affiliated with Electronics Watch for more information view the Modern Slavery Statement 21-22

Sustainable Food

Our Sustainable Food Policy 2021 was approved in 2021.

In 2021/2022 we started to work toward the Food Made Good rating - we have been awarded one star at 55% which covers our College Canteens and Cafes. We have a target to achieve 2 stars by 2025.

The University has been accredited by the MSC since 2015, and we won the University of the Year Award in both 2015 and 2016.

CSER Policy

Durham University actively works with its food suppliers to maximise the use of local growers and local produce. One example is the engagement with J.R. Holland Food Services to identify local fruit and vegetable growers, resulting in seasonal produce sourced within 25 miles of the University. The University sources its milk and yoghurt from Embleton Hall Dairies based in Durham.

Free drinking water is available in all of our Cafes with additional water fountains across the Estate.

A number of Colleges maintain their own allotments. 

Student Volunteering has many Environmental Volunteering Projects, including Beyond Food and Feeding Families. The Beyond Food project works with Trussell Trust’s Durham food bank to provide food parcels for disadvantaged families in the east of Durham. The food collection boxes are placed in colleges and the project leaders arrange for pickup and collection by the Trussell Trust’s Durham Foodbank.
During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Catering Team worked with local food banks to redistribute food. (East Durham Trust Article)

Staff & Student Engagement

For us to achieve the ambitious targets set out in our Action Plan, we need to make sure all staff and students are aware of their role in creating a more sustainable University. We have a well-established network of staff and student Environment Champions to support us in our plans, acting as a vital network for communication. A Staff and Student Engagement Strategy is available. Further policies can be found on our Policies, Plans and Procedures page.

Staff and student engagement forms part of our Action Plan. The Environmental Sustainability Strategic Planning Group (ESSPG) has representation from all four academic faculties, the Colleges, Professional Services and the Students’ Union.

This is achieved through the Environmental Sustainability Strategic Planning Group (ESSPG) as well as, through our Environment Champion and Student Environment Representative networks across all parts of the University.

Material is sent out to all colleges and departments for inclusion in student and staff induction. This includes a short presentation, full details in the student handbooks, livers out guide and the Environmental Sustainability Online Training Module accessible to both staff and students.

The Energy and Sustainability Team organise an annual Sustainability Event, our Greenspace Festival, with the support of other teams in the University. We also work with local organisations and charities who are welcomed along to event to promote sustainability in the local area, including The Ugly Fruit Group and Recyke y'Bike. We invite all staff, students, and the local community to get involved.

ESSPG and the Energy and Sustainability Team design a Calendar of awareness-raising events and activities for each academic year around each of our sustainability icons each month, on how people can take action and what the University's targets are MyGreenspace Calendar 2023-2024.

View our online campaigns:

• Greenspace Sway
• Switch off campaign
• Fairtrade Fortnight
• Biodiversity

Members of the Energy and Sustainability Team participate, and in some cases lead on, many working groups and committees that are internal and external to support and advise on local community projects and strategies, regarding the estate, travel, sustainability and engagement. In 2021, we held our first open Greenspace Festival which showcased the work of local charities, student groups and research at the University.

Durham Energy Institute (DEI) works with communities to support local energy projects and to inform local discussions on energy issues such as fracking and heat networks. It also works with local authorities and regional bodies on regional energy projects and has a school outreach programme on energy education and encourages engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths subjects. For more information on the DEI please visit their webpage.

Staff and Student Volunteering Teams run a wide range of projects within the local community, they work with local councils and charities to raise money, volunteer and mentoring. Our SDG Group is in partnership with the council, volunteers' teams and other members of staff to develop an interactive programme on the UN SDG's through workshops for local schools.

Student Volunteering: Hedgehog Friendly Campus, Beyond Food, Balsam Bashing and many more...

All staff and students can apply for support from the Ring-Fenced Carbon Budget for a project that will save carbon, up to £10,000 per project and a total of £100,000 is allocated to fund these projects internally. Please note applications are currently closed for this scheme.

For examples of successful fund applications please email the team.

All new starters complete the Environmental Sustainability Online Training Module which is part of every member of staff induction checklist with HR.

The Trade Unions are invited to attend meetings, such as the Integrated Sustainable Travel Plan Steering Group (ISTPSG) and the Vehicle Parking Working Group (VPWG).

The Estates Team publish upcoming plans on the website which is open for feedback from all members of the public. Key Projects have a Students’ Union representative who attends meetings and reviews plans.

Student representatives, including from the Student's Union, are members of our Environmental Sustainable Strategic Planning Group (ESSPG) - ESSPG Membership 2023/24.

The Durham Students' Union (DSU) announced a Climate Emergency in November 2019. They are undertaking a sustainability audit. The Energy and Sustainability Team have supported the DSU with advice on energy, waste and water management as well as carrying out on-site audits. The Sustainability Coordinator has been working closely with DSU and has supported events and campaigns.

Education

Durham University is committed to Education for Sustainable Development – this is included within our overarching University Strategy and ‘A Sustainable Future’ is one of four transversal strategies. Durham’s Environmental-Sustainability-Vision,-Policy-and-Strategy-July-2023.pdf also includes explicit reference to the inclusion of ESD within our curriculum. 

Our offer of educational programmes on sustainability can be found here: Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability - Durham University This includes Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes, covering many subject areas (SDGs Education - Durham University), as well as free online courses and videos (Our offer of free online courses - Durham University).  

Our offer of educational programmes on sustainability can be found here: Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability - Durham University This includes Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes, covering many subject areas (SDGs Education - Durham University), as well as free online courses and videos (Our offer of free online courses - Durham University).

Our Annual Report links to the relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) throughout, including its reviews of ‘Research and Engagement’ and of ‘Educational Excellence’ and ‘Wider Student Experience’. 

Durham’s SDG Group - Durham University ‘focuses on supporting and communicating Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) oriented research, teaching, the overall student experience and global strategy’ and is chaired by Professor Petra Minnerop - Durham University and is advisory to the Durham’s Global Strategy Group, which is chaired by PVC Global Professor Claire O'Malley - Durham University and which, in turn, is advisory to UEC, on which she sits. 

The SDG group is responsible for the strategic framework for ESD at Durham and brings together colleagues from all faculties to plan and review activity. 

In 2020 the SDG Group hired two student interns who audited the Modules across all Faculties, reviewing the learning objectives, their environmental, social, economic or cultural impact, and keywords relating to the SDGs. Audits of the Colleges involved interviews with College staff, Student Environment Officers and JCR Officers/Presidents. 

Led by academic registrars, we are currently mapping where our curriculum impacts on the SDGs across all disciplines. This is helping us understand gaps and opportunities to embed sustainability. 

The SDG group is currently working with the Durham Centre for Academic Development - Durham University (DCAD) on an initiative to provide further accessible SDG training for all staff as well as students which will ensure this work can be further embedded within the curriculum. This builds on existing offers, such as the Greenspace online modules which are available for all staff and students. 

DCAD also leads the university’s mission to decolonise the curriculum, launched in November 2020 (see details at Decolonising the Curriculum - Durham Centre for Academic Development). This is a collaborative initiative which involves multiple stakeholders through institutional workshops and toolkits for teaching and learning. The Durham Students' Union (DSU) partner this work (and created a Decolonisation Hub) as do faculty representatives across departments. 

The initiative is structured around: 

• Taught Programmes: Led by DCAD, this includes faculty-level workshops and curriculum reviews to embed diverse perspectives. 

• Research Practices: Coordinated with the Research Methods Centre - Durham University, focusing on inclusive methodologies and ethical research design

Progress on this work is included in the Durham University Annual Report 2024, which is linked throughout to the SDGs and reviews annually all areas of activity, including ‘Educational Excellence’. 

We also regularly update this page to highlight key achievements in research, teaching, learning and action within all the SDGs: Sustainable Development Goals - Durham University 

Some faculties have developed further frameworks for ESD, such as Durham University Business School whose ‘Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability Steering Group’ (ERSSG) has developed an ERS Strategy, in which they have committed to support the Education and Student Experience strategy and to further develop the resources to support the embedding of ERS within the curriculum. The Steering Group is chaired by Associate Dean for Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability, Laura Marsiliani's Homepage. She is also and Fellow of the Durham Energy Institute and Centre for Sustainable Development, Law and Policy and Policy and Co-Director of the Centre for Environmental and Energy Economics as well as a Member of the Durham University observer delegation at UN COP. The Business School prepares a PRME SIP Report annually – see previous reports at Durham Business School | UNPRME

Energy

Our electricity is purchased through The Energy Consortium (TEC), which certifies that 100% of our supply from EDF is backed by clean, renewable generation. To view the latest certificate, please click here (April 2021-March 2022).
An analysis of Carbon, Energy and Water Targets set out in the Action Plan was undertaken in January 2020 and reported to the ESSPG in February 2020.

Staff and Student Engagement - Energy Campaigns are run throughout the year.

This year, we ran the Switch Off campaign across our internal channels and social media. Here is an example. Please see the Energy webpage for more information.

Waste & Recycling

Waste Management Policy. For more information on our campaigns and recycling procedures, please visit our Waste webpage.