Sustainability at Regent’s

As a college, we are committed to reducing our impact on the environment. With more than 150 students and staff members living and working on our site, we want to raise awareness of how the choices we make as a community can potentially have a huge impact on our environment, and contribute positively to the University’s broader sustainability targets.

The University of Oxford Sustainability Strategy aims to achieve net zero carbon and biodiversity net gain by 2035 in order to address the global challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss in the organisation. We as a college are committed to reducing its impact on the environment and contributing positively to the University’s sustainability targets, and are therefore aiming for the same ambitious target of net zero carbon and biodiversity net gain by 2035.

Our commitment to sustainability is driven by our Fellows, staff and students in their day to day work and operations. Through the work of our Sustainability Committee, consisting of students and staff, we are working towards a Sustainability Strategy which we will review annually.

Our key areas of sustainable activity include the following:

Food Waste

We have introduced ‘Pot Luck Thursday’ to our evening dining provision.  This gives the Catering Team the option to create a range of dishes consisting of any items in small quantities that would otherwise go to waste, without being limited by the creation of a fixed menu.

Sustainable buildings and procurement

We will aim to build environmentally sustainable buildings, and embed best practice into the management of our estate. As we upgrade lighting and heating within College, we will replace with the most energy efficient model available at the time.  In addition, we will aim to eliminate all single use plastic on the Estate, with a particular focus within the College bar and social spaces.

Biodiversity

We will aim to preserve and enhance wildlife habitats across our estate.  Work is currently underway to develop an existing quad within College into a green space that encourages wildlife as well as creating an area where students can come together to talk and relax.