Cardiff Met achieved ISO 14001 (accreditation in 2012, with ISO 14001 : 2015, re-certification February 2024). Continuing to maintain this by setting clear objectives and targets, with Aspect owners report progress termly. The continual improvement is maintained via review with termly meetings with Aspect Owners, Students' Union, Students, Trade Union reps and Academic Reps.
Internal audits are completed by auditing teams of staff and student trained volunteers. Audit Teams review Environmental Impacts and defined Aspects by a comprehensive annual audit plan. The preparation of an annual Report on Sustainability and the Environment confirms progress and future direction.
At Cardiff Metropolitan University we recognise the importance of increasing our positive environmental impacts and reducing our negative ones.
The Environmental Management System (EMS) covers all University activities from energy and utilities, to waste management and recycling, but more significantly includes embedding education for sustainable development in the curriculum and into research and enterprise activities. The identification and remaining up-to-date with applicable environmental legislation, the maintenance of a documented register of legislation and the linking of environmental legislation with significant environmental aspects is part of the EMS.
Progress on objectives and targets are reported by the Sustainability Group. The Chief Officer (Resources) as Chair represents the Vice Chancellor's Board with designated responsibility for ensuring that the requirements of the ISO14001: 2015 standard are implemented and maintained.
The University works closely with the Students' Union to maintain the EMS. As an Aspect Owner, the Students' Union takes particular interest in the University's Fair Trade status and is the vital link to all student activities.
The University has identified environmental aspects which are managed by nominated Environmental Aspect Owners, their names and contact details as below:
Energy & Carbon
The University has identified environmental aspects for electricity and gas usage, light pollution and water consumption.
Our current Carbon Management Strategy 2024-2030 aims to build on the strong energy performance we have achieved so far with a range of measures aimed at accelerating our decarbonisation activities where ever possible as we work towards a net zero carbon target.
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Aspect Owner - Energy and Environment Manager
Waste Management
The University continues to work towards the Welsh Government targets of 70% of all waste being recycled by 2025 and zero waste by 2050. Whilst the University has been working towards these objectives for some time, the recent change to segregated waste streams has been fully implemented across the University estate and will help in driving performance.
The segregated waste streams managed include: Paper and Card; Metal & Plastic Cartons and plastic bottles; Food Waste; Glass bottles and Jars; Batteries; Clothing; Waste Oils, Chemical waste products, Clinical and Sanitary waste, Confidential waste; Wood and Metal and Electrical / IT Waste.
Furniture that can be re-used is processed via Warp-It, an externally hosted re-use portal, this allows us to advertise in-house firstly for re-use within the University, and then externally for third party use, such as Schools or Charity organisations, this allows us to avoid disposing of Furniture as Waste by ensuring its continued use as a valuable resource. Read more
Aspect Owner - Dan Ferris - Head of Campus Services
DFerris@cardiffmet.ac.uk
Travel & Transport
Cardiff Metropolitan is one of the leading sustainable travel organisations in Wales. Having a history of focusing on sustainable travel for its students, staff and visitors to ensure that the University reduces its impact on the environment, contributes to the positive health and well-being of staff and students and is a responsible member of the local community.
The core objective of the Travel Plan since 2007 has been to reduce the single occupancy car journeys to Campus and the dependency of vehicles to support its activity.
Current initiatives - Review of pool cars - consideration of hybrid / electric vehicles; Introduction of on line booking and payment for Met-Rider; Next Bike promotion at each Campus; further cycle provision and bi-ennial staff and student Travel Survey.
A new group, Sustainable Transport Planning Group, with representatives from Schools, Units and Students, is considering Sustainable Transport for the University, including reviewing of Car Parking Facilities and restrictions and the Travel Plan.
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Aspect Owner - Neil Woollacott - Deputy Accommodation Services Manager / Travel Plan ManagerNWoollacott@Cardiffmet.ac.uk
Emissions & Effluents
The University has identified Environmental Aspects; Emissions to Atmosphere; Gaseous Effluents; Effluents and Sewage and Legionella.
The University continues to be exempt from Emissions to Air Consent, due to its insignificant impact.
Current initiatives - implementation of drain surveys with remedial action taken.
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Aspect Owner - Glenn Roberts - Head of Built Environment
GARoberts@Cardiffmet.ac.uk
Paper & Print
The University reviews and monitors paper & print usage, providing a centralised print service and provision of multi-function devices around the Campus for staff and student use.
