Sustainability Events and Open Conversations

This is a recording of the Go Green session held on 4 June, focusing on sustainable procurement at the Open University.

The session featured Clare Fitzhugh (Deputy Head of Procurement) and Stephen Hanlon (Head of Procurement), who discussed how sustainability is embedded in the University’s sourcing and purchasing processes, and how the OU is responding to the challenges of sustainable procurement. Watch the recording to learn more about how procurement supports the University’s sustainability goals.

This is a recording of the Go Green session held on 19 May, exploring the concept of Earth Overshoot Day.

The session was led by the OU’s Professor of Climate Change and Energy, Stephen Peake, who explained what Earth Overshoot Day is, why it matters, and how global demand for resources continues to exceed what the planet can regenerate each year, including the UK’s position. Watch the recording to learn more about the impact of resource consumption and what it means for a sustainable future.

This is a recording of the Go Green session held on 22 April, focusing on waste management and ‘Simpler Recycling’.

The session featured the OU’s Catering and Cleaning Contracts team, who shared how the University is working to reduce waste, alongside the policies and requirements now in place. It also covered what ‘Simpler Recycling’ means in practice and how it affects staff and students. Watch the recording to learn more about how to apply these changes in your day-to-day activities.

This is a recording of the Responsible Futures event held on 18 June 2025, hosted by the Open University and Open SU as part of the 2024/25 Responsible Futures Host Partnership programme.

The event brought together staff, students and sector partners to explore key themes including sustainability and institutional identity, green skills, and the environmental impact of AI in higher education. Please note that breakout discussions were not recorded; however, summary notes are available alongside the recording.

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.