Winning the ‘Beyond Gold’ Award for sustainable engagement

In June, OUP was recognized with a ‘Beyond Gold’ Green Impact Award, at the 8^th Vice-Chancellor’s Environmental Sustainability Awards, hosted by the University of Oxford.

OUP was one of 31 teams across labs, colleges, and departments recognized for improving environmental sustainability, and one of only seven recipients of ‘Beyond Gold’—the highest level of award.

Our ‘Beyond Gold’ Award recognizes the work of our colleague-led Green Groups, our Sustainable Marketing Working Group, and other colleagues across the organization. The achievements celebrated include:

• The creation of the collaborative Sustainable Marketing Working Group, and the development of our Sustainable Marketing Toolkit

• A project led by colleagues from our Academic division to make library conferences more sustainable

• Activities by the Oxford Green Group including promoting local environmental causes and events

• A joint environmental book club run by the Oxford and New York Green Groups

The awards are part of the Green Impact scheme, a UNESCO award-winning programme designed to support colleagues and students in implementing sustainable practices across universities and affiliated organizations. The University is one of over 50 participating organizations worldwide.

Held at the Bodleian Library’s Divinity School, the event was hosted by the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Irene Tracey, and celebrated the contributions of the University’s community towards its environmental goals of net zero carbon and biodiversity net gain.

Zoë Cokeliss Barsley, our Director of Sustainability, said: ‘I am incredibly pleased that OUP has been recognized for a third time for our commitment to sustainability at the Vice-Chancellor’s Environmental Sustainability Awards. Our Beyond Gold Award reflects the continued hard work of lots of colleagues which we are very proud to be able to celebrate.’

Our sustainability commitments

Read more about the progress we’ve made towards our sustainability targets, and what our future direction looks like, in our latest Responsible Publishing Report.