Sustainability Events and Open Conversations

This workshop introduced the core ideas of climate justice and intersectionality, exploring why decolonising and decarbonising education must be tackled together.

Discover real-world examples of climate injustice, the risks of non‑intersectional sustainability approaches, and how education can drive more just, inclusive climate action across curricula.

This session shared the latest updates from the Responsible Futures accreditation and how sustainability is being embedded across the organisation.

Teresa Cox, Senior Manager (Access Programme), was joined by colleagues from Open SU, LDS and our faculties to showcase collaborative work within the curriculum and beyond, highlighting how we are responding to the Responsible Futures framework to strengthen sustainability across teaching, learning and operations.

The Open University marked Veganuary with a programme of online and on‑campus events exploring plant‑based living through the themes of sustainability, ethics and health.

Sustainability and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion are often framed in terms of compliance and treated as a ‘nice to have’ addition to business as usual. Yet both disciplines are deeply concerned with what it means to be a human in the world. Indeed, both may inform our approach to relationships throughout our lives – with our colleagues, students and communities as well as planet Earth.

Jane Grindey from Milton Keynes Community Energy led this session. Community energy is all about people joining forces, acting and using local resources to manage or generate clean, affordable energy that benefits everyone in the local community.

Clare Watters, Carbon Project Manager led this session on the power of retrofitting and energy efficiency for a net zero home. Interested in living in a cosier, affordable, lower carbon home, but not sure how to get there? Find out how to assess your home and work out realistic routes forward, including sequencing improvements and working within your budget, so that you can have the net zero home.

Dorian Holloway, Director of Estates led this Go Green session on the OU's waste management journey and shined a light on our OU waste stream statistics and guidance on how we can all help the OU to be greener.

This event recording offers practical ways to reduce your environmental impact while staying connected. Discover simple strategies like choosing low-carbon transport, planning efficient routes, and exploring virtual alternatives to unnecessary trips.
 

The 2025 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference (COP-30 for short) taken place in Belém, Pará, Brazil from 10 to 21 November 2025. This global gathering at the heart of the Amazonian rainforest has unsurprisingly put climate finance for protecting forests high on the agenda.

The OU was once again a proud supporter of Net Zero Week in July, and this year hosted a webinar titled Community Engagement and Net Zero on 8 July.