Playing Our Role For a Cleaner, Safer Future
Sustainability is a term that is frequently used today in conversations about the environment, the economy, and social equity.
But what does sustainability mean, and why is it so important? Oxbridge is an education-based institution that prides itself on helping people learn, develop and hone new skills that they can utilise help themselves and others. In this blog post, we'll explore the reasons why sustainability is essential, and how Oxbridge is doing its part to support sustainable practices.
What is sustainability?
Sustainability is the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is about finding a balance between economic, social, and environmental considerations, so that we can maintain our planet's resources for generations to come.
Why is sustainability important?
There are many reasons why sustainability is important. Here are a few of the most significant:
Protecting the environment: Sustainability helps us to protect the environment by reducing our impact on natural resources, minimising waste, and conserving energy.
Economic stability: Sustainability also plays a vital role in ensuring economic stability by promoting responsible resource use, reducing costs, and enhancing efficiency.
Social equity: Sustainable practices are essential to creating a fair and just society, by ensuring that everyone has access to basic needs such as food, water, and shelter.
Future generations: By promoting sustainable practices, we can ensure that future generations inherit a healthy planet with abundant resources and opportunities.
How is Oxbridge promoting sustainability?
At Oxbridge, we are committed to promoting sustainability through a variety of initiatives. For example, we are proud to support The Incredible Surplus, an organisation that works to reduce landfill waste by redistributing surplus food. By partnering with The Incredible Surplus we are able to reduce food waste and support our local community.
In a bold yet necessary move, Oxbridge has recently made the decision to stop printing our college prospectuses. This decision has brought about numerous benefits, including significant cost savings that can now be redirected towards the development of new qualifications and scholarships.
By no longer printing physical copies of our prospectuses, we are reducing our paper consumption and our impact on the environment. This move towards digital prospectuses also allows for greater accessibility, as potential students can access our information from anywhere in the world. This has helped us to expand our reach and increase our visibility on a global scale.
Furthermore, digital prospectuses are more versatile and can be updated and edited more easily, allowing us to make changes and improvements quickly and efficiently. This ensures that the information provided to potential students is always up-to-date and accurate.
Oxbridge commit to environmental improvement
Oxbridge remain committed to contributing towards a cleaner, safer enviroment. We have taken strict measures to ensure we are doing our part.
We have eliminated plastic from our course folders, and we have moved our resources online. This has not only reduced our paper consumption but also made our course materials more accessible to students worldwide.
The benefits of remote work
70% of our team members currently work remotely. One significant advantage is that we can now recruit the best talent from all around the world, regardless of their location. This has given us access to a diverse pool of skilled professionals who bring a range of experiences and perspectives to our team.
Moreover, having remote team members has enabled us to reduce our carbon footprint significantly. Our remote team members do not commute to work daily, resulting in a reduction our overall impact on the environment. We have always been committed to sustainability, even before the pandemic made it a popular choice.
Our Centre Director, Stacey Ryan, has been a strong advocate for promoting sustainability, specifically with the Greener Solihull Schools award. She has taken a proactive approach in encouraging and supporting the younger generation to act towards sustainability.
According to Stacey, "It’s been another interesting year for sustainability nationally with the Department for Education launching the Sustainability and Climate Change strategy. We are proud to be involved in preparing and educating young people for a world impacted by climate change through learning and practical experience."
Our modern and smart office utilises technology to reduce our carbon footprint. We use energy-efficient lighting, recycle waste, and use cloud-based computing to minimise the need for physical hardware. Our electronics are energy star certified and we regularly review our sustainability practices to identify areas where we can improve.
Oxbridge commit to environmental improvement
Sustainability is essential to maintaining a healthy planet and ensuring a better future for generations to come. We take sustainability seriously, and we are proud to support initiatives that promote responsible resource use and social equity. We regularly review our practices to identify areas for improvement - encourage our staff and students to do the same.
Recently, we donated our unneeded items to Brushstrokes Charity in Birmingham, furthering our commitment to reducing waste and supporting our local community. We encourage everyone to consider the impact of their actions on the environment. Lets all take steps towards sustainability and help our planet. To delve deeper into sustainability and its impact, take a look at this study from Derby University.