SUMS and EAUC – your expert sustainability partners
We partnered with EAUC in 2022 to address a pressing need for colleges and universities – and one that will make a lasting impact. We all care about the sustainability of our planet. Your communities of students and staff will be passionate about it. And you will almost certainly already be committed to moving to Net Zero Carbon or beyond. But mobilising this passion, changing your operations to make a practical difference requires transformation. To help drive that, SUMS’ experience in helping higher education institutions to solve complex problems combines with EAUC’s expertise across all aspects of sustainability to provide you with the strategic and operational support your organisation needs to succeed.
Celebrating two years of sustainability support
This piece was written by our partner consultants at EAUC
The evolution of sustainability in post-16 education
Earth Day, much like EAUC’s own roots as an organisation, began with a strong environmental focus. The day, created in 1970 to engage the public and policymakers with environmental issues, quickly grew into a global sustainability movement. EAUC emerged in the 1990s as an informal community in the post-16 education sector. Since then, as the movement has grown, EAUC has evolved to embrace and promote all dimensions of sustainability – economic, social and environmental. They’re currently celebrating their 20th anniversary as a charity. Like the UN Sustainable Development Goals, EAUC recognise the importance of each dimension and their interconnectedness: economic, social and environmental sustainability fit together like a jigsaw, supporting and enabling each other to create a bigger picture.
Avoiding the pitfalls of carbon tunnel vision
Adopting a truly holistic approach to sustainability can sometimes feel overwhelming. With so many interconnected challenges, like those outlined in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, it’s easy to feel unsure about where to start. Net zero tends to dominate the conversation – partly due to its high profile in political discourse, global events and direct-action campaigns, and partly due to the urgency of the challenge. In the post-16 education sector, we’ve also found that net zero can also often be the only sustainability-related key performance indicator for an institution. As a result, net zero often takes precedence over other important sustainability goals. However, given the scale of the carbon reduction challenge, limited resources in our sector and the interconnected nature of sustainability, we believe that institutions, our communities and our planet will only truly benefit when more holistic sustainability strategies are embraced.
Here, our partner consultants at EAUC explore the reasons, challenges and opportunities for taking a wider view of sustainability.
1. Net zero is an ultramarathon, not a sprint
Firstly, net zero is an ultramarathon – it’s a long-term journey, not a quick win. Achieving net zero emissions requires planning, patience, and incremental progress. This isn’t a race with a single finish line, but rather a series of milestones that need to be carefully managed over time. If we focus purely on net zero over the coming decades, we’re going to miss opportunities to create co-benefits or to make positive changes elsewhere.
2. The investment challenge
There’s no denying that achieving net zero requires significant investment – both financially and in terms of capacity and expertise. Given the financial constraints many institutions face, this can feel like an impossible challenge, and as a result, some may feel disheartened or even fail to take action. However, lofty long-term targets are not enough on their own: we need detailed, resourced plans that outline exactly how we’ll achieve them. Rather than focusing purely on net zero when there’s little or no immediate funding to invest, we encourage institutions to take a more creative and strategic approach to their sustainability strategy and action plan. There are plentiful opportunities to make meaningful progress across the entire sustainability agenda, some of which are far less resource-intensive than others. Institutions can build momentum by tackling low-cost initiatives that still deliver measurable impact. To recognise and celebrate these efforts, the Green Gown Awards provide a platform to showcase the achievements of those institutions demonstrating leadership and innovation in sustainability, helping to inspire others and build a culture of sustainability across the sector.
3. The interconnectedness of sustainability
There is no doubt that net zero is, and should remain, an important sustainability goal for institutions. But it shouldn’t be the only one. Often by looking at sustainability more holistically, we can find solutions that reduce carbon emissions and create positive impacts in other areas too. For example, when the University of Oxford assessed its biodiversity footprint, it found that its largest source of negative biodiversity outcomes came from its supply chains. By taking a robust approach to responsible procurement, institutions can not only reduce emissions, but take significant action towards tackling the global nature crisis too. In other words, the benefits of sustainability are interconnected—what works in one area can have far-reaching effects.
4. The role of education in sustainability
And finally, we can’t ignore the role of education. With net zero a long-term goal for both our institutions and communities, it is important that we work to ensure our future leaders are prepared to not only carry forward the strategies we initiate but to bring fresh, critical thinking to the challenges ahead. If we consider net-zero to be a purely operational issue, we’re missing out on the biggest impact the post-16 education sector has – on the knowledge, skills and attitudes of millions of learners so they can contribute to sustainability in their lives and careers.
Moving beyond net zero paralysis and becoming a planned opportunist
When we’re working with SUMS and EAUC members, we promote whole-institution approaches that align with their institutional strategy and operating context. In practice, this means leadership and governance, estates and operations, teaching and learning, and collaborations all actively driving sustainability so that they’re equipping learners for their lives, being responsible organisations, and shaping society for the better.
The need to look holistically at achieving net zero and advancing sustainability is not about downplaying the importance of reducing carbon. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. It’s about embracing the full scale, uncertainty and opportunity that the carbon reduction challenge brings. In our experience, when leaders recognise this, it can unlock the courage to take bolder systems action, to overcome paralysis, and move towards real progress.
The path to sustainability
Where is your institution on its sustainability journey? Just like an ultramarathon, the path to sustainability is long and requires consistent, strategic effort across leadership, operations, education, research, and partnerships. The time to take the next step is now—together, we can move beyond the starting line and turn ambitious sustainability goals into actionable progress. SUMS and EAUC can help your institution take a comprehensive approach to sustainability that goes beyond net zero and drives long-term change. Explore EAUC’s resources such as the Climate Action Roadmap for Colleges, the Sustainability Leadership Scorecard and our range of communities of practice.
Mapping a route that works for you
Looking for bespoke support? In partnership with EAUC, SUMS offers tailored packages for post-16 education organisations. Explore our work and see how we can help your institution take its next step towards holistic sustainability.
