How green is your school? on Creating Value In Schools

Environment

Sustainability

Image by Rosy / Bad Homburg / Germany from Pixabay

Please enjoy this free content - for more Need To Know articles please consider a subscription

Top takeaways

Zenergi, in collaboration with the UK Schools Sustainability Network (UKSSN), have produced the first Greener Schools Index Report.

The Greener Schools Index is a free tool schools, trusts and educational settings can use to measure, track and plan their environmental efforts.

The Greener Schools Index Report shares findings from the first 34 settings to use the index. It indicates a willingness for schools to get on the sustainability journey – with lots of potential for further impact.

What is the Greener Schools Index?

The Greener Schools Index is a free tool, produced by Zenergi in collaboration with the UKSSN operations group. It’s an online survey which helps settings to:

Measure and track their environmental impact
Benchmark efforts against other schools
Gain actionable insights to inform their plans
Align sustainability activities against national goals.

To take part, schools complete a sustainability survey which covers 17 areas, including:

Governance
Energy efficiency and consumption
Water management and conservation
Biodiversity and ecosystem protection
Sustainable procurement
Travel and trips.

Report findings

The report findings are drawn from the first 34 educational organisations to complete the survey. Nearly half of those are trusts; others a mixture of different types of schools, including special schools.

Highlights and successes	Areas for further action
62% of respondents have a designated person or team for sustainability.	24% have a climate action plan in place. Schools with clear plans tend to make steadier progress and can demonstrate their commitment to governors, parents and pupils.
74% of respondents are tracking their energy usage.	33% of schools have energy reduction targets. Setting clear, achievable goals can give sustainability efforts direction and purpose – and help track financial savings.
47% of settings are tracking water usage.	24% are taking steps to minimise water reduction. Measures like rainwater harvesting could deliver both environmental benefits and cost savings on water bills.
62% of settings have implemented energy-efficient technologies.	12% provide electric vehicle charging points.

What’s getting in the way of action?

The report highlights some of the barriers settings face. For example:

65% report insufficient time and/or people to dedicate to climate action
59% have insufficient funding
44% lack training or experience
24% indicate climate action is not a priority.

Learning from experience

The report shares tips from St. Bart’s Multi-Academy Trust (top performer in the index) and HEART Academies Trust. For example:

Begin with comprehensive data collection across energy, water, waste – anywhere that efficiencies might be achieved. Go from the big picture into the detail and look for patterns that reveal opportunities for change.
Link climate action to your core educational mission to build buy-in from stakeholders.
Create a tiered action plan with leadership buy-in, that has immediate, medium-term and long-term goals. This helps prevent overwhelm and creates a sense of progress.
A visual style and consistent message for your sustainability communications can help build recognition and momentum.

Questions for reflection and action

Has your setting produced a climate action plan? If not, what’s getting in the way of this? Remember: it’s fine to start small and go a step at a time!
Is water usage an area that’s been reviewed in your setting? What do you know about water literacy?
Are the ISBL Sustainability Standards relevant to your role? Have you used them to frame your professional development?
How does climate action link to your setting’s core mission and values?

Reading and resources

Greener Schools Index
ISBL Sustainability Standards
Need to Know: A benchmark for sustainability practices
Need to Know: Do you have a climate action plan in place?
Need to Know: What is carbon literacy?
Seeking the co-benefits: people, planet - and financial efficiency
UKSSN Operations Group
Zenergi: Greener Schools Index Report

Sign In