South Devon College scoops Green Gown Award for Sustainability Institution of the Year

South Devon College has scooped the coveted Green Gown Award for Sustainability Institution of the Year.

The College was recognised for its “unbroken green thread”- its ambitious sustainability strategy that has woven sustainability into the hearts, minds and actions of learners and staff. 

Now in its 20^th year the Green Gown Awards recognise the exceptional sustainability initiatives being taken by universities and colleges across the world. 

“Winning this Green Gown Award, sponsored by EAUC, is a game changer,” said Laurence Frewin, Principal and CEO at South Devon College.

“To be recognised as the Sustainability Institution of the Year is a celebration of all the significant work that the College has been doing for the last 15 years.

“To win a Green Gown Award is a prestigious achievement but this is special. This is the culmination of the hard work of colleagues and students over the last 15 years and across the whole institution. This is not the end but another milestone on what is a long but vital journey. We know there is more to do but we are proud of what we have achieved and are achieving and hope that we are a beacon for others!”

The judges praised the College for its unwavering commitment to action stating they ‘appreciated the evolution of their approach to all areas of sustainability in the college and found that their integrated approach, from strategy to implementation and beyond, meant that their work not only positively affected those directly connected to the college but their impact extended throughout their region as well as globally.’

The college, based in Paignton, started to take sustainability seriously 15 years ago. 

“It’s not just about the environment and the climate, but it is also about our society being fair and just and our economy having a positive impact for everyone,” said Matt Green, Head of Commercial Services and Sustainability at South Devon College. 

“Our ambition is to seamlessly weave sustainability into everything we do, in all its forms; Social; Environmental and Economic. We are committed to bringing sustainable thinking to life, informing our students, developing knowledge, skills and behaviours and understanding so they know how to lead sustainable lives now and in the future, becoming great global citizens with meaning and impact.”

Key milestones over the years at South Devon College have been opening the ground-breaking and pioneering South West Energy Centre, launching a Green Travel Plan, investment in solar panels and air source heat pumps and opening the £17.5 million Hi Tech & Digital Centre built to high BREEAM standards with many sustainable features. 

The college’s Sustainability Group encourages and drives college wide sustainability initiatives for both students and staff. The focus is on student and curriculum involvement for cross college events including community volunteering. 

Other sustainable actions include students planting different crops in the horticultural areas that provide food supplies for the catering department, closing buildings at weekends and holidays to save energy, water saving initiatives and planting indigenous trees, shrubs and wildflowers across the site. 

“We know we still have a lot to do,” said Laurence Frewin Principal and CEO at South Devon College. “But I could not be prouder to tell our students, friends, colleagues and stakeholders that South Devon College has won Sustainability Institution of the Year beating stiff competition including Durham University.