University sustainability rankings 2023/24
Universities are under increasing pressure to be kinder to the environment. But how many are taking action? These university rankings reveal the best and worst places for sustainability.
Credit: Tetiana Shumbasova (background) – Shutterstock
The general UK university rankings can tell us a lot. But, when it comes to some of the issues we really care about, like (a big one!) the planet, they can fall a bit short.
If you've been wondering how sustainable your university is, wonder no more. Here are the comprehensive results charting the environmental and ethical performance of unis in the UK.
How the university sustainability league is calculated
These rankings were compiled by People & Planet and included 151 universities across the UK.
As you can see in the results below, each university has been given a total percentage score. This is worked out based on their performance in 14 categories:
- Policy and strategy
- Environmental auditing and management systems
- Managing carbon
- Sustainable food
- Ethical investment and banking
- Ethical careers and recruitment
- Staff and HR
- Workers' rights
- Staff and student engagement
- Education for sustainable development
- Energy sources
- Waste and recycling
- Carbon education
- Water reduction.
Each university's scores across all categories are combined, with some categories carrying more weight than others. An overall total percentage is calculated, and the higher the total percentage, the higher the ranking.
Most sustainable universities in the UK
These are the 10 most sustainable universities in the UK:
- University of Reading – 81.8%
- Manchester Metropolitan University – 77.6%
- University of Bedfordshire – 77.2%
- University of the Arts, London – 75.6%
- King's College London – 75.4%
- Cardiff Metropolitan University – 75.3%
- De Montfort University – 74.5%
- Swansea University – 73%
- University of Worcester – 72.6%
- Bournemouth University – 71.9%.
Wondering how the University of Reading managed to come out top in these rankings? They scored 100% for environmental auditing and management systems, 100% for staff and HR, 100% for sustainable food and 100% for education for sustainable development. Wow.
While places like the University of Reading are leading the way in terms of sustainability, others, in comparison, are doing much less. Let's hope your uni doesn't appear on the list below.
Least sustainable universities
These are the 11 worst universities for sustainability:
- London Business School – 14%
- University of Bolton – 14%
- SOAS, University of London – 13.9%
- University of Wolverhampton – 13.2%
- Royal Northern College of Music – 12.9%
- University of the Highlands and Islands – 12.6%
- University College Birmingham – 11.8%
- Writtle University College – 7.7%
- The University College of Osteopathy – 7.7%
- Ravensbourne University London – 5.2%
- Royal Veterinary College – 3.4%.
Scoring 0% across 10 categories, including sustainable food, sustainability staff and ethical investment, the Royal Veterinary College is placed 151st out of 151 universities.
But, it's important to note that, if People & Planet can't find information for some categories (i.e. if the university hasn't made some info public), they will give them a score of zero. So, we hope, the Royal Veterinary College may be a bit more sustainable than the results suggest.
If you've not seen your university yet, check out the full university league table for sustainability below.
Full university league table for sustainability
These are the full university sustainability rankings:
| Ranking | University | Total score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Reading | 81.8% |
| 2 | Manchester Metropolitan University | 77.6% |
| 3 | University of Bedfordshire | 77.2% |
| 4 | University of the Arts, London (UAL) | 75.6% |
| 5 | King's College London | 75.4% |
| 6 | Cardiff Metropolitan University | 75.3% |
| 7 | De Montfort University | 74.5% |
| 8 | Swansea University | 73% |
| 9 | University of Worcester | 72.6% |
| 10 | Bournemouth University | 71.9% |
| 11 | University of the West of England, Bristol (UWE) | 71.7% |
| 12 | University College London (UCL) | 71.4% |
| 13 | University of West London | 71.2% |
| 14 | Nottingham Trent University | 71.1% |
| 15 | University of Salford | 70.9% |
| 16 | University of Bristol | 70.3% |
| 17 | Bath Spa University | 68.9% |
| 18= | Bangor University | 67.2% |
| 18= | University of Greenwich | 67.2% |
| 20 | University of Plymouth | 66.8% |
| 21= | University of Exeter | 64.5% |
| 21= | University of Gloucestershire | 64.5% |
| 23 | Coventry University | 63.9% |
| 24 | Northumbria University | 63.8% |
| 25 | London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) | 63.4% |
| 26 | Durham University | 62.9% |
| 27 | Birmingham City University | 62.7% |
| 28 | Wrexham University | 62.2% |
| 29 | University of Derby | 62.1% |
| 30 | University of Wales Trinity Saint David | 61.1% |
| 31 | Queen Mary University of London | 60.3% |
| 32 | University of Kent | 60.2% |
| 33 | University of Hull | 60.1% |
| 34 | Anglia Ruskin University | 59.8% |
| 35 | Royal College of Music, London | 59.7% |
| 36 | Newcastle University | 59.6% |
| 37 | University of Oxford | 59.4% |
| 38 | University of Manchester | 58.5% |
| 39 | University of Leeds | 58.2% |
| 40 | Cranfield University | 57.9% |
| 41= | Canterbury Christ Church University | 57.4% |
| 41= | University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) | 57.4% |
| 43= | Aston University | 57.1% |
| 43= | Glasgow Caledonian University | 57.1% |
| 43= | Sheffield Hallam University | 57.1% |
| 46 | University of Brighton | 56.2% |