The use of multi-function devices and print management software provide benefits including energy savings (over desktop printers or scanners) and reduced waste (through centrally managed consumables and management options including deletion of unwanted jobs at the printer, regular deletion of unprocessed jobs every 24 hours and double-sided print as default).
Current initiatives
All pages printed through the University multi-function devices carbon offset by Kyocera using ‘PrintReleaf’ scheme. All paper ordered is FSC standard and carbon offset. All consumables and parts are fully recycled.
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Aspect Owner - Rebecca Bloyce - Commercial Services Manager
RBloyce@Cardiffmet.ac.uk
Sustainable Estate, Construction and Refurbishment
The University has determined that climate change is a relevant issue for their context and EMS and aims to enhance organisational awareness and response to climate change impacts within the Environment and Estates department.
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Biodiversity
The University has a Biodiversity Policy and Action Plan, which defines our priority areas for biodiversity action and sets targets for enhancing biodiversity and ensuring biodiversity is included in decision-making related to estate management.
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Learning & Teaching
The Learning and Teaching Development Unit (LTDU) continues to monitor and improve the quality of the teaching of environmental and sustainability oriented topics via the University's annual review QA processes.
Current initiatives - LTDU have completed the development of a programme audit tool, and related resources to be used by Programme Directors to evaluate and develop the extent to which programmes meet the key strategic aim of sustainability.
There is an on-going requirement for all undergraduate programmes to implement the programme audit of sustainability and to evidence that students have opportunities to meet Cardiff Met’s Graduate Attributes. Graduate Attributes are a set of competencies that all students from the university should develop throughout their time here, in all aspects of university life. These attributes outline the areas most commonly highlighted by employers when hiring new employees and therefore these graduate attributes reflect the University’s commitment to the enhancement of student employability.
The implementation of a Healthy University Strategy has seen further curricular intervention with the Cardiff School of Art and Design where Level 6 students were tasked to raise awareness of the "Health University" Strategy by communicating the key messages of the strategy to students, staff and the nearby community. Key to success will be to understand existing knowledge, behaviours, habits and perceptions from a variety of perspectives.
Read more....
Aspect Owner - Helen Bhanaut - Learning Developer
HBhanaut@cardiffmet.ac.uk
Chemicals & Hazardous Substances
Schools/Units are required to manage all aspects of health & safety in their respective areas including on site and in their own stores, including the management of hazardous substances and inventories of all chemicals.
Hazardous substances are stored in secure stores and relevant staff members are trained in safe handling, use and disposal of these.
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Aspect Owner - Chris Deacy - Head of Health & Safety
CDeacy@Cardiffmet.ac.uk
Sustainability Awareness & Engagement
The University recognises environmental awareness as a key aspect in its Environmental Management System, particularly in respect of the large number and annual migration of students, staff, visitors and contractors on site, presenting a challenging mixture of backgrounds, cultures and interests. The sustainability awareness supports all aspects of the Environmental Management System.
Different methods are used in order to engage initially with all but also to contact the right people at the right time, for example Go Green Week and the e-learning sustainability module for staff induction. Compulsory student Halls induction communicates the recycling and waste on Campus.
The use of television screens, posters, emails and signage continue to confirm the message. Attendance at awareness sessions e.g. Fresher's Fayre, Go Green Week and the collaboration of Aspect Owners and other parties e.g. Cardiff Digs, in terms of waste management, noise pollution etc. Fairtrade Fortnight, etc. The engagement with students and students for volunteering opportunities and new ideas and initiatives. Consultation groups for events planning e.g. Go Green Week.
Guest lectures and seminars provided on EMS @cardiff met.
Healthy University - Community Days also promote and engage with all visitors, staff and students with awareness within the University and external with local Community Groups and external organisations.
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Aspect Owner - Rachel Roberts - Sustainability Engagement Manager - RRoberts@Cardiffmet.ac.uk
Sustainability Projects Officer - vacant
Part Time Student’s Union Environmental Officer - suenvironmental@cardiffmet.ac.uk
Students' Union
The Students' Union represent the student voice and engagement with the EMS with a part time student Environmental Officer & Society. The SU in conjunction with the University and Cardiff Digs arrange and promote Student activities which have a positive environmental impact for the community, both locally and on a regional / national basis. The Students' Union co-ordinate with the University the Fair trade accreditation.
