Staff at WCG receive their 5-year Planet Mark certificate from Sarah Gillett (Centre), Operations Director for The Planet Mark
WCG has been awarded The Planet Mark sustainability certification for a fifth year for its continuous improvement in sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint.
The multi-site college group reported a carbon reduction of 22.4% in its total footprint and a 22.1% reduction per employee in the year ending July 2018. The certification marks the fifth consecutive year that WCG has retained the prestigious award which requires participating organisations to make year-on-year reductions to their carbon emissions.
A presentation of the five-year certificate was made to Mark Bonham, assistant principal of WCG by the operations director for Plant Mark, Sarah Gillett, following a sustainability workshop involving twenty seven members of staff at its Moreton Morrell campus in July.
Mark Bonham said: “We are delighted to be receiving this certificate once again as it demonstrates our continuing commitment to reducing our carbon emissions and increasing our sustainability. Clearly, concerns about environmental issues and climate change caused by man-made activities have never been more in the public eye, so we are proud to do our bit to help address these global concerns. We’d also like to express our appreciation to Prologis UK for its continuing support in sponsoring WCG to participate in this pertinent initiative.”
In the 2017- 2018 reporting period, emissions measured across the college group were building fuels, electricity, waste and water. In order to hit its reduction targets, WCG has focused on improving data collection, energy efficiency and waste management across it seven sites.
Going forward, the organisation is in the process of setting up new ‘green team’ to influence behaviour change and to action further sustainability measures across the college group. It hopes to roll out a new green strategy for the next academic year with a focus on Moreton Morrell College which is renowned for its land-based and animal science curriculum.
Second Left: Sarah Gillett, Operations Director for The Planet Mark, Fourth Left: Mark Bonham, Assistant Principal of WCG
Steve Malkin, CEO and Founder of The Planet Mark said: “WCG’S latest achievement is truly outstanding and demonstrates that businesses with the right level of commitment, will continue to make progress, year-on-year. The college group epitomises how organisations can make positive contributions to society and the environment and enjoy the process. We are delighted that The Planet Mark is helping embody this vision by bringing together staff and students and embedding sustainability into the wonderful communities they create.”
Simon Cox, UK Sustainability Officer for Prologis UK, said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring The Planet Mark certification scheme for WCG as part of our wider carbon reduction strategy. We have been working with the organisation for the last five years and this is their best year yet! We look forward to working with staff and students as they continue their sustainability journey.”
WCG is committed to continuous improvement in sustainability and has set a target for 2019 to cut its relative carbon footprint by a further 5% (2108 tCO2e) across the seven college campuses – Royal Leamington Spa, Moreton Morrell, Trident Warwick, Rugby, Pershore, Evesham and Malvern Hills.
WCG offers a range of full-time courses in a wide variety of subjects. For more information, go to: www.wcg.ac.uk or call 0300 456 0049.
