The result are in: the University of Bedfordshire tops the rankings of 149 UK universities by sustainability and ethical criteria – meaning if you’re looking for somewhere for higher education that actually cares, then it could be the place for you.
The University League – who’s the most ethical?
The 2024/25 People & Planet University League ranks 149 UK universities against 14 criteria linked to climate and social justice. Universities receive award classes that follow the typical grading system in UK higher education, from 1st, 2:1, 2:2, 3rd and Fail.
Post-1992 universities, given university status after the 1992 Further and Higher Education Act, continue to lead the way in sustainability in higher education with seven in the top 10 places. These institutions have often been early adopters of actions like ending recruitment links with fossil fuel companies and divesting from the border industry.
Small and specialist universities have also proven that sustainability can be fostered at all institutions, with The Royal College of Art rising from a 3rd to a 2:1 after making a commitment to end all recruitment links and investments in the fossil fuel industry. Similarly, Arts University Bournemouth has finished with a first for the first time.
The University of Bedfordshire has come out as the overall winner, following consistently high performance that has seen them finish in the top three for the last three years. The university has taken bold steps to divest endowment funds from the fossil fuel industry and to end recruitment pipelines with oil, gas and mining companies. They also scored highly for their energy sources and carbon reduction after investing in renewable energy generated on campus over the last 10 years.
Russell Group: failing
Just four Russell Group universities scored a 1st class award this year, down from six the previous year. The University of Oxford has slipped 27 places and keeps a 2:1, while the University of Cambridge has dropped 38 places to a third.
Welsh institutions have taken a bold stand against the fossil fuel industry, with all eight universities there now committed to divested their endowments funds from that sector, and three have also ended recruitment links with companies involved in the oil, gas and mining industries.
This has translated into a strong performance in the ranking with four of them scoring firsts, and the other four scoring 2:1s. For example, Aberystwyth has leaped 88 places from a 3rd to a 2:1, following its recent commitment to end recruitment ties with the fossil fuel, mining, and tobacco industries, which it adds to its commitment to divest from fossil fuels.
As the vast majority of the university sector has now committed to divesting from fossil fuel companies, 10 universities have also decided to end their links via recruitment to environmentally destructive industries, up 30% since last year.
In a bold step to delegitimise the border industry, six universities have also divested from companies that engage in the detention, deportation, use of force and surveillance of migrants.
The winners, the University of Bedfordshire, and third placed University of West London have both invested in retrofitting and decarbonising their campuses recently, which have translated into high scores for carbon reduction and energy sources.
For the first time this year, universities have been assessed on whether they have a fully plant-based or vegetarian outlet on campus, and it was found just 15% of institutions do.
As universities seek to address their indirect emissions such as flying, it was also found that just 13% of universities have a plan to reduce aviation that prohibits mainland UK flights.
Just 49% of universities are Living Wage Accredited, and 52% of universities have more than a quarter of their academic staff on fixed-term contracts, showing the extent of low-pay and precarity in the sector.
Still far more to do to be an ethical university
Laura Clayson, Campaigns Manager Climate Justice:
Only 55% of UK universities have exclusions for fossil fuel extractor companies in their ethical investment policies, despite 78% having made public commitments to go Fossil Free. For over a decade students and staff have campaigned relentlessly to secure Fossil Free as an act of solidarity with the frontline and Indigenous communities resisting the impacts of fossil fuel operations and the climate crisis. We look forward to the sector aligning their policies with their proclamations in recognition of these demands for justice.
Josie Mizen, Co-Director Climate Justice:
As the climate crisis escalates, more and more universities are realising that climate justice can only be achieved by cutting ties with the fossil fuel industry. We’re delighted to see universities who’ve taken this vital step leading the way in this year’s University League. There’s still much more work to do: we need more universities to commit to ending their relationships with oil, gas, and mining companies – but with a growing student movement standing up against these corporations infiltrating their campuses, we know it can be done.
Andre Dallas, Co-Director Migrant Justice:
Over the past year particularly, students across the UK have been unequivocal in their stance that they won’t allow their universities to continue to invest in blatant injustices like the hostile environment and climate collapse. Institutions like the University of South Wales are leading the way by showing that there is still a place for prioritising people and planet over profit – we look forward to the rest of the sector catching up before it’s too late.
Jack Ruane, University League Manager:
88% of students think their place of study should actively incorporate and promote sustainable development, so universities need to meet this demand if they want to attract this generation of young people. In this way, investments in sustainability are crucial for the long-term health of universities.
Featured image supplied
