Sustainability Awards 2019/2020

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This year, the Social Responsibility and Sustainability (SRS) team celebrated the winners of the 2019/20 Sustainability Awards online. Congratulations to all of the recipients in each category for their hard work to embed sustainability into their areas of the University and beyond.

“I am delighted to announce this year’s Sustainability Awards. Now more than ever we need to come together as a staff and student community and celebrate our successes in making our world a better place. My heartfelt congratulations and thanks to all of the winners and those taking part for the work you do. Stay safe and please keep doing what you are doing.”

Dave Gorman, Director of Social Responsibility and Sustainability 

 

Changemaker Award

The “SRS Changemaker” Award recognises individual staff and students who have brought noticeable positive change to the University and its community either by undertaking a successful socially responsible or sustainable project or by inspiring others to act in a more socially responsible and sustainable way.

Winners

Matthew Hunter, Assistant Psychologist, Centre for Dementia Prevention

Matt received this award for his creativity and commitment to making the Centre for Dementia Prevention a more sustainable place to work. 

Lisa Heywood, Timetabling Operations Administrator, Timetabling and Examination Services

Lisa received this award for co-founding the Staff Cycling Community and undertaking outreach to the University community to encourage more staff and students to consider cycling as an option for commuting.

Sarah Turnbull, Marketing Officer, Edinburgh Innovations

Sarah received this award for undertaking multiple activities to promote wellbeing amongst her colleagues in Edinburgh Innovations and the greater Kings’ Building community.

Glen Cousquer, MSc Programme Coordinator, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies

Glen received this award for implementing a number of successful sustainability initiatives at the Royal (Dick) School of Verterinary Studies – in both day-to-day operations and within student teaching – and for sharing this knowledge with others across the University.

Christ McIntosh, Operations Manager, Sports and Exercise

Chris received this award for successful, creative and continued efforts to embed sustainability within the operations of Sports & Exercise.

 

 

Highly commended

Kristin Mason, Communication & Digital Officer, Estates

Peter Buckley, Teaching Fellow, Centre for Open Learning

Carol Powers, Management Support Officer, USG Business Unit

Lorna Brain, Festival Manager, ACE Business Development

Peter Hayakawa, Procurement Policy Officer, Procurement Office

Alyssa Stoller, Student, School of Geosciences

Community Partnership Award recipients

This category recognises both the positive social impact the winning activities have had and how the recipients have worked in partnership with local communities to achieve them.

Academy of Sport & Widening Participation for More Than Just a Game

More Than Just a Game is a seven-week programme teaching adult learners about data management, health and finances through the lens of football, in partnership with Hibernian Football Club Community Foundation. Find out more.

A football on some grass.Digital Ambassadors

The programme supports local people gain digital skills so they can use the internet and other technologies with confidence. Edinburgh Local trains student volunteers to teach these skills through weekly drop-in sessions at Central Library and through classes at the Charteris Centre in the Pleasance. Find out more.

A group of people round a table with tablets.

University of Edinburgh for Too Good to Go App

University cafés list leftover food on the Too Good to Go app, which allows customers to pick up the tasty treats for a fraction of the price before the food would otherwise be thrown out. It’s estimated that users of Too Good to Go could claim an estimated £12 worth of food for as little as £4 from our outlets. App users help reduce food waste with every purchase and ensure that all the labour, land and water needed to create the food doesn’t end up in the bin too. Find out more.

The Too Good To Go logo.

 

Special Award for Leadership in Sustainability

A portrait of Hugh Edmiston.Congratulations to Hugh Edmiston, Director of Corporate Services, who receives a Special Award in recognition of his continuous support for sustainability over the last six years.

Since SRS was established in 2014 and began reporting to Hugh, his support and constructive critique have helped shape and guide the University’s work to improve social responsibility and sustainability in a wide range of areas. For this he was granted a Leadership in Sustainability Award.

In Spring 2020, Hugh has left the University of Edinburgh to take up a new role as Senior Vice-President with the Singapore Management University.

Office Award recipients

These teams, schools and research centres have demonstrated a commitment to social responsibility and sustainability by fulfilling a range of criteria focused on ethical and environmentally-friendly working practices and behaviours. Efforts are reviewed by trained student auditors.

Centre for Dementia Prevention (project) – Gold

Centre for Open Learning (project) – Gold

Centre for Regenerative Medicine (project) – Gold

Edinburgh Clinical Research Facility (WTCRF) – long-term participant (project) – Gold

Edinburgh Global & Student Recruitment and Admissions – long-term participant– Gold

Institute for Academic Development – long-term participant (project) – Gold

Printing Services – long-term participant (project) – Gold

Scottish Student Sport (project) – Gold

Sport & Exercise– Gold

Development and Alumni – Silver

Edinburgh Innovations – Silver

Estates – Silver

Residence Life – Silver

Sports Union – Silver

Visitor Centre – Silver

Bioresearch & Veterinary Services – Bronze

School of Health in Social Science – Bronze

USG Business Unit – Bronze

Long-term participant denotes five years or more of participation.

Lab Award recipients

Lab Awards recipients demonstrated compliance with a wide range of sustainable lab practices including efficient use of fume cupboards, management of chemicals and samples, and reducing waste, water and energy consumption.

SRUC Biomarkers Lab – Gold

The Horsfall Lab – Gold

Chemical Engineering Teaching Lab – Silver

QMRI Flow Cytometry – Silver

Regan and Wallace Group – Silver

JP Lab – Bronze

Bioresearch & Veterinary Services – Bronze

Hardwick and Welburn Labs – Bronze

SCRM Core Facility Labs – Bronze

Join the celebration on social media by using the hashtag #SustAwards

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Interested in participating in the 2020-2021 Sustainability Awards? Find out more