Case study: Green campus

The challenge

  • The sustainability team within a research-intensive university wanted to develop a communications campaign to positively influence staff and student behaviours around energy use, recycling and transport decisions.
  • The team were also investing a large amount of money in infrastructure improvements to reduce carbon emissions and wanted to celebrate these changes.
  • The background to this campaign was increasing pressure from stakeholders, including students and funders, to do more for the environment, and a desire for the work to be recognised through an external audit process.

The solution

  • I developed a communications plan with clearly defined key messages for each strand of the campaign and detailed stakeholder analysis informed by research.
  • I mapped crucial touchpoints and created new channels, ensuring that sustainability was embedded positively in communications across the organisation.
  • I identified the importance of setting expectations early with new recruits and built sustainability into the induction process for new students and staff.
  • I helped the team to start a staff network so that environmental champions could feed back their ideas and be empowered with information and materials to share with their colleagues.
  • I produced content that explained complex infrastructure changes to demonstrate that the university was leading by example by investing heavily in changes.
  • I collaborated with external designers to produce large infographics to celebrate the impact of this work.

The result

  • This work became one of the most recognisable campaigns on campus and had a positive impact on people’s behaviours.
  • The university achieved ISO 14001 accreditation and the communications were commended by the external auditors.
  • The team’s flagship switch-off event was nominated for a national award.
  • I returned to help with further sustainability projects, including work to emphasise the importance of biodiversity on the university’s campuses.

“The auditor highlighted our commitment to staff and student communications, and that’s testament to the work you have done with us.”

– Environment and sustainability manager