Social Responsibility and Sustainability at COL

The Centre for Open Learning is committed to contributing to social responsibility and sustainability at the University of Edinburgh.

This includes supporting the University’s Climate Strategy through our research, teaching and working practices. Within The Centre for Open Learning we are taking the following steps:

• We are participating in the University’s Sustainability Awards programme. We currently hold the Bronze Awards and we are currently working towards the Silver Award.
• We progress social responsible and sustainability ideas in our meetings to ensure the issues are embedded in strategic planning and decision making.
• We have taken out all small electrical heaters in individual offices and fixed any draughts.
• For all committee meetings papers, agendas and minutes are shown on screen, cutting down the need for printing.
• We have a fruit box is delivered daily to the Centre to encourage healthy eating amongst the staff.
• The department takes part in the stair challenge by placing posters in all lifts to encourage people to use the stairs instead.
• A weekly running group, a Pilates group and yoga group has been set up through our Social Committee to help staff engage in regular exercise.
• We communicate all sustainability news on our staff noticeboard.
• All paper used for printing is 100% recycled paper and is ordered in bulk to cut down emissions from multiple deliveries.