Current initiatives - The Cardiff Met Student award has been introduced with a Sustainable Thinking pathway. There are various options of volunteering available, one of which is the opportunity to be trained as an EMS auditor and arrange, plan and participate in team audits of the EMS. Consideration of Food redistribution opportunities with SU and Cardiff Digs to local charities from University and SU food outlets.
Read more....
Aspect Owner
- Fay Brinsdon – Students’ Union Executive Officer -fbrinsdon@cardiffmet.ac.uk
Part Time Student’s Union Environmental Officer - suenvironmental@cardiffmet.ac.uk
Sustainable Procurement
The University's procurement function is a key contributor to the achievement of sustainability objectives through its role in managing all aspects of tendering and the appointment of preferred suppliers.
Whilst the primary objective of all University procurement is the achievement of best value for its goods and services needs, the University seeks to configure all procurements to include all forms of corporate policy objectives, of which sustainability is a major consideration, and to do so in a manner consistent with the Welsh Government 'Welsh Procurement Policy' statement.
When developing the specifications for its procurement requirements, the University strives to include sustainable benefits, which in the last twelve months have ranged from a continuation of the growth in use of office products manufactured from recycled materials; the procurement of more foods from local sources; through to the delivery of a number of 'community benefits' deriving from tendering exercises.
Wherever practicable, the University divides its tenders into regional or requirement 'lots' to assist in ensuring smaller and local businesses are able to engage in University procurement exercises and to help reduce the carbon footprint in its direct and indirect supply chains.
The benefit to the local economy of these various 'local supply' initiatives can be illustrated through the fact that in the last twelve months, some 58% of the University's influenceable spend was placed with Welsh based suppliers, which reflects an increase of some 5% over the last 4 years.
Current initiatives - The University will be expanding the positive impact of paperless business trading by increasing the number of suppliers trading through the university's e-marketplace; seek to make use of the changes to the Public Contracts Regulations ("EU procurement rules") to further enable small businesses to participate in tender exercises; and intends to complete the development of an enhanced approach to commodity management that should allow the University to further influence environmental improvements through its supply chains.
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Aspect Owner - Andrea Brooksbank - Head of Procurement
ABrooksbank@Cardiffmet.ac.uk
Environmental Research
Consistent with the University's Strategic Plan, activities in Research and Enterprise address the cross cutting themes of Internationalisation, Partnership, Social Justice and Sustainability. Schools contribute in different ways and together address the three specific targets of:
1) 50% of research activity returned to the Research Excellence Framework to be world leading or internationally excellent
2) Increase the average research income per academic staff to £10K by the end of planning period
3) To have supported the creation of 20 successful new business ventures by the end of the planning period.
The Research Strategy 2014-19 also makes explicit its ambitions to enhance the University's research environment(s) by, amongst other things, Addressing gender and other inequalities by removing both personal and structural barriers to sustainable academic career progression; Implementing structured and consistent approaches that encourage staff to share responsibility and pro-actively engage in their personal and career development; Adopting best practice in respect of talent management, staff retention and targeted recruitment; Enhancing the quality and sustainability of research student supervision and supporting the environment for research students.
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Aspect Owner - Director of Research and Graduate Studies
Sustainable Food
The University achieved a Gold Award for an SRA Sustainability Rating in June 2022, based on centralised procurement and single point of contact for ongoing sustainability support for all University food outlets on Campus.
Catering & Hospitality Services recognises its responsibility to carry out its procurement activities in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, whilst also encouraging healthy and sustainable food production and consumption.
The University encourages suppliers to minimise the negative environmental and social effects associated with their production and supply chain, and ensure, through active encouragement, that local and smaller suppliers are not discriminated against in the procurement process and tender opportunities.
Current initiatives - Implementation of term time monthly Farmers Markets, supporting local suppliers with opportunities for the local suppliers to supply the University. Consideration of Food redistribution opportunities with SU and Cardiff Digs to local charities from University and SU food outlets. Review and reduction in single-use plastic on Campus. January 2019, pilot with Keep Wales Tidy / Simply Cups for the creation of a new waste stream on Campus - collection of single use coffee cups. Continuation of promotion of use of reusable cups on Campus.
Read more....
Aspect Owner - Andrew Phelps - Catering and Hospitality Services Manager
APhelps@Cardiffmet.ac.uk
General
The co-ordination of the Environmental Management System also creates targets and objectives.
Read more...
Aspect Owner - Rachel Roberts - Sustainability Engagement Manager RRoberts@Cardiffmet.ac.uk
