What is Green Impact?
Green Impact is all about rewarding positive environmental action. When completing the online workbook, teams work through different levels of Bronze, Silver and Gold to gain an award for their efforts. Additionally, teams can be in with a chance of winning a Special Award, a prize to acknowledge those who have gone the extra mile.
At the end of the academic year, it is time to reward these achievements at the Green Impact Sustainability Showcase where staff and students can come together to celebrate the positive change they have created.
The University of Sheffield has taken part in Green Impact since 2009/2010, as part of our behaviour change strategy to reduce our carbon emissions. The University launched its Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan at the end of 2020, of which Green Impact directly supports.
Green Impact has also been acknowledged by the University as a Workplace Learning Opportunity, providing individuals with new skills and knowledge and a way to channel their passions alongside other like-minded people. It also provides many benefits to the department and wider University.
How does it work?
Green Impact teams are formed within staff departments, usually one per department.
By forming a Green Impact team within your department, or by joining the department’s existing team, you gain access to the online toolkit.
The toolkit is comprised of essential actions and projects.
The Essential actions tab lays the foundations of Green Impact within the department. There are a range of actions across different areas of sustainability, and all actions need to be completed for a team to receive any Green Impact award. Teams also need to complete one or more projects throughout the year which demonstrate what sustainability means to them. Teams will achieve either a Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum award at the end of the Green Impact year (~April/May) and attend an awards ceremony at the end of the year to celebrate all the team’s achievements. You can find out more about awards here.
How do I get started?
Contact us and we can give you more information on starting out!
Find out here if there is already a Green Impact team within your department to join. If not, you can form a new team.
Next, all you need to do is register on the Green Impact toolkit and you’re ready to start making changes within your department.
If you need extra help along the way, students trained as Green Impact Project Assistants (GIPAS) are there to help teams complete their workbooks.