Harris Manchester College is committed to reducing its impact on the natural environment by improving the sustainability of all its operations and conserving and enhancing the biodiversity on its Mansfield Road site.
As part of its strategic review, the College established a Sustainability Working Group with the aim of:
undertaking a comprehensive audit from an environmental viewpoint of (a) the College’s current approach to energy usage, food procurement and waste disposal and (b) its estate, i.e. buildings and grounds, with a view to identifying the baseline figures by which the impact of actions on its sustainability and biodiversity improvement could be measured, and
producing an annual progress report on the state of its environmental sustainability.
The College has committed to considering the sustainability of all future building and works projects. In addition, the Group recommended that the College should, with the benefit of the audit and other information, set targets towards reaching eventual net zero.
The College has already undertaken a number of steps, large and small, towards improving its sustainability, including:
Holding investments with Oxford University Endowment Management who, in accordance with the University’s own strategy, applies its ESG Principles to all investment decisions.
Joining the University and other colleges in sourcing its electricity from renewable sources.
Improving the energy efficiency of the library double glazing some of the largest and oldest (least energy efficient) windows in the central building.
Instituted meat-free meal days; the kitchen is committed to minimising food waste, using local suppliers and local recycling/waste disposal. It no longer uses single-use plastic glasses or cutlery.
Rewilding part of the grounds and given over a plot for student gardening.
