Green Impact

GREEN IMPACT HAS CHANGED!

Green Impact is a national accreditation scheme which recognises and rewards sustainable behaviour within the workplace.

Green Impact aims to empower individuals and departments to reduce their environmental impact by encouraging, rewarding and celebrating practical sustainable improvements.

There are currently over 40 universities and higher education institutions taking part in Green Impact throughout the UK, with over 600 departmental teams registered. Departments who take part in the scheme can attain Bronze, Silver or Gold Green Impact awards based on their achievements.

Teams taking part in Green Impact work towards the following aims:

• Reducing waste and increasing recycling
• Increasing energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions 
• Increasing sustainable procurement
• Increasing sustainable transport
• Improving communications relating to sustainability  

Green Impact is now in it’s 4th year at the University of Leicester and we learned a lot along the way. This year we have listened to all of the feedback from previous teams and have made some BIG changes to the way Green Impact works.

Bronze: Just 15 RELEVENT workbook criteria to work through
Silver: Your opportunity to work on an innovative project completely
relevant to your department.

If you are a returning team, was there something that you felt the workbook didn’t cover well enough or that you wanted to go further with?
If you are new to Green Impact, what areas of your department could you improve? Do you waste a lot of documents or have unethical tea and coffee in the office? 
This is your chance to work alongside the Environment Team and the NUS to come up with a project that will really make a difference in your department without you having to fill in the long forms on the online workbook.

Gold: the winner of the best project over all.

You can either join an existing Green Impact team or start up your own. Departments organise their own teams and nominate a Green Impact team lead. Both staff and students can set up Green Impact teams.

• Teams can work at their own pace and focus on areas which interest them during their silver project. The Environment Team will support teams in completing the workbook with ideas, resources and best practice sharing.

• Once the workbook has been submitted, teams are assessed through a departmental audit.

• Teams are rewarded and their contributions are celebrated at the Green Impact Awards ceremony.

To set up a Green Impact team or to find out more about the scheme contact environment@le.ac.uk or call (0116) 252 2849.

Green Impact is run locally by the University but managed across over 40 HEIs by the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC). Green Impact is also part of the wider NUS led Degrees Cooler Programme the University has signed up to which seeks to help 90,000 students and staff across 20 English universities measurably change their everyday behaviours for the sake of the environment. Visit the Degrees Cooler website for information about the programme www.degreescooler.org.uk