Governance

Environmental sustainability is embedded within the university through high-level commitment from university leadership and our policies. In the new University of Salford Corporate Strategy 2022-2027, sustainability is defined as one of the key pillars defining success.

A number of university groups provide strategic direction, support and oversight for implementation of the university policies and overall responsibility for sustainability at University of Salford sits with the University Leadership Team Lead for Sustainability and the Pro Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation.

We have launched the university Sustainability Board which will ensure that the university delivers on its commitments to Net Zero Carbon and develops a cohesive approach to sustainability that embeds sustainability and our net zero commitments across the campus. The Board, chaired by the University Leadership Team Lead for Sustainability, will include representatives from across the university including the sustainability office, the academic schools, estates and facilities, finance and procurement, travel office, HR and marketing/communications, Digital IT, the library, student support, Students’ Union, trade unions and at least two student representatives.

The core responsibilities of the board will be cross-cutting and ensuring that decision-making at every level of the university’s activities takes account of sustainability and net zero targets. The board will establish a programme of prioritised activity and investment that will forward our commitment to sustainability across the following themes. The team will monitor and track progress against the agreed objectives to ensure delivery.

The central Sustainability Office, which sits within the Vice-Chancellor's Office has overarching responsibility for the development and delivery of the Sustainability Strategy and Plan. It looks to make sustainability a “business as usual” activity for the university and provide the support, resources, and central hub to enable the university to deliver not only its corporate goals, but a moral imperative to protect the aspirations of future generations.

The Environmental Sustainability Team in estates and facilities is responsible for the delivery of operational sustainability across the university campus, environmental management compliance, and maintaining our Environmental and Energy Management Systems certifications.