Our sustainability vision is to create sustainability-minded, socially-engaged global citizens, by using sustainability principles to guide our values, actions and curricula, and by leading by example.

Our Sustainability Policy sets out the aim to minimise our impacts and continually improve our environmental performance, and our Sustainability Strategy shows how we'll deliver this focused on seven key themes.

We provide free drinking water in all our academic buildings across the Bath Spa estate. You can find all our publicly available mains-fed water fountains on the Refill app. We provide these not only for people’s health and wellbeing but also to reduce our dependence on single-use disposable bottles of water.

To ensure our investments do not support destructive sectors, such as the fossil fuel industry, and to ensure they support sustainable development, we have developed a Responsible Investment Policy, which is overseen by a Financial Portfolio Committee, with clear Terms of Reference.

We're a certified Social Enterprise under the CIC Mark and are currently applying for Gold Standard.

We’re also a certified member of Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) – the leading global authority and largest network of social enterprises in the UK.

Here are a few metrics of how we are doing:

An infographic showing the statistics for our social impact on staff in the academic year 2021/22An infographic showing the statistics for our social impact on students in the academic year 2021/22An infographic showing the statistics for our social impact on the community in the academic year 2021/22

The Students’ Union at Bath Spa also has a strong sustainable and ethical ethos. The Students’ Union building is owned and run by the University and is covered by the Carbon Reduction Management Plan.

Managing sustainability

The Sustainability Steering Group (SSG) is currently responsible for:

  • Co-ordination of the Sustainability agenda across the University
  • Oversight of the delivery of Bath Spa University’s Sustainability Strategy
  • Agreeing relevant targets and tracking progress as set out in the Carbon Reduction Management Plan and the Sustainability Objectives and Targets planner 
  • Oversight of the University’s compliance and progress under the Modern Slavery Act 2015
  • Oversight of BSU’s Management Review responsibilities, according to the requirements of ISO14001-2015 and ISO 50001-2018, including:
    • Reviewing and shaping the University’s Sustainability Policies & Strategy
    • Proposing, considering and commissioning projects that contribute to the achievement of the University’s sustainability targets
    • Reviewing the findings of internal and external environmental audits, including the status of corrective actions.
  • Jo Stocks - Chief Financial Officer - Chair of SSG
  • Becky Schaaf - Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Student Experience
  • Rachael Johnson - Chief Information Officer
  • Richard Jordan – Director of Estates and Services
  • Andy Williams – Deputy Head of Estates and Services
  • Craig Smith - Head of Maintenance
  • Peggy Snowden - Grounds Manager
  • Marco Peroni - Director of Finance
  • Hannah Whiting - Head of Business Development
  • Arlene Stone – Director of Human Resources
  • Sara Gallagher - Head of Student Wellbeing Services
  • John Strachan - Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Research and Enterprise
  • Liz Eyles - Director of Campus Life
  • Rachael Roberts - Catering and Hospitality Manager
  • Victoria Johnson - Head of Procurement
  • Trade Union representatives
  • Student Union President
  • Sustainability Manager

In attendance/circulation of papers

  • Emma Jakins - Sustainability Co-ordinator
  • Eve Windows - Energy Performance Officer
  • Communications Team representative
  • Zoe Etches - Chancelry Administrator, Centre for Innovation and Knowledge Exchange
  • Jo Stocks - Chief Financial Officer

    Chair of the Sustainability Steering Group and overall responsibility for the University's sustainability strategic direction.

    j.stocks@bathspa.ac.uk

  • Sustainability Manager - currently recruiting. Previously Julian Greaves.

 

  • David Tinkham – Technical Manger

    Operational management, co-ordinating protocols for environmental protection at Sion Hill and BSAD satellite sites including hazardous waste management.

    d.tinkham@bathspa.ac.uk
    +44 (0)1225 875475

  • Penny Snowden – Grounds Manager

    Grounds management, implementation of Biodiversity and Habitat Management Plan, pollution prevention

    p.snowden@bathspa.ac.uk
    +44 (0)1225 876249

  • John Evered - Planning Coordinator

    Responsible for waste and recycling logistics.

    j.evered2@bathspa.ac.uk
    +44 (0) 1225875765

  • Colin Scoines - Procurement Specialist

    Responsible for sustainability in procurement and development of ISO20400

    c.scoines@bathspa.ac.uk
    +44 (0) 1225875504
  • Green Communicators – Student Employees

    Communicating sustainability issues to their peers.  

    Please sign-up with the JobShop to be notified of any upcoming vacancies to the team.
  • Green Communicator – Student Placement

    Sustainability related project work: every year we offer the opportunity for a current student to spend an extended period of time working with the team on a specific project related to Sustainability at Bath Spa. Please contact Sara Cundy for more information.
  • Communications strategy
  • All new starters undertake an induction programme, which includes coverageof the university sustainability policy, ISO14001 and areas for staff to engage in environmental activities. The sustainability team also sends out a welcome email.