Awards and Achievements

Since 2021, our team has been consistently awarded for our sustainability efforts, and we are proud of all we have achieved. We aim to continue this into the future and achieve even more.

Sustainability Awards

We have had a Green Impact team in the department since at least 2018 and each academic year we work through the Green Impact programme with the aim of obtaining a Bronze, Silver or Gold at Sustainable UCL's annual award ceremony. In 2025, we also achieved our first Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) award. 

The Green Impact team has:

  • Been awarded GOLD for the Green Impact programme each year since 2022, achieving a silver award in 2021.
  • Achieved its first LEAF award, getting BRONZE in 2025.
  • Created a bespoke departmental Sustainability Plan, which earned a Special Award for Outstanding Sustainability Plan at the 2023 award ceremony. 
Green Impact Gold Award 2025

 

Other Achievements

Revitalising Recycling Scheme

Staff and students were confused about what could be recycled, not helped by a motley collection of different bin types and notices around the lab. The Green Impact team:

  • Found out what could be recycled in our normal collection
  • Negotiated with the collectors and the MSSL cleaners to ensure different bags of different colours would be used for waste and recycling
  • Obtained funding from the department for new recyling bins which are placed in strategic places around the lab
  • Put up clear notices and posters 

Bicycle Loan Scheme

Once we had achieved the gold award we were eligible to apply for a small amount of funding for a project in our department. In 2023 we were awarded a grant of £1000 to spend on some folding bicycles to lend out to staff and students to help them travel to and from MSSL. These were all enthusiastically borrowed in the first year.

EV Charging points

The Green Impact team surveyed staff and students to assess the need for EV charging points. When the need was proven, we campaigned successfully to get charging points installed at MSSL.