The University of Westminster has joined leading institutions across the UK to become a signatory to the Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation Practice. The Concordat represents a shared ambition for the UK to deliver cutting-edge research in a more environmentally responsible and sustainable way.
The concordat was co-developed by the UK research and innovation (R&I) sector to ensure research and innovation continues to play a critical part in understanding how the planet is changing, while helping the sector to act responsibly to protect and promote the environment.
By signing the concordat, Westminster is committed to recognising the need to change how it conducts research and innovation as well as promote wider solutions. The University agrees to take shared action now and in the future to reduce and eliminate negative environmental impacts and emissions and achieve the transition to sustainable practices.
This reflects the University’s Being Westminster strategic commitment to sustainable development. Since 2019, the University has used the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
In 2025, the University was named as global sustainability frontrunner in 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings and was ranked among the top 13% of over 2,300 universities worldwide for its contributions to the SDGs. Westminster has also recently launched the first ever climate assembly at a UK university, which brings together a representative group from its community to agree on the future direction of the University’s climate action.
About the concordat Morgan Lirette, Sustainable Development Adviser at the University of Westminster, said: “Becoming a signatory of the Concordat is a fantastic practical step in our efforts to evidence and champion research and knowledge exchange for sustainable development. Combined with our commitment to the SDGs, environmental management, Education for Sustainable Development, we are confident stating that Westminster truly does embed sustainability in all we do.”
Dr Muriel E Swijghuisen Reigersberg, Head of Westminster’s Research and Knowledge Exchange Office, added: “Being a Concordat signatory signals Westminster’s