WCG retains The Planet Mark for fifth consecutive year and cuts carbon by 22.4%

The multi-site college group reported a carbon reduction of 22.4% in its total footprint and a 22.1% reduction per employee in the year ending July 2018. The certification marks the fifth consecutive year that WCG has retained the prestigious award which requires participating organisations to make year-on-year reductions to their carbon emissions.

A presentation of the five-year certificate was made to Mark Bonham, assistant principal of WCG by the operations director for Plant Mark, Sarah Gillett, following a sustainability workshop involving twenty seven members of staff at its Moreton Morrell campus in July.

Mark Bonham said: “We are delighted to be receiving this certificate once again as it demonstrates our continuing commitment to reducing our carbon emissions and increasing our sustainability. Clearly, concerns about environmental issues and climate change caused by man-made activities have never been more in the public eye, so we are proud to do our bit to help address these global concerns. We’d also like to express our appreciation to Prologis UK for its continuing support in sponsoring WCG to participate in this pertinent initiative.”

In the 2017- 2018 reporting period, emissions measured across the college group were building fuels, electricity, waste and water. In order to hit its reduction targets, WCG has focused on improving data collection, energy efficiency and waste management across it seven sites.

Going forward, the organisation is in the process of setting up new ‘green team’ to influence behaviour change and to action further sustainability measures across the college group. It hopes to roll out a new green strategy for the next academic year with a focus on Moreton Morrell College which is renowned for its land-based and animal science curriculum.

Steve Malkin, CEO and Founder of The Planet Mark said: “WCG’S latest achievement is truly outstanding and demonstrates that businesses with the right level of commitment, will continue to make progress, year-on-year. The college group epitomises how organisations can make positive contributions to society and the environment and enjoy the process. We are delighted that The Planet Mark is helping embody this vision by bringing together staff and students and embedding sustainability into the wonderful communities they create.”

Simon Cox, UK Sustainability Officer for Prologis UK, said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring The Planet Mark certification scheme for WCG as part of our wider carbon reduction strategy. We have been working with the organisation for the last five years and this is their best year yet! We look forward to working with staff and students as they continue their sustainability journey.”

WCG is committed to continuous improvement in sustainability and has set a target for 2019 to cut its relative carbon footprint by a further 5% (2108 tCO2e) across the seven college campuses – Royal Leamington Spa, Moreton Morrell, Trident Warwick, Rugby, Pershore, Evesham and Malvern Hills.

The Planet Mark

The Planet Mark is a sustainability certification which recognises outstanding achievements, encourages action, and builds an empowered community of like-minded individuals.

Since its launch, The Planet Mark has certified over 400 organisations and in 2018, delivered an average carbon emissions reduction of 17% per employee for its clients.

Holders of The Planet Mark Business Certification are required to measure and reduce their annual carbon emissions associated with business operations. Each year the new carbon footprint becomes the next year’s baseline, thus driving continuous improvement and helping generate its outstanding results