Sustainability news

Sustainable Fashion: Fashion Fixing and Mending - Getting started with  Ismay Mummery. OU Research Student, Ismay, shares her findings from her garment mending research study and will offer ways to get more out of your wardrobe and get inspired to alter and fix garments rather than getting rid of them. 

The People and Planet League is an annual ranking of UK Universities based on publicly available environmental and ethical performance. In Summer 2023, we were audited by People and Planet and the findings published on 13 December in the People and Planet League Table. The OU now ranks 67 (up from 116 last year) giving us a 2:2 lower second-class honours. This jump is a definite improvement for the University compared to previous years and cause for celebration.

Join Ayo Sokale, BBC Bitesize Presenter and Civil Engineer, alongside Dr. Victoria Hands, Director of Sustainability, and ESG Freelancer Amie Kumar.
Discover why sustainability matters to organisations, how to turn conversations into actions, and the importance of developing a solid plan.
Gain insights, ideas, and practical advice to propel your business towards a sustainable future.
Let's rise to the challenge together!

In November 2023, The Open University published a report on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) skill gap in businesses. 

An OU team from Learner and Discovery Services were nominated as finalists in this year’s Green Gown Awards and subsequently awarded ‘highly commended’ in their category.

The team were entered for their work on developing sustainability resources that support university colleagues in their module design. You can find out more about their work in this short 3-minute video.

The Open University is an official sponsor of Green Infrastructure Week which was held in November 2023. This year the OU held an event that asked 'What would it take for hydrogen to have a place in the UK’s net zero energy future?'

So, what’s the problem with plastic? Have you ever wondered how it gets into the ocean? Where it goes? What it does? And most importantly, what you can do? Lucy Deans answers all of these questions and more with an aim to increase our plastic pollution literacy while building on tips to reduce your own plastic consumption.

Sustainability research with a particular emphasis on energy and environmental fields topped the bill at a conference hosted by The Open University (OU) in July 2023. The Sustainable Processes Linked for an Integrated Circular Economy (SPLICE) 2023 conference connected research, industry, and policy experts from international institutions. SPLICE is an OU-led project, which has been supported by funding under the Sustainability stream of the OU’s Societal Challenges themes. SPLICE 2023 focused on research excellence across a range of topics: