Ethical practice and sustainability at BU

Ethical practice and environmental sustainability are embedded into the education we deliver, but they are also central to the way we are run. From our ethical procurement and business practices that put people and wellbeing first, to the way our new buildings use renewable and sustainable technology, we’re working harder than ever to inspire our students and other organisations around us to act ethically and sustainably.

As a big organisation that’s home to over 17,000 students and around 2,000 staff, we have a responsibility to minimise our impact on the environment, and we are committed to becoming a carbon-zero campus by 2031. Our new buildings are designed with sustainability at the top of the agenda, but we are also fitting eco-friendly technology to our older buildings to replace fossil fuel heating and hot water systems.

We’ve recently secured funding to help us take that work even further, with work in progress to eliminate around 200 tonnes of carbon emissions from our older buildings. We currently generate around 5% of the energy we need from on-site solar panels, and we make sure that the electricity we buy to cover the rest of our needs is generated in a renewable way.

We’re committed to playing our part in ensuring a sustainable future for the planet, both through our actions as an organisation, the education we deliver in all areas, the research we undertake, and the partnerships we enter into.

Ranked #5 of UK universities and 29th in the world in the THE Impact Rankings 2023.