Tuesday 5th July saw the culmination of the Sustainability Champions scheme with the annual Sustainability Awards held at the Great Hall at Strand.
Over the last 12 months over 100 staff and students have been active Sustainability Champions with their actions affecting almost 2000 staff across the University. Taken together, the Champions have overseen the implementation of sustainable initiatives that have tangibly reduced the environmental impact of the University.
President and Principal, Professor Edward Byrne AC discussing the importance of Sustainability
The evening opened with an opportunity for current and prospective Sustainability Champions from across the university to meet and share experiences.
After a short introduction from Kat Thorne, Head of Sustainability, the President and Principal, Professor Edward Byrne AC took the stage for a speech. The Principal emphasised the importance of University-wide sustainability, and thanked those who have made a difference improving practises in King’s. Jessica Naylor, from the NUS, followed this up by discussing the impact of the national Green Impact scheme for Sustainability Champions scheme across the country.
Kat Thorne, Head of Sustainability, introducing the awards
28 teams from across the University were then rewarded and thanked for their work over the past year and presented with their Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards with the winners listed below. .
The Silver winning Guy’s Campus Operations and Hard Services Asset Management Team with Peter Frost admiring his Cactus
The Gold Winning Basic and Clinical Neuroscience Team
The Bronze Winning Office Teams
The Bronze Winning Lab Teams
It was great to see so many people from across the University community who have supported sustainability together in one place and to have the opportunity to thank them for their contributions.
There were many people who couldn’t attend the Awards ceremony but had been involved over the past year including many of our students who were involved as Auditors or supporting staff champions.
Karen Megranahan, a student who helped audit the Champions scheme, had this to say about the scheme:
‘It was a pleasure to be able to join Kings in celebrating those departments that have successfully participated in the green impact sustainability awards scheme. As an auditor it was wonderful to see so many people involved in the overall project really pulling together for the benefit of all. I hope that the successes to date will encourage more departments to participate in this valuable programme.’
We’d like to take this opportunity to once again say thank you to all the staff and students who have been involved over the past year and well done to all the Sustainability Champions for their achievements.
We look forward to working with everyone over the next year and presenting even more awards in a year’s time.
If you’re interested in participating in the Sustainability Champions scheme in the future please get in touch. There is more information available here, you can also sign up to our Champions mailing list. Next year’s scheme will be launch in October.
All the winning teams, The Principal and Sustainability Staff
Charles Pegg, Sustainability Projects Assistant
