UCL Sustainability Leadership Conference: Empowering 120 Future Leaders

The UCL Sustainability Leadership Conference 2024 united 120 students and 70 speakers for workshops, panels, and networking, inspiring students to become confident sustainability leaders.

Image description: Three panellists speaking as part of the final panel discussion of the conference, titled ‘Taking the lead now: engaging in youth sustainability leadership’. From left to right: Lola Fayokun, Co-Founder, Breath; Cathy Yitong Li, Youth Advisor, UN; Jemima Robertson, Founder & CEO, Soapbox Citizens. 

UCL Sustainability Leadership Conference

In April 2024, UCL hosted its first Sustainability Leadership Conference at UCL East Marshgate, co-delivered by Sustainable UCL and the Student’s Union UCL. This two-day event for 120 student delegates, aimed to inspire, upskill, and empower students to take on active roles in sustainability and addressing the climate crisis, aligning with UCL’s broader goal of embedding sustainability into both the curriculum and extra-curriculum.  

The conference was designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to tackle global environmental challenges. A mix of engaging workshops, expert panels, and sustainability training offered attendees valuable insights into topics such as climate change, the biodiversity crisis, plastic waste, environmental justice, food systems, water sustainability, and much more, setting them on a path towards leadership in sustainability.  

The conference welcomed students from a broad range of degree backgrounds, requiring no prior knowledge, but a passion for sustainability. Attendees were a good mix of degree levels, with approximately 40% undergraduate and 60% postgraduate students.   

A diverse and engaging programme  

The conference agenda covered a wide range of topics, catering to students’ diverse interests. Day one focused on key trends in sustainability, featuring discussions on policy, the built environment, plastics, finance, water and other pressing global issues. This day allowed attendees to explore the broader context of sustainability challenges and begin considering their roles in addressing them. 

Day two shifted the focus towards skill-building, with sessions dedicated to developing leadership competencies in sustainability. Students participated in sessions on communication, innovation, careers and consultancy, offering practical tools that could be applied in both personal and professional contexts. The programme allowed flexibility, with students able to select sessions tailored to their interests. 

A highlight of the event was the 70+ diverse speakers, which included UCL staff and alumni, as well as professionals from organisations such as Greenpeace, the LEGO Group, WWF, Deloitte, and the United Nations. The event was championed by UCL’s Pro-Vice Provost’s of the Climate Crisis Grand Challenge, Mark Maslin and Lisa Vanhala, and Lisa opened the event with an address on the importance of UCL student’s role in tackling the global climate crisis.   

The diversity of speakers provided a well-rounded perspective on sustainability, with insights from the corporate, non-profit, and public sectors. The networking sessions, including a drinks reception on the second day, gave students the chance to engage with these experts, as well as connect with fellow delegates. 

Student feedback and outcomes 

Feedback from the event was positive, with a post-conference survey indicating that 85% of attendees felt more confident in their ability to drive change in environmental sustainability and climate action. The conference also achieved a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 68, reflecting a high level of satisfaction among participants.  

• What is a Net Promotor Score?  

Shashwat Guha, a Master’s student in Clinical Neuroscience, shared his reflections on the event: "My main takeaway from the conference was that anyone can contribute to sustainability efforts, regardless of their academic background. Everyone can help promote sustainability in their lives, homes, and jobs, but it does need all sections of communities to be invited and involved in the conversations." 

This sentiment was echoed by many students, who left the two days feeling both inspired and empowered to take practical steps towards more sustainable living, as well as the confidence to lead in areas of sustainability.  

As UCL continues to strengthen its commitment to sustainability, with the development of a new UCL Sustainability Plan, the involvement of students remains crucial. The success of this first conference highlights the potential for future events to engage and empower even more students, building a community of informed and capable sustainability leaders who can help drive positive change in the years to come. 

What’s next?  

The 2024 conference marked an important step in UCL’s ongoing efforts to embed sustainability into our research, teaching, and operations. Building on the momentum generated by the conference, plans are already underway for next year’s Sustainability Leadership Conference, which is planned to take place in June 2025, with the goal of including even more students.  

Sustainable UCL and the Student’s Union UCL are also continuing to provide opportunities to engage throughout the year. The Student Sustainability Forums provide an ongoing platform for students to share their thoughts and contribute to UCL’s sustainability efforts. The Sustainability Ambassador Programme also includes more than 100 student sustainability volunteers across a breadth of UCL sustainability projects.  

In addition, this year’s Student’s Union President, Goksu Danaci, will represent UCL students at the UNFCC Conference of the Parties, COP29 in Baku, building on the work started by her predecessor, Mary McHarg, who attended COP28.  

• UCL at COP  

Stay up to date:  

Stay up to date on upcoming events and opportunities to get involved, including the next Sustainability Leadership Conference:  

• Sign up to our Student Sustainability Newsletter. 
• Explore the Student Sustainability Hub. 
• Follow along on Instagram: @SustainableUCL and @StudentsUnionUCL.