COMMUNITY In 2025, the UCB Guild committed to the National Union of Students’ Sustainable SUs Charter, reflecting our commitment to embedding sustainability throughout our work and into the plans to develop our services further. As part of the Charter, we commit to: • Adopt sustainable practices, including championing local sustainability groups and causes via advocacy and events • Fostering collaboration and innovation, including the creation of a student-led Sustainability Society and collaborative campaigning with other students’ unions • Offering sustainable food and beverage options alongside the introduction of a community pantry • Advocating for policy change, including capturing student insights on their experiences of sustainable practices at UCB • Promoting environmental education and awareness, including through our campaigning framework and by inviting guest speakers to campus. As a student-led organisation, we’re proud of the many contributions that our Officers have made to shaping the conversation on sustainability issues. Elected Officers have championed issues such as accessible public transport, ethical investments, renter rights, gender equality and trans inclusion, and more – including at a national level in Parliamentary groups. GET INVOLVED If you’re a student at UCB, we’d love to be working with you too on sustainability, climate justice and environmental action. At the UCB Guild: you can get in touch with us any time to start a campaign or a student group with our support. • Become a Sustainability Rep • Join our Sustainability and Climate Justice Society • Bid for our Sustainability Project Fund Here in Birmingham: you can volunteer with organisations such as Birmingham Friends of the Earth and other charity groups, taking part in activities from climate campaigning and conservation to food redistribution and reuse projects. Nationally: People and Planet and Students Organising for Sustainability UK (SOS UK) support student led campaigns on social and climate justice, offer training, and help students build active campaign groups on campus. Sustainability isn’t just about recycling or saving energy; it’s about fairness, opportunity and wellbeing, now and in the future. For example, poor air quality often affects poorer or more vulnerable first – such as those living near busy roads. And if people don’t have secure housing and income, they may have fewer choices about living sustainably. This graphic demonstrates Donut Economics; it is a great resource to learn more about how more people can live well, without damaging the planet. HOW DO SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES CONNECT? At the UCB Guild of Students, we’re very grateful for our ongoing partnership with colleagues across UCB covering a wide range of sustainability issues, and we’re excited to support the University College Birmingham Sustainability Strategy. Alex Harden Way, Managing Director of UCB Guild of Students Sustainability is a reality of every student’s present and future. To prepare learners for the challenges ahead, we must give them the critical thinking and problem-solving skills to live and work sustainably – and the confidence to contribute to stronger local and global communities. Soham Chougale, UCB Guild of Students Education Officer Our Head of Sustainability & Campus Services, Ashlea Mallett, was once our Student Communities O icer (2019-2020), Trustee & Society leader, here at the University College Birmingham Guild of Students. Small actions can change the course of people and place. We strive to empower and support our community to champion the future you want to see locally and globally. DID YOU KNOW? UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY 2025–2030 23 UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY 2025–2030 22
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