Join us in shaping Imperial’s next sustainability strategy

Dr Sharron Stubbs is Head of Infrastructure Operations in the Faculty of Medicine. 

She leads the Faculty’s sustainability efforts and chairs its Sustainability Advisory Group. Recent achievements include an increase in labs applying for sustainability accreditation and a growing network of Sustainability Champions. 

"I enjoy working closely with the sustainability hub and networks. My technical background helps me support and guide the changes needed to meet our Sustainability Strategy goals. 

"I think a key focus of the university's new Sustainability Strategy should be on reviewing procurement, especially for specialist medical supplies. Working with procurement teams, suppliers, and manufacturers to improve transparency will help us make better purchasing decisions. This also affects recycling and reuse at the end of a product’s life, and helps streamline logistics to cut carbon emissions. Educating and involving students is also vital – embedding sustainability into courses prepares them to lead future change." 

Nico Henry is President of Imperial College Union. As part of his role, Nico is a strong advocate for green space development, cycling support, and exploring food surplus schemes.

"I am passionate about this work because it has measurable impact and I enjoy being transparent to our students about institutional decisions.

"Looking at the university’s new Sustainability Strategy, I see it bringing together research, teaching, and operations into a single, joined-up approach. In line with the Class of 2030 vision, it should embed sustainability into education, helping graduates see their work through a sustainable lens. It has real potential to leave a lasting legacy and set an example for others to follow."

Learn more about Imperial College Union’s Sustainability Strategy and activities

Mark Wilkinson is Head of Net Zero Carbon, leading the central plan and projects aimed at cutting carbon emissions from the university’s buildings. His work is focused on managing a programme that will begin introducing low-carbon, gas-free campuses by the end of the 2028/29 financial year.

"I feel incredibly privileged to lead this programme, which brings together the technical and business knowledge I’ve built over 20 years in corporate property to drive real change.

"The upcoming strategy refresh is a chance for Imperial to sharpen its sustainability goals and tackle the environmental impact of its core operations. It’s vital we push forward with our Net Zero ambitions, especially around labs and buildings, and demonstrate sector leadership – even in a complex, people-focused organisation in central London."

Dr Mike Tennant is Vice-Dean (Education) in the Faculty of Natural Sciences, and a Principal Teaching Fellow in the Centre for Environmental Policy where he teaches MSc students the fundamentals of sustainability and co-convenes three electives related to 'sustainable business'.

He recently led the Imperial-wide Education for Sustainability task and finish group (see the outcomes of the task – log-in required), which recommended actions to embed sustainability across our teaching portfolio.

"Every department can contribute to sustainability education and research if we consider all themes encompassed by the Sustainable Development Goals. Climate change, biodiversity loss and zero pollution are important parts of this conversation, but not the only issues we have to, and can, focus on under our Science for Humanity strategy.

"Consider this: unsustainability is a result of poor production practices and excessive consumption patterns; climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and inequitable social conditions result from these."

Jess Money is the Sustainability Engagement and Administrative Coordinator in the central Sustainability Hub. She coordinates events and communications to engage, support and empower the university’s community to drive sustainable action and positive change.

"Building on the success of our annual Sustainability Fortnight, I'm really looking forward to next year’s Sustainability Month in spring. We’ll have our biggest line up of events to date and it will feature the launch of the new Sustainability strategy. I'm also looking forward to the launch of our new Sustainable Imperial Ambassadors programme in which students can get recognised for the extra-curricular sustainability-related activities they take part in.

"I enjoy working with students, staff and community members on initiatives and seeing the creativity that arises from it. I truly believe that to achieve a more sustainable future we must all work together."

Read more insights in Jess’s Imperial People blog.

Alex Brown led the creation of the Imperial Zero Index – an innovative tool for assessing fossil fuel companies’ net zero commitments and tracking their annual transitional performance, helping the university decide whether to continue partnering with them.

"Imperial should be applauded for its goal to reach net zero campuses for direct emissions by 2040. The previous strategy aimed for a 15% reduction in Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 2025-26, but now it’s time to set even more ambitious targets. While we rightly hold our partners accountable, we must also challenge ourselves and make full use of the talent across our staff and students.

“To stay on track, and build on the great progress already made – from Estates to sustainable procurement –we should: 1) set a more ambitious Scope 1 & 2 emissions reduction target, and 2) introduce specific Scope 3 targets for products and services with the biggest environmental impact.

"This will strengthen our own transition strategy and show our partners that we’re serious about delivering real change."