Forth Valley College have been selected as a finalist at the Green Gown UK and Ireland awards for the second time in three years.
This year – in collaboration with the EAUC Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education, West Lothian and Border Colleges – FVC have been announced as finalists in the Creating Impact category, at the ceremony to be held in November on a date and at a time still to be confirmed.
In 2021, the College was a finalist in the Sustainability Institution of the Year category, and was the only further education institution in the UK up against five universities including: Anglia Ruskin University, University of Edinburgh, University of Cambridge, University of the West of England and eventual winners University of St Andrews.
In relation to the 2023 award submission the collaboration were responding to the 2021 challenge from Scotland’s colleges to commit to achieving Net Zero by 2040.As a result FVC, Borders College and West Lothian College formed the Central & South Scotland College Partnership (CSSCP), supported by EAUC Scotland.
Being among the smallest FE institutions in Scotland and without staff dedicated exclusively to sustainability, the three colleges developed a new approach to secure additional support. In 2022 the partnership secured a dedicated sustainability resource by hiring a Sustainability Project Manager, whose time and costs are shared by the colleges.
By providing additional resource and knowledge, the Sustainability Project Manager has helped guide sustainability practice and policy at the colleges and to expand this in scope and ambition. This has included securing funding for campus decarbonisation projects through the Scottish Green Public Sector Estate Decarbonisation Scheme and developing updated strategies such as Net Zero Plans, which identify actions to be taken to achieve net zero.
The partnership’s work across multiple institutions has been particularly beneficial as this has allowed for experience and knowledge to be shared, whilst making use of resources efficiently. Based on its success CSSCP are planning to continue the partnership and EAUC are exploring similar partnerships with other institutions.
Charlotte Bonner, CEO of EAUC, said: “The Green Gown Awards are one of the most prestigious ways we recognise impactful and innovative sustainability practice across the further and higher education sectors. They’re not our awards – they’re for the sector, delivered collaboratively in partnership in the UK and globally.
“In a space where greenwash and sustainability marketing has become prolific, the sector led, peer-reviewed structure of the Green Gown Awards ensures they’re meaningful, transparent, and authentic. We know that the excitement and pride that comes from being a finalist is a great springboard for institutions to engage more people in their sustainability work.
“But the value of the Green Gown Awards is beyond the individual organisations that are nominated. We look forward to sharing stories about our finalists’ work - providing inspiration, demonstrating impact, and learning from lessons learned along the way.”
For more information on the Green Gown Awards 2023 and who else have been nominated, please visit 2023 Green Gown Awards UK & Ireland Finalists | Green Gown Awards