Following success at winning the 2023 Green Gown Award for the Wind Turbine Community Benefit Fund in the Money for Good category, we have been named as a finalist in is the 2030 Climate Action category, for our work to reach net-zero carbon emissions.

The category looks for innovative new approaches to reaching net-zero carbon emissions and the steps universities are taking to achieve this. This category particularly looks at whole-university, holistic efforts - bringing together academic research, operational methods and working in partnership with the local community and our supply chain.

The judges have particularly praised our work in procurement, which involves tracking supplier carbon emissions to provide accurate departmental carbon data. Additionally, they have commended our sector-leading speed in aiming to reach carbon net-zero emissions from energy by 2030 – earlier than most other universities in the UK.

The 2025 Green Gown Awards winners will be announced at a ceremony on November 6 at The Library of Birmingham. Regardless of the outcome, Lancaster University’s achievements in sustainability are already a cause for celebration and a source of inspiration for other institutions. Head of Sustainability, Dr Georgiana Allison, said, “To be selected as a finalist again in the Green Gown Awards is a significant achievement. The 2030 Climate Action category was a perfect opportunity to consolidate and showcase the truly impressive work we are doing across the campus. This isn't just about the pace or scale of campus decarbonisation, but the positive impact our purchasing power can have within our supply chain. By working together, we now have a much broader and more accurate understanding of the hidden impacts of renewable energy technology".

Please visit our sustainability webpages to learn more about our journey to net zero.