Sustainability consulting
We are proud to provide sustainability consulting services tailored to the post-16 education sector in partnership with SUMS Consulting.
Our holistic approach to sustainability consulting combines specialist sustainability knowledge with the expertise of our other practice areas, guiding your institution towards a net zero, nature positive and resilient future.
How we can help
We can support any part of your sustainability mission, whether that is understanding and reducing your carbon footprint or impacts on nature, managing and adapting to risks from the changing environment, or deploying your education, research and partnerships for leadership towards a sustainable future.
We recognise that sustainability is truly horizontal: every part of your organisation will need to play its role.
It is also a major transformation journey involving complex change, with implications for your institution’s operations, ways of working, strategy, planning and governance.
We can help you ensure that your approach to sustainability is integrated, grounded and embedded.
Higher and further education has long been an engaged sector for sustainability. Supporting social development and economic prosperity is in universities’ and colleges' DNA, and many institutions are already mapping the distinctive contribution that they can make towards a sustainable future.
But we know that more action is needed to reduce institutions carbon emissions and other negative environmental impacts. Understanding and responding to the risks that climate change and nature loss present to your institution and its business continuity is also essential.
Like everyone, universities and colleges are part of wider systems: your path to sustainability and resilience needs to be plotted with consideration of the massive changes which are underway across all sectors to make the world’s economy sustainable.
We are your partner for this journey. We can help you zoom down into details and out into the big picture, from your campus to your value chain and your role in systems change.
Our sustainability consulting solutions rest on the latest policy development, cross-industry knowledge and academic research. These are fused with the deep expertise from our other practice areas such as data analytics, transformation, strategy and governance.
Our strategic partnership with SUMS brings a range of sustainability specialisms grounded in leading sector practice and the experiences of sustainability leaders who have achieved major change in their institutions. Explore our cohort of Associate Consultants.
We can help you to:
reduce your impacts on the climate and natural environment, setting your path towards net zero carbon and nature positive
map and navigate sustainability risks, building your resilience now and in the future
lead in the transition to a sustainable future for our economy, society and environment
maximise, identify and communicate the positive impacts of your education, research and partnerships.
Past projects
Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts: Emissions baseline and decarbonisation roadmap
We calculated LIPA’s carbon emissions baseline, using sector-appropriate frameworks aligned with the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol. Building on this data, we applied our specialisms in carbon management, transformation and systems thinking to develop a net zero pathway across emissions scopes 1, 2 and 3.
The University of Essex: Culture change for a sustainable university
Our cross-disciplinary consulting team fused expertise in sustainability, transformation and change management. We developed recommendations for cultural and behavioural change to move the dial on the University’s most stubborn sustainability challenges, grounded in the realities of the institution.
The Royal Society: Environmental Sustainability Baseline and Related Services
We supported the Royal Society to develop: emissions baseline; biodiversity impact assessment; environmental sustainability strategy and monitoring framework; decarbonisation pathway; climate risk assessment and adaptation plan. We also assisted with training and engagement.
Oxford Brookes University and Ulster University: Materiality Assessment
We mapped the most material outward impacts on sustainability issues and the inward impacts, risks and opportunities of sustainability issues. We engaged with the leadership and key stakeholders to integrate the materiality assessment insights into strategy, planning and decision-making.
Case studies
When I was head of sustainability at Oxford Brookes, we used the SUMS / EAUC service to complete a scope 3 assessment, addressing operational boundaries, frameworks and guidance. The support was invaluable in helping us develop our carbon reduction strategy.
Now an Associate Consultant myself, I’m on the other side. I am very much enjoying using my experience in the sector to support institutions build long-term environmental and financial resilience."
Michele Morley Former Head of Environmental Sustainability, Oxford Brookes University
"We were very happy with our choice to work with SUMS Consulting and their partners EAUC and Wild Business. SUMS were able to bring in expertise under one package across the range of capabilities that we needed for this work.
The consultants worked closely with us to cover our broad agenda, including some areas that were more exploratory. They were flexible around adapting their approach as our needs developed. I particularly appreciated the opportunity to work collaboratively with the consultants on the workshops and trainings that we co-developed. This ensured that they suited our needs and benefited both from the expertise within our organisation as well as that of the consultants.”
Dr Marisa Goulden, Environmental Sustainability Programme Manager The Royal Society
"It was great working with the SUMS and EAUC team. They really understood our challenge and what we were aiming to achieve. Their approach was very thorough from the outset and gave us confidence that they were focused on what we needed; and they had the breadth of expertise in the tam to deliver recommendations that would be realistic and achievable in the context of our organisation"
Daisy Malt, Sustainability Manager University of EssexA partnership approach
Partnering with SUMS Consulting — a membership, not-for-profit organisation and registered charity owned by universities — means we can offer you the combined expertise of two trusted bodies with up-to-date knowledge of the education sector.
We're proud to say that the collaboration enables your institution to access specialist knowledge on sustainability, post-16 education, strategy and operational excellence - delivered by one team under one package of work.
