Our carbon footprint today
Activate Learning’s independently verified carbon footprint for 2023/24 is 9,639 tonnes of CO₂ per year, which will be our baseline for tracking progress over time.
That footprint includes the energy we use to heat and power our buildings, but also the wider impact of what we buy and how people travel to learn and work with us. In 2023/24:
- Scope 1 and 2 emissions were 3,710 tonnes of CO₂, covering direct fuel use and purchased electricity.
- Scope 3 emissions were 5,929 tonnes of CO₂, linked to things like waste, water, supply chain, commuting and travel, and curriculum supply.
This matters because it tells us where change will have the biggest impact, so our strategy focuses on both the essentials (energy, heat, buildings) and the harder-to-shift areas (travel and the supply chain).
Our ambition and how we’ll know we’re getting there
Our route to net zero is anchored in clear interim goals. Between 2025 and 2030 we will reduce:
- Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 10% by 2027 and 35% by 2030 (against the 2023/24 baseline).
- Scope 3 emissions by 10% by 2027 and 20% by 2030 through procurement and supply chain engagement, renewable energy supply, and reducing water use and waste.
We also have specific commitments that translate ambition into day-to-day improvements: 100% renewable electricity by 2028, achieve major progress on waste and resource use, and measurable reductions in travel-related emissions.
The five themes: where change will come from
Sustainability works when it becomes part of how an organisation thinks and operates—how decisions get made, how people travel, how buildings run, what gets bought, and what learners take into their futures.
That’s why our strategy is delivered through five connected themes, designed to move us from intention to lasting change.
Green leadership: making sustainability everyone’s business
Real progress happens when it’s owned locally, not just written centrally. We’re strengthening governance through a Sustainability Committee and building the structure that helps every campus play its part.
From 2026, each campus will have a Green2Go sustainability action team where staff and learners will work together to champion best practice, build local initiatives and turn ideas into action. In 2027, we’ll introduce Activate Learning Green Recognition Awards to celebrate the people driving change.
And we’ll share progress openly through a dedicated sustainability web presence and formal reporting, because accountability matters.
Green people and skills: helping learners lead the future
One of the biggest ways we can influence sustainability is through learning. Our goal is to embed sustainability across our curriculums, so every learner develops knowledge and confidence for a changing world.
We will introduce a core sustainability module across all courses, giving learners an understanding of climate science, carbon management and climate justice, alongside practical skills like assessing their own carbon footprint and understanding organisational impact.
Alongside this, we’re committed to curriculum redesign so that all courses capture sustainability and environmental content by 2028, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We’ll also develop new learning linked to the green economy, such as renewable energy, sustainable construction, electric vehicles and sustainable management.
And we’ll support our people to deliver it: we will provide core CPD (including carbon literacy and sustainability awareness) so staff and learners can access sustainability training by 2028.
Green environment and estate: changing how our campuses run
Our buildings and environments shape our footprint every day. That’s why we’re focusing on practical estate improvements, with energy efficiency, better controls, and upgrades that reduce carbon without compromising learning.
This includes building upgrades such as improved insulation, smart building management systems, better heating controls, and transition to LED lighting, paired with the everyday operational changes that reduce consumption.
Over time, decarbonisation also means changing how we generate and use energy. We are moving toward solar PV generation and battery storage as part of longer-term estates renewal.
A key focus is also replacing fossil-fuel heating systems through a phased rollout of solutions like solar PV, air/ground source heat pumps and battery storage. The strategy highlights Reading College as an early adopter for PV, heat pumps and battery storage, creating a low-carbon campus.
When we build or undertake major projects, we’ll do so to best-practice standards (such as BREEAM or equivalent), reducing carbon in construction and in operational use.
Green consumption and procurement: cutting carbon beyond our walls
A large share of our emissions sits in what we purchase and the services we rely on. That’s why sustainable procurement is central to the plan, focused on supplier engagement, circular procurement and local sourcing where possible.
In practice, that means working with suppliers on ethical sourcing, carbon reduction commitments and transparency in sustainability reporting and collaborating to reduce packaging and lower the carbon impact of deliveries.
We’ll also embed circular principles into purchasing: prioritising products that can be reused, refurbished or recycled, extending product lifespans and reducing waste.
Green performance: measuring, learning and improving every year
We’re not treating this as a “set and forget” plan. A carbon footprint assessment and sustainability data analysis will be conducted annually, with progress widely reported—and if progress is off-track, we’ll adjust.
Our Sustainability Committee and Green2Go teams will meet at least termly to drive delivery and report progress, with oversight and challenge through established governance and regional oversight.
Nature and climate resilience: protecting the places we learn
Sustainability is about more than carbon. It’s also about protecting and enhancing the natural environments that support wellbeing, learning and long-term resilience.
We will track biodiversity change through monitoring methods such as ecological surveys, trail cameras and drone mapping, using the data to guide conservation and learning opportunities. Alongside this, our emerging climate resilience plan will consider risks such as flooding, overheating and water depletion, and the improvements needed to protect our operations and communities.
Travel: making lower-carbon choices easier
Travel and commuting represent a significant proportion of our footprint, so our focus is on reducing non-essential travel and supporting a shift away from petrol/diesel vehicles toward more sustainable transport.
By 2030, we aim to reduce CO₂ linked to travel by 20%. We’ll do that through campus travel planning, encouraging walking, cycling and public transport, and refining hybrid working practices, so we reduce unnecessary commuting.
Our journey in numbers
Baseline footprint: 9,639 tCO₂ (2023/24)
Net zero target: 2045
Renewable electricity: 100% by 2028
Waste: 80% diverted from landfill by 2028; no waste to landfill by 2030
People & curriculum: sustainability CPD access and curriculum coverage by 2028
Join us: sustainability is a shared effort
We won’t reach our goals through policy alone. Achieving them requires participation from learners, staff, and partners, supported by local leadership and practical projects shaped by each campus.
From student-led environmental projects and awareness campaigns to practical initiatives like recycling and energy reduction measures, Green2Go teams will help turn sustainability into something people can actually do, not just read about.