UCL Sustainability Awards 2018: Nominations now open!

One of the highlights of the sustainability year at UCL is our Award Ceremony in September. This year will be UCL’s sixth awards ceremony. For those of you who don't know the awards - it is a joyous event where UCL's community can share ideas and socialise over a tasty vegetarian buffet and receive awards for their environmental and social contributions. Last year the awards were made out of teak from the Bloomsbury Theatre refurbishment (find out more here). Geraint Rees, Dean of the UCL Faculty of Life Sciences and Chair of UCL’s Environmental Sustainability Steering Group will host the ceremony.

We are excited to announce that nominations for the awards are now open!

These are four awards in addition to the awards which will be given to teams who have completed the Green Impact Programme.

Staff Award for Outstanding Commitment to Sustainability

An exceptional person within your or another department who has been leading environmental or social change at UCL.

Student Award for Outstanding Commitment to Sustainability

An exceptional student within your department, society or halls who has been leading change at UCL.

Sustainability Impact Award

A team/society at UCL, who has undertaken and environmental or social initiative, which has made a positive impact to sustainability at UCL or beyond.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Energy saving initiatives
• Projects to improve recycling rates
• Initiatives to reduce consumption (e.g. of water, plastic, coffee cups, meat, fashion, paper, to name a few)
• Work to improve green spaces or to increase biodiversity
• Cycling or walking engagement activities
• Individuals or teams who have undertaken research to make UCL's infrastructure more environmentally sustainable can also be nominated.
• A project which directly improves the sustainability of a department, lab, hall, catering outlet, library, office space or service.
• A food redistribution scheme (from cafes to charities)
• Community garden Educating school children about sustainability

Sustainability Education Award

This category is for staff or post-graduate students who have integrated sustainability into either the formal or informal curriculum.  This could be through the development of academic courses, voluntary programmes or community involvement schemes:  Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Developing a sustainability related module
• Integrating sustainability into modules across a course
• Providing sustainability related participatory learning
• Facilitating sustainability related coursework or Living Lab projects

Who, and what kind of work, is eligible?

UCL staff and students (undergraduate or postgraduate) are eligible for the awards. Groups of students and staff working in a team or society can also be nominated. To be eligible for nomination, staff or postgraduate students must be either employed by UCL or registered as a student at UCL, at the point of nomination or have been employed by UCL, or registered as a student at UCL, within the calendar year preceding nomination deadline date.

Nominees do not have to be a designated departmental ‘Sustainable Champion’ or be part of a Sustainable Team at UCL. These awards are for anyone at UCL who has made a contribution to environmental or social sustainability, be it at UCL or beyond.

How to nominate

To nominate an individual, team or yourself, please complete the application form by August 1st.

Nominate now: Deadline August 1st

How do the judges choose the winners?

A panel of judges with sustainability experience and understanding, including academics, professional services staff and students from across UCL, will choose prize-winners, taking into account a summary of the guidance above as well as:

• The contribution the individual or team has made to UCL’s Sustainability Strategy
• The impact of the activities the individual or team has had on UCL’s operations or community in terms of sustainability
• The level of collaboration and engagement with other members of UCL or beyond to make social or environmental improvements.

How will they be awarded?

All nominees will be informed whether or not they have been given an award as soon as possible before the ceremony takes place in September 2018. Nominators will also be informed of the success of their nominee.

How can I contact the organisers?

The UCL Sustainability Awards 2018 are organised by UCL Sustainability. If you wish to contact us for any reason, please email Hannah Biggs.

We will acknowledge all nominations received before the deadline, but please note that no correspondence will be entered into regarding the selection process once the deadline has passed at noon on Wednesday 1 August 2018.