Northampton university keeps environmental accolade for 10 years
December 6, 2025
University retains eco accolade for 10 years
UONA university has said it has maintained one of the highest environmental accolades for a 10-year period by taking it out of the “classroom and research labs” and into the community.
The University of Northampton said it was one of only eight organisations to have kept the Investors in the Environment (iiE) green accreditation for a decade.
It said it was recognised for reducing its carbon emissions by 27% and using a biomass energy centre at its Waterside Campus that opened in 2018.
Prof Anne-Marie Kilday, its vice chancellor, said it had a mindset that allowed it to “keep ahead of the curve and constantly ready to adopt new ways of doings things”.
UONThe iiE accreditation system assesses organisations on their environmental management and sustainability practices, and its ranks start at bronze and silver and go up to green.
Ms Kilday, who is also the university’s chief executive, said it was “taking sustainability out of the classroom and research labs, and into our communities and businesses through our annual Sustainability Summit and our Towards Net Zero initiatives”.
The university said Northampton General Hospital was one of the other institutions to hold the award.
UONIt said it was recognised in several areas, for reducing its annual carbon emissions by 27% from 5,609 tonnes to 4,076 tonnes of CO2.
For its move to Waterside Campus with energy-efficient lighting systems, water-saving measures and a Biomass energy centre which provides hot water and heating for the campus using wood chipping from local company, Wilby Tree.
For ash, from the energy centre, being repurposed for landfill topping, and other waste is recycled, converted to energy, or anaerobically digested, was recognised.
It said its grounds were accredited by the Hedgehog Friendly Campus program.
Camilla Sherwin, senior consultant and partnerships lLead at iiE, said: “Good environmental performance saves money, improves reputation, changes organisational culture and, in UON’s case, embeds sustainability into the mindsets and skillsets of the workforce of the future.”
The iiE accreditation scheme is run by charity Pect (originally set up as the Peterborough Environment City Trust) which aims to help protect and enhance our surroundings.
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