| 47 | University of Liverpool | 55.1% |
| 48 | Brunel University London | 54.8% |
| 49 | City, University of London | 54.6% |
| 50 | Arts University Bournemouth | 53.1% |
| 51= | Cardiff University | 52.7% |
| 51= | Robert Gordon University | 52.7% |
| 53 | Oxford Brookes University | 52.6% |
| 54 | Staffordshire University | 52.2% |
| 55 | Queen's University Belfast | 52% |
| 56 | Edinburgh Napier University | 51.7% |
| 57 | Liverpool John Moores University | 51.3% |
| 58 | University of Essex | 50.7% |
| 59 | Keele University | 50% |
| 60 | Kingston University | 49.8% |
| 61 | University of Huddersfield | 49.3% |
| 62 | University of Sussex | 48.7% |
| 63= | University of Nottingham | 48.6% |
| 63= | University of Warwick | 48.6% |
| 65 | University of Portsmouth | 48.5% |
| 66 | University of Westminster | 48.4% |
| 67 | The Open University | 47.8% |
| 68= | Leeds Beckett University | 47.6% |
| 68= | Loughborough University | 47.6% |
| 70 | Lancaster University | 47.1% |
| 71 | University of Hertfordshire | 46.8% |
| 72= | University of Cambridge | 46.7% |
| 72= | University of Leicester | 46.7% |
| 74= | University of Bath | 46.6% |
| 74= | University of Northampton | 46.6% |
| 76 | University of York | 45.6% |
| 77 | University of Lincoln | 45.4% |
| 78 | University of St Andrews | 45.2% |
| 79 | University of Sheffield | 45.1% |
| 80 | University of Winchester | 44.8% |
| 81 | The Institute of Cancer Research | 44.7% |
| 82 | University of South Wales | 44% |
| 83 | Birkbeck, University of London | 43.8% |
| 84 | University of Chichester | 43.5% |
| 85 | Buckinghamshire New University | 43.3% |
| 86 | University of Suffolk | 43.2% |
| 87 | University of Birmingham | 43.1% |
| 88= | University of Aberdeen | 43% |
| 88= | London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine | 43% |
| 90 | University of Southampton | 42.9% |
| 91 | London Metropolitan University | 42.4% |
| 92 | Solent University | 42.1% |
| 93 | London South Bank University | 41.8% |
| 94 | University of Bradford | 41.4% |
| 95 | University of East Anglia | 41.2% |
| 96 | University for the Creative Arts | 41% |
| 97 | University of Strathclyde | 40.9% |
| 98 | Imperial College London | 40.4% |
| 99= | University of Edinburgh | 39.4% |
| 99= | Teesside University | 39.4% |
| 101 | University of Cumbria | 39.3% |
| 102 | Bishop Grosseteste University | 39% |
| 103 | St Mary's University, Twickenham | 38.7% |
| 194 | University of Surrey | 38.4% |
| 105= | Ulster University | 37% |
| 105= | University of St Mark and St John | 37% |
| 107= | University of Stirling | 35.1% |
| 107= | Falmouth University | 35.1% |
| 109 | University of the West of Scotland (UWS) | 34.9% |
| 110 | University of Glasgow | 34.5% |
| 111 | University of Sunderland | 34.2% |
| 112 | Royal Holloway, University of London | 33.9% |
| 113 | University of Chester | 33.8% |
| 114= | The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama | 33.5% |
| 114= | Leeds Trinity University | 33.5% |
| 116 | Royal College of Art | 32.7% |
| 117= | Aberystwyth University | 30.6% |
| 117= | University of Dundee | 30.6% |
| 119 | Norwich University of the Arts | 30.1% |
| 120 | Glasgow School of Art | 29.7% |
| 121 | York St John University | 29.6% |
| 122 | University of East London | 29.5% |
| 123 | Liverpool Hope University | 28.2% |
| 124 | Abertay University | 28.1% |
| 125 | Harper Adams University | 26.5% |
| 126 | Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance | 26.2% |
| 127 | Goldsmiths, University of London | 26.1% |
| 128 | St George's, University of London | 25.8% |
| 129 | St. Mary's University College Belfast | 25.3% |
| 130 | Roehampton University | 23.1% |
| 131 | Birmingham Newman University | 22.4% |
| 132 | Middlesex University | 22.3% |
| 133 | Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine | 21.1% |
| 134 | Queen Margaret University | 21% |
| 135 | Edge Hill University | 20.9% |
| 136 | Heriot-Watt University | 20.2% |
| 137 | Leeds Arts University | 20.1% |
| 138 | Royal Agricultural University | 18.3% |
| 139 | Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance | 16.5% |
| 140 | Royal Academy of Music | 14.9% |
| 141= | London Business School | 14% |
| 141= | University of Bolton | 14% |
| 143 | SOAS, University of London | 13.9% |
| 144 | University of Wolverhampton | 13.2% |
| 145 | Royal Northern College of Music | 12.9% |
| 146 | University of the Highlands and Islands | 12.6% |
| 147 | University College Birmingham | 11.8% |
| 148= | Writtle University College | 7.7% |
| 148= | The University College of Osteopathy | 7.7% |
| 150 | Ravensbourne University London | 5.2% |
| 151 | Royal Veterinary College | 3.4% |
How to live sustainably on a budget
Sometimes, it can feel like an impossible task to save the environment and your bank account. But, thankfully, there are ways to live more sustainably without spending a fortune.
One easy way to cut down on plastic waste, and save money in the process, is by no longer buying cups of coffee or bottled drinks.
Buying a reusable container like a travel coffee cup will make a big difference. Some coffee shops also give you a discount for using your own cup (find out more in our guide to getting free coffee).
Also, you can avoid food waste (and the extra cost of replacing out-of-date food) with some careful changes to how you buy and store food.
On top of this, make sure you know what you can and can't recycle.
There are even things you can recycle for money, such as clothes, plastic bags, mobile phones and more.
Find out more in our guide to the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint. The tips can help you save (or even make) money.
