Student Sustainability Champions

PIR is the only global rating tool that highlights schools with a focus on societal purpose. It allows for comparing between faculty and student perspectives through the annual PIR survey, of which the 2026 version is now live. This helps reveal gaps in sustainability efforts, allowing the department to then use PIR feedback to improve sustainability efforts.

LUBS’ most recent ranking was Level 4 out of 5 showcasing high effort but also room for improvement. The current survey is live until 31st of March and asks students to rank their sustainability priorities and detail how their school is doing on multiple sustainability and social impact topics and suggestions for improvements.

This project analyses the LUBS curriculum using the module catalogue for every programme. By combining keyword-based retrieval with structured qualitative analysis, the project maps the objectives, assessment methods, learning and skill outcomes and syllabus topics to establish their relevance to the 17 SDG targets.

The aim is to produce a transparent and academically defensible method for evaluating how LUBS is making progress towards these goals and establish a measurement tool for the future regarding sustainability in the curriculum.

Our project, Decolonisation and Decarbonisation, explores the intersection between inclusive knowledge systems and environmental sustainability within the university context. It aims to examine how sustainability initiatives can be shaped by diverse perspectives, ensuring they are equitable and socially just.

Through research, engagement activities and collaborative discussions, the project seeks to raise awareness and encourage critical reflection on how institutions can embed both environmental responsibility and decolonial thinking into policy and practice.

Our PRME Engagement project focuses on advancing the Principles for Responsible Management Education within the university community. The initiative aims to strengthen awareness of sustainability, ethical governance, and social responsibility in business education.

Through research, student-led discussions, and collaborative activities, the project encourages critical thinking about how future leaders can integrate responsible practices into organisational decision-making. By aligning academic learning with real-world sustainability challenges, the project seeks to foster a culture of accountability, inclusivity, and long-term value creation within higher education and beyond.

This project will create a framework to measure and track the social value generated by sustainability initiatives within LUBS. It aims to provide a consistent approach for evaluating the wider social impact of activities such as community engagement, student-led projects, and external partnerships.

The Student Sustainability Champion will research social value methodologies, map existing initiatives, develop KPIs, and collaborate with staff and partners to identify relevant data. They will assess past and current activities and produce a visual reporting tool and final report with recommendations. The role requires strong research, data analysis, project management skills, and an understanding of social impact and sustainability.

My project will design and build the “LUBS Net Zero Command Center”: a custom web application that automates emissions data ingestion, calculates Scope 1–3 using DEFRA-aligned methods, and presents results in an intuitive dashboard.

It will include a net zero pathway “scenario lab” and an AI-driven recommendation and action-tracking layer. The platform will move LUBS from static annual reporting to continuous, decision-ready insight.

The hybrid conferencing project is an exploration into academics' experiences of one of the main avenues for sharing knowledge and making new connections. As the call for sustainability initiatives grows worldwide, hybrid conferencing has become increasingly relevant at work.

Various factors can influence this, from inclusivity considerations to sustainability choices, but little is known about this in the context of academic conferences. This project will tap into the lived experiences of organising and experiencing hybrid conferencing through auditing conferences and interviewing academics to contribute understanding and guidance for the future of sustainable academic communication.

The project focuses on driving sustainability initiatives across the alumni team by creating opportunities for alumni to actively contribute towards sustainability goals. This includes encouraging engagement through events and activities that raise awareness, promote responsible practices, and strengthen our global alumni community’s collective impact.

The aim is to make sustainability accessible, actionable, and collaborative within the alumni network.

As part of Sustainability Day at LUBS, a fashion show is planned for May 8th, 2026. The event is designed to increase awareness among staff, students, and visitors of the LUBS Sustainability Blueprint Team and the University of Leeds Sustainability Service’s collective efforts to highlight the environmental footprint of garments, promote eco-friendly practices in fashion, showcase innovative designs, and raise awareness about sustainability.

Our vision is to host LUBS’ first-ever runway on campus featuring local designers, alongside workshops, talks, and clothing swaps to promote all aspects of sustainable fashion.

Project 10 focuses on creating a positive and engaging experience for students throughout the LUBS Sustainable Business Challenge. From launch to final presentations, Sebrina aims to support clear communication, smooth organisation, and strong collaboration with external partners.

By building on her previous business challenge experience, she hopes to help participants feel supported, motivated, and confident as they develop their ideas. Ultimately, the goal is to make the challenge well-structured, enjoyable, and impactful for everyone involved, while strengthening the LUBS sustainable community.