As complex organisations, universities need to examine their many and varied functions when seeking to reduce their carbon footprint and advance sustainability.

For many, the easier changes have been made so, looking ahead, institutions need to get smarter about how they transform their practices and policies to halt future global warming.

In this episode, we speak to two women focused upon driving positive change and reducing emissions in two very different but equally important arenas of university work.

Ellen Quigley is principal research associate at the University of Cambridge. She is also co-director of finance for environmental and social systemic change and special adviser in responsible investment to the university’s chief financial officer. Her own award-winning research focuses on the mitigation of climate change and inequality through the investment policies and practices of institutional investors. Drawing on the example of Jesus College, Cambridge, she explains how universities can use their power as investors to influence and press for environmental change across multiple sectors – and work against funding for fossil fuel extraction.

Jenna Lowe is the laboratory sustainability officer at the University of Liverpool. She manages the university’s Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) and is a member of the sustainability team. She was shortlisted in the Outstanding Technician of the Year category in the 2024 THE Awards. She discusses how seemingly small adaptations in lab practices can have a huge impact in reducing emissions and waste.

You can find more advice and insight on how universities can work towards achieving net zero in our latest spotlight guide here: Higher education’s bumpy road to net zero | THE Campus Learn, Share, Connect