Sustainability at NTSU: Progress, Impact and What's Next
Nottingham Trent Students' Union (NTSU) has published its first Sustainability Report, reflecting on the progress made during the 2023/24 academic year as we continue working towards our goal of becoming a more sustainable organisation.
While this report reflects the 2023/24 academic year, it marks an important milestone in our sustainability journey and provides a baseline from which we can measure future progress. Sustainability is now embedded across our strategy, governance, operations and student engagement activity, helping to shape how we support students and operate as an organisation.
Key highlights from 2023/24
- 97% of waste diverted from landfill across NTSU operations.
- 810 Course Reps trained through sustainability induction sessions.
- 1,785 visits to NTSU's sustainability webpages.
- Excellent rating achieved through the Green Impact Students' Union programme for the second consecutive year.
- Silver status achieved through EcoCampus as part of our journey towards ISO14001 accreditation.
- Publication of NTSU's first Waste Report.
- Development of NTSU's first Sustainable Procurement Strategy.
- Continued annual carbon reporting, with 2023/24 representing our third year of carbon footprint measurement.
Embedding sustainability across the organisation
During 2023/24, sustainability became increasingly embedded within NTSU's governance and decision-making structures. We established an Environmental, Social and Governance Committee, continued the work of our Sustainability Advisory Group, and introduced sustainability training and induction programmes for staff.
The Sustainability Advisory Group has already helped deliver practical improvements, including the replacement of single-use plastic event banners with reusable alternatives made from recycled materials.
Taking action on waste and recycling
Waste and recycling remained a key focus area throughout the year. Alongside achieving a 97% landfill diversion rate, NTSU completed comprehensive waste audits across all campuses and published its first dedicated Waste Report.
The findings have informed improvements including clearer recycling signage, plans for enhanced food waste collection and continued student education around recycling and waste reduction.
Working towards net zero
NTSU remains committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. During 2023/24 we continued to strengthen our carbon reporting processes and improve our understanding of where emissions occur across the organisation.
Supply chain activity remains our largest source of emissions, helping to shape future priorities and action plans as we continue to develop pathways towards our net-zero target.
Students at the heart of change
Student engagement remains central to NTSU's sustainability ambitions. Throughout the year students participated in sustainability surveys, focus groups, volunteering opportunities, tree planting activities, biodiversity projects and sustainability campaigns.
Highlights included:
- 433 students engaging with sustainability activities at Freshers Fair.
- 357 students participating in the SOS-UK Skills Survey.
- 173 students contributing feedback on waste and recycling at Housing Fair.
- 26 students taking part in sustainability focus groups.
- 21 Student Sustainability Representatives supporting sustainability initiatives.
Looking ahead
Although we are still at the beginning of our sustainability journey, the foundations established during 2023/24 have created a clear framework for future progress.
Our focus remains on reducing our environmental impact, improving sustainable procurement, strengthening student engagement, working closely with partners including NTU and UPP, and continuing our journey towards ISO14001 accreditation.
We'd like to thank our students, staff and partners for their ongoing support and contribution towards building a more sustainable Students' Union.
From reducing waste and improving recycling to engaging students in sustainability initiatives and progressing towards ISO14001 accreditation, the report highlights the steps we've taken to create a more sustainable Students' Union. We invite students, staff and partners to explore the report and see the progress made so far.
