Environment and Sustainability Committee (ESC)
Terms of Reference
1. Membership.
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Chair): Professor Julie Sanders
Sustainability Manager (ESS) (Secretary): Hannah Owens
Senior Lecturer in Accounting (NUBS): Dr Jane Gibbon
Senior Lecturer (SOE): Dr Sue Haile
Professor of Cellular Physiology (ICAMB): Professor Barry Hirst
Reader in Environmental Sustainability (SOE): Dr Jaime Amezaga
Director of the Institute for Sustainability: Dr Phil McGowan
Head of Sustainability (ESS): Matt Dunlop
Head of Procurement (Finance and Planning): Neil Addison
Director (Accommodation Services): Paul Bandeen
Integration Services Manager (NUIT): John Donaldson
Head of Hospitality and Commercial Services: Julia Taylor
President of the Students Union
Ethics and Environment Officer (Students Union)
Opportunities will be made available for non-members to attend as appropriate to discuss matters of particular interest with the committee.
Membership will be reviewed and updated as required due to changes in personnel.
Membership and terms will be reviewed on a 3 year term as a minimum.
2. Meetings.
The Committee will meet 4 times per year and meetings will be scheduled for 90 minutes.
3. Responsibilities.
Environment and Sustainability Committee is a sub-group of University Executive Board (UEB) and reports to UEB on a 6 monthly basis.
The Committee is responsible for:
a) Establishing and enhancing the reputation of Newcastle University as a sustainable university.
b) Providing strategic governance and guidance in relation to sustainability, and to coordinate efforts to improve teaching, research and operational related environmental sustainability.
c) Defining the strategy of the University in relation to environment and sustainability issues, with the aim of continual improvement in environmental performance.
d) Ensuring that the University’s integrated Environmental and Energy Management Systems are implemented and maintained in accordance with the relevant standards (ISO14001 and ISO50001). Communicating the principles and requirements of the standards to all staff and students.
e) Acting as ‘Top Management’ for both the ISO14001 and ISO50001 standards, and conducting Management Reviews to ensure their continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness.
f) Reviewing and approving policies and plans including those developed by others in the University, to ensure that environmental impacts and sustainability issues are considered in all operations.
g) Identifying, prioritising, and reviewing targets to achieve the policy objectives taking into account current and future legal and regulatory requirements, cost, sensitivity and associated risk.
h) Ensuring appropriate resources are available to comply with relevant legislation and to enable achievement of environmental and sustainability targets.
i) Monitoring and reporting performance against environmental and sustainability KPIs and identifying opportunities for continual improvement in performance.
j) Reviewing and promoting progress on the integration of Education for Sustainable Development into the curriculum.
k) Reviewing progress on Environmental, Social and Governance strategies of the University’s endowment fund managers.
l) Leading engagement with staff, students and visitors, to achieve individual awareness of sustainability issues. Encouraging sustainable behaviours and cultural change to achieve sustainability goals and improve environmental performance.
Last reviewed at meeting of ESC on 03.05.2018.
Approved by Council on 15.07.2018.