6 February 2019 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal
The Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has launched its engagement programme 'Green Rewards', to encourage 4,000 staff across four campuses to take part in activities that boost sustainability and well-being at the university.
The 'Green Rewards' programme consists of an online platform that enables employees to track their positive actions across six key themes badged 'My Carbon Footprint, My Resources, My Travel, My Food & Drink, My Community and My Health & Wellbeing'.
Specific activities such as calculating carbon footprint, making a plastic pledge, and volunteering are rewarded through the programme. Other activities such as taking lunchtime walks, regular exercise and mindfulness acknowledge the importance of well-being to the university.
Each activity theme aligns with one of the United Nations' Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), allowing participants to understand their positive impact on a global scale as well as at an individual and university level. For example, employees are rewarded for using reusable bottles and coffee cups instead of single-use plastics, contributing to SDG12 - Responsible Consumption and Production.
Online leader boards display the top performers, with the two top people winning a £20 voucher every month from a choice of Love2Shop, John Lewis, National Book Tokens or for the cinema. The leader boards also display the top-performing teams across the university, and a £200 charity donation prize is awarded every six months to the winning team.
The launch of Green Rewards is a part of NTU's efforts to reducing its organisational environmental impact.
Nottingham City Council's recent target of becoming a net-zero carbon city by 2028 "relies partly on a shift in behaviour towards more sustainable practices".