Partnership with the University
In May 2020, The SU, in partnership with the University, declared a climate emergency. Since then, we’ve been working closely with them on core issues and commitments.
The Climate Action Framework team at the University have been pulling together data regarding the emissions created by The SU. Using data from 2021-22, The SU generated 800 tonnes CO2e during the academic year. That's a reduction of over 400 tonnes CO2e from 2019-20. To put that into perspective…
1 tonne of CO2 is about the same as a hot air balloon.
It would take 50 trees 1 year to capture 1 tonne of CO2.
We would need 40,000 trees, growing for 1 year to capture the amount of CO2 we generated in 2021/22.
There is a lot of work to do to bring this number down, whilst making sure our student body can continue to gain the same student experience.
We had so many great successes in sustainability in 2024/25 thanks to our dedicated student leaders, students, groups and staff. There’s too much to talk about here, so we put together an entire news article to celebrate our students’ achievements!
We will keep driving the University to rethink its financial practices, commercial infrastructure, resource consumption, major events and core strategic priorities.
As well as the above there are lots of other aspects that we’re working on including:
- Ensuring The SU Officers sit on sustainability meetings with senior management at the University including Education and Travel, including the Sustainability & Climate Action Steering Group and the Transport Working Group.
- Working closely with the Sustainable Bath team to reduce the emissions impact of the University and working on key issues and projects that students care deeply about.
In case you missed it, the University have created information on how you can get involved with sustainability as a student, how you can be a leader in sustainability and a student guide to living sustainably.
Key Wins
Student Voice
We support the student voice on sustainability through the Top Ten, SUmmit and student‑led campaigns like Fossil Free Careers. We’ve also added a Sustainability Rep to SUmmit and many of our sustainable activities are support by our Activities Exec’s Ethical and Political Liaison, who help drive a wide range of campaigns across our student groups.
Sustainable Forum
In 2025/26, we’ve also launched a new SUstainable SU Student Forum. This student-led forum is designed to bring together sustainability conversations across campus and ensure effective student input into SU and university sustainability efforts and will play a key role in discussing core points of interest around the Top Ten point on Sustainable Targets.
SU Food Pantry
We recently launched The SU Food Pantry, created to support students struggling to afford their weekly food shop. With the rising cost of living, many students skip meals or work excessive hours in part-time jobs, which negatively impacts their education. No one should have to choose between food and their education. This also helps us with our Sustainable Food Commitment, helping students reduce food waste, whilst supporting our students in a sustainable way.
Student Leaders
We’ve also made it even easier for our Student Leaders to engage with sustainability, from the sustainability themed award at our annual awards night, to skills workshops and development opportunities around sustainability, we’re encouraging all groups to adapt their activities to make them even more sustainable.
We’ve also relaunched the Sustainability Badge for all our SU Groups – a great way to highlight our sustainable student activities!
Our Venues
The Plug & Tub - our very own bar and nightclub - has gone above and beyond for sustainability!
By removing disposable cups, we’re saving around 7,000 plastic cups every week. We’ve also taken red meat off the menu, expanded our vegan and vegetarian options, and joined the University’s Xchange Scheme. We’re improving our sustainability offer year after year.
Find out even more in our About Us section!
Clothing and Merchandise
We’ve made our merch and clothing more sustainable than ever. Our Freshers’ T‑shirts are made from organic cotton and designed so they can be reused each year, reducing waste. We’re switching event and student group clothing to more ethical, eco‑friendly materials, and our hoodies and fleeces now use organic or recycled fabrics. Even our Duck Norris plushies are made from recycled plastic bottles. If you want to find out more, check out individual product details in The SU Shop!
Recycling and Waste
The SU Pantry is now fully up and running, helping students access affordable essentials while cutting down on food waste.
We’ve improving the bin systems in the Plug & Tub, including compostable food packaging.
Our FW22 second‑hand kitchen sale rehomed over 2,000 items and raised more than £1,300 for RAG, giving unwanted items a new life.
And soon we’ll be launching Grassboots - a new way for students to buy and sell pre‑loved sports kit and keep good-quality items in use for longer.
Transport and Active Travel
We’ve successfully lobbied First Bus for better, more frequent and more reliable services. The introduction of the new U3 and U4 routes means even more areas of Bath, including Twerton, are now connected to campus with just a single ticket fare.
We’ve also installed a Grease Monkey Bike Maintenance Station outside the Chancellors’ Building to support students and staff who cycle to campus.
If you’re looking for safe walking or cycling routes, you can check out the University’s active travel guides to help you get to and from our Claverton Down Campus.
Sustainable SU Strategy
The SU has a Sustainable SU Steering Group comprised of SU Officers and professional staff who work towards The SU's sustainability initiatives and efforts. In Spring 2025, we published our Sustainable SU Action Plan highlighting their aims and objectives. We’ll be looking at reviewing this in the coming year, to ensure there is long-term commitment across the union to keep sustainability in mind in all decision making.