The Students’ Union at UWE is delighted to announce we have been awarded ‘Excellent’ in our Green Impact submission for the 2020/21 academic year. This is the highest rating that can be achieved.

Green Impact is a sustainability and social responsibility programme run by Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS-UK).

We’d like to say thank you to all the students and staff involved in sustainability, that have made this happen. It would not be possible to achieve Excellent without all their hard work and passion for change!

Here are some of the highlights and achievements of our Green Impact submission:

- We planted 2,000 trees through our pledge to plant with Tree Sisters for every voter who turned out this election
- We released a Divestment update with UWE Bristol 
- Improved our hedgehog friendly campus award from Bronze to Silver 
- Despite our two main coffee-selling outlets being closed since March 2020, students still saved £768.80 from bringing their own coffee cups this year
- In collaboration with UWE, we reached over 100 students about their carbon footprint and holistic ways to reduce their impact during 'Creating Change: Climate Action for 2030'
- 'In 18/19 academic year we loaned 27 bikes and in 19/20 we loaned 75. So far in 2020/21, we have loaned 22 bikes, which is impressive considering COVID-19 restrictions
- 20/21 menu changes have resulted in meat being reduced by 9% and vegetarian and vegan options making up 58% of the menu
- 2020/21 has seen 40% of all Student Ideas submitted being related to sustainability, double that of 19/20 (20%)
- Idea 336, on banning disposable cups, received 383 votes, which is the second highest number of votes ever received through the system

Our new president, Evan Botwood had this to say:

'For us to be awarded 'excellent' demonstrates the strong commitment from The Students' Union to sustainability, and as such the abundant passion of UWE students for environmental and social justice issues. I can't wait to see how we can continue and go beyond the excellent work that has been done'.