The Students' Union at UWE and UWE Bristol has been awarded the NUS Responsible Futures accreditation. This reflects the institution and Students’ Union’s shared commitment to embedding sustainability and social responsibility across the formal and informal curriculum.

Since its launch by the National Union of Students (NUS) in 2014, 30 institutions have worked with their students’ unions across the UK to take part in Responsible Futures, demonstrating their commitment to creating an environment where education for sustainable development can thrive. Responsible Futures is now hosted by and led by Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS-UK), formerly NUS sustainability team.

SOS-UK and NUS aim to see students leave formal education with the knowledge, skills, attributes, and values required to critically challenge the world around them, and a desire and willingness to tackle social, economic, and environmental issues and inequalities.

Larissa Kennedy SOS-UK and NUS National President commented:

“Congratulations to University of the West of England and The Students’ Union at the University of the West of England on this fantastic achievement! Thank you for your commitment to empowering students to access the skills and knowledge they need to forge a more sustainable education system and more sustainable world.”

Responsible Futures offers a framework and certification of a whole institution’s commitment to sustainability and social responsibility and having an enabling environment for it to thrive, rather than an endpoint. Following an audit led by students trained by NUS, The Students' Union at UWE and UWE Bristol was rewarded the Responsible Futures Accreditation for their achievements.

About SOS-UK

SOS-UK is a student-led education charity focusing on sustainability. We know environmental sustainability cannot be achieved in isolation, so our work spans across issues of social justice and wellbeing as well.

Through our work we want to see...

More students leading on, and learning for, sustainability.

An education system repurposed around the climate emergency and ecological

Sustainability that is more inclusive, so it is for everyone.

About Responsible Futures

Responsible Futures is an externally-assessed accreditation mark (audited by students) to assist tertiary education institutions in helping students gain the skills and experience needed to thrive as global citizens. Responsible Futures provides a supported change framework for a whole-institution approach to sustainability and social responsibility, spanning the formal and informal curriculum, applicable to both further and higher education institutions.