Our environment and community

Sustainability isn't just at the heart of our education, but also at the heart of how we are transforming our buildings and campus. Our 2023 Net Zero Strategy commits us to becoming a net-zero organisation by 2040, with work already underway to reduce emissions, improve recycling, and develop our campus green spaces.

But delivering on sustainability is a collective effort. Our students, staff, and alumni all play a vital role, and our decolonial approach to education means our graduates carry these values into roles across government, business, and development - driving positive change in ways that are just and sustainable. 

Turning commitment into results

SOAS was the first university to divest in fossil fuels in 2015, and since then we have been taking steps to create a greener, fairer and more just society through our research, learning and teaching, as well as our everyday operations. We are also part of a collaborative project with the University of London and UCL to decarbonise the Bloomsbury estate by 99%. This initiative will decarbonise SOAS’s energy use more than 50%.

Our progress has been recognised in the People & Planet University League 2025/26, where SOAS climbed 62 places placing us in the top 10 of London universities and joint 28th in the UK. People & Planet also ranked SOAS 1st in London and 4th nationally for Ethical Investments. 

Through targeted policies and plans, we are reducing our carbon footprint, cutting waste, and embedding sustainability into procurement, food, and travel. Every decision, from the energy we use to the way our community moves and consumes food, is part of our commitment to a more sustainable SOAS.

Sustainability Strategy and policy

Our Sustainability Strategy embeds environmental and ethical practice across our campus so everyone can work, study and make sustainable choices comfortably. It commits us to net zero by 2032, improved climate resilience and biodiversity, and ongoing monitoring of emissions and discharges.

Our SOAS Sustainability Policy brings this work to life by setting binding, measurable campus targets - 60% recycling capture, 20% water reduction, SKA Silver/BREEAM Excellent building standards, and a 60% cut in travel emissions. Further details are shared below along with details of the people and teams who are carrying out this work.

Carbon reduction 

We are reducing emissions from our buildings, energy use, operations, and wider activities in support of SOAS's Net Zero ambition, which provides a roadmap for embedding sustainability into everyday decision-making and delivering measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions over time.

Waste and recycling 

SOAS takes a whole-institution approach to waste, applying the waste hierarchy to reduce packaging and consumption at source while maximising reuse and recycling. This is backed by clear targets, including a 60% recycling capture rate and 90 tonnes of overall waste by 2030.

Procurement 

Our Responsible Procurement Policy sets out how everyone at SOAS must buy goods, services and works in a way that is transparent, fair, accountable and delivers value for money. It provides the governance framework for procurement decisions, requiring specifications to include criteria such as recycled content and energy efficiency, and asking suppliers to answer questions on environmental, social and ethical impact.

Food

SOAS recognises the impact of having a sustainable food culture and practice can have on health and wellbeing, but also on supply chain and the wider value chain. This is why we developed our Sustainable Food Policy. As an institution focused on addressing pressing global challenges, SOAS acknowledges the profound impact of food systems on climate change, biodiversity, and community well-being. 

Travel and transport

The SOAS Travel Policy details the ways we support lower-carbon travel choices across the SOAS community and local area in business travel and commuting. The policy enables staff and students to consider virtual collaboration before travelling, and where travel is needed, it prioritises rail over air within the UK and Europe and limits trips to essential travellers only. A new booking tool allows staff to compare options by cost, speed and sustainability, encouraging lower-carbon choices at the point of booking.

Staff and students play a crucial role in ensuring we achieve our goals. We have developed a Sustainability Communications Strategy to reinforce SOAS's broader commitments to environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and global engagement, providing a structured approach to communicating sustainability-related initiatives, achievements, and opportunities across the university community.   

Beyond the classroom  

Our active student body and the Students' Union offer a range of societies focused on environmental and sustainability issues. These include the SOAS Energy Society, Sustainable Policy Society, and SOAS Harmony with Nature Society.

We have set out principles and standards that guide ethical decision-making and investments across the university. This helps ensure that all SOAS activities are carried out with integrity, transparency, fairness and accountability.

• Ethical Investment and Banking Policy
• SOAS Ethics Framework

Committees and governance

Our sustainability governance structure consists of the following committees and groups. The Sustainability Working Group and Net Zero Assurance Group oversee the implementation of the Sustainability Strategy and report to the Sustainability Committee on progress:

• Sustainability Committee: the role of the Sustainability Committee is to ensure there is an integrated, proactive approach to sustainability across the institution that is informed by best practice, and supports the achievement of SOAS’s values, objectives and strategy. It is chaired by Professor Laura Hammond, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Knowledge Exchange).
• Sustainability Working Group: jointly chaired by Andrew Goodman, Director of Estates, and Professor Elisa Van Waeyenberge, Dean of the College of Social Sciences.
• Net Zero Assurance Group: chaired by Andrew Goodman, Director of Estates

Estates and Property Services

• Tom Cox, Stragetic Programme Manager (tc1@soas.ac.uk)
• Isabella Carini, Programme Support Officer (ic25@soas.ac.uk)
• Ola Bankole
• Parco Wong: Assistant Director of Estates (pw23@soas.ac.uk)
• David Peeks (dp51@soas.ac.uk)

Matt Hull (Procurement) has also given support with inputting and auditing Greenly data; Joshua Carter (Planning) for work relating to sustainability league tables; and Ros Taplin as an educational lead on sustainability.