Platinum Green Impact award for 2020-21

a line sketch of kings college chapel in Cambridge with green grass and blue sky with the words cambridge green challenge platinum green impact award winner

Cambridge Assessment is thrilled to have received a Platinum award at the Green Impact Awards ceremony yesterday in recognition of our efforts to promote sustainability at work. 

Green Impact is a United Nations award-winning programme run by the National Union of Students. It is designed to support environmentally and socially sustainable practices within academic organisations.

Vicky Evans, Head of Sustainability at Cambridge Assessment and Cambridge University Press, said: ‘We’re all really proud of this achievement. This is only the third year we have entered and Platinum is the highest-level award that Green Impact offers. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without the dedication and enthusiasm of all our colleagues so it really is thanks to them.’

The award scheme covers biodiversity, energy, food and drink, procurement, communications, travel, waste and recycling, water, and health and wellbeing. Over the past year, the Environmental Staff Network at Cambridge Assessment has initiated many actions as a result of Green impact. Some of the highlights include:

  • starting a newsletter to inform staff about environment and sustainability news  and what we are doing
  • including information about sustainable working practices as part of our careers information
  • holding training events for different departments of the organisation.

Other initiatives that were part of our organisation-wide strategy have also contributed to our Green impact submission by:

  • creating a joint environmental and sustainability strategy with Cambridge University Press; and online information and commitments about our environmental sustainability, our ethical credentials and reducing our environmental impact:
  • improving the sustainability credentials of the paper we use in our printers and scanners, moving from a two to four green star rating system for the paper we use
  • completing an analysis of our energy consumption and setting a target of 72% reduction on Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.

All of the above were in addition to lots of initiatives already in place, such as the removal of disposable cups from vending areas, prioritising energy efficiency in the Triangle Building, our global headquarters, and other initiatives such as our charity activity and promotion of sustainable travel options. 

Special Awards

Cambridge University Press also received the Bronze Green Impact award, and a certificate of recognition, awarded to teams who have gone above and beyond what was required for their award level. Congratulations go to Ryan Davies, Assistant Editor, Scientific, Technical, Medical Journals at the Press, who managed their submission. 

Andreza Carvalho, Marketing Support Manager in Madrid, Spain, was Highly Commended for organising the first ever overseas submission for the Green Impact award and received ‘Working Towards Bronze’ on behalf of Cambridge Assessment Madrid office. 

Ellen McKay and Anna Brown also received an Innovation for Engagement Special Award for the Environment Bingo which encouraged staff make sustainable change at home and awarded prizes for participation throughout March. It was commended for innovation and the number of participants we managed to get involved. 

Visit our sustainability pages to read about our commitment to working sustainably and ethically, and steps we are taking to reduce our environmental impact.

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