On Wednesday 3 September, Lancaster University proudly hosted a celebration event recognising the outstanding achievements of its laboratory technical staff over the past year. The gathering, attended by over twenty colleagues, marked a major milestone: 36 lab suites across the University were awarded Bronze or Silver accreditation through the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF).

LEAF is an internationally recognised standard designed to enhance sustainability and operational efficiency in laboratory environments. Since Lancaster University joined the initiative in September 2022 - thanks to the leadership of Helen Quirk, FST Technical Director - the programme has gained impressive momentum. Annabel Rice has played a key role in coordinating its rollout across the University since early 2023.

While some major funders, including the Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research UK, now require LEAF accreditation for funding eligibility, the benefits of the framework extend far beyond compliance. LEAF fosters improved research quality, streamlines operations, and strengthens social cohesion among lab users and technical teams. The auditing process has also encouraged cross-departmental collaboration and the sharing of best practices.

In 2025, the University celebrated the accreditation of 36 lab suites, encompassing 123 individual lab spaces. This achievement reflects the dedication and hard work of the technical teams involved and strong support from senior managers and the academic community. Looking ahead to the 2026 cycle, all labs will resubmit for assessment, with many poised to progress from Bronze to Silver thanks to continued peer support and University-wide collaboration.

Dr Georgiana Allison, Head of Sustainability said, “This was a really lovely event to get together and celebrate the fantastic achievements of our technical staff. It demonstrates once again the value of collaborative working, departmental leadership, and that sustainability really does apply to every role.”

Congratulations to everyone involved in driving sustainability and excellence in our labs.