Easter Bush Campus wins Sustainability and Social Responsibility Awards
The Easter Bush Campus was recognised for its deeply embedded commitment to Sustainability and Social Responsibility at the University awards ceremony.
The Easter Bush Campus picked up four awards at the University of Edinburgh's Sustainability and Social Responsibility Awards reception, held in St Cecilia’s Hall. This is a significant achievement and shows the deeply embedded commitment to sustainability in all aspects of the School's work.
The Awards won were:
- Sustainability and Social Responsibility Committee for retaining the Campus Gold level for the Office Awards
- Brian McTeir and his team for retaining Gold Level for the Lab Awards
- Sharon Boyd for receiving the “Changemaker Award”
- Andrew Gardiner for his All4Paws Initiative
Gold Award for Offices and Labs
The Office Gold Awards recipients fulfilled a range of social responsibility and sustainability criteria, focusing on communications & engagement, energy saving, sustainable travel, resource efficiency, responsible purchasing and staff wellbeing.
The Gold Project Proposal focused on reducing packaging across the campus which incorporated a variety of initiatives seeking to reduce-re-use-recycle packaging. There is a strong and integrated focus on reducing plastic waste across the campus. The success of the campus is being shared with colleagues across the University, with other Schools and suppliers invited to discuss ways to embed these practices across the University, or find new ways to make further improvements.
The Changemaker Award
A new award category was added this year for "Social Responsibility and Sustainability Changemakers". This recognises individuals who in the last few years have continually impressed with their interest, action and commitment to embedding social responsibility and sustainability firmly in the staff and student experience. The Dick Vet's Sharon Boyd was selected as a winner for embedding SRS into the Vet School curriculum, and making the link between student experience, student wellbeing and sustainability explicit.
Community Partnership Project
All4Paws comprises regular student-led, veterinarian-supervised community outreach clinics providing animal treatment and advice to homeless and vulnerably-housed companion animal owners in Edinburgh. The project is innovative and inspiring, as students are involved in every aspect of the management and running of the clinics, and can use their imagination to help solve problems and promote social responsibility and compassion. They are also challenged – by practical, ethical and financial issues which require them to work collaboratively and responsibly to maintain continuity of delivery of a service which is now well known and respected throughout Edinburgh.
All4Paws now runs three regular pop-up clinics in central Edinburgh, providing essential vet care and advice for homeless and vulnerably housed people. The clinics are student-led and vet supervised. The latest clinic, run in conjunction with the NHS, takes place at Spittal Street Access Practice, which provides a wide range of medical and related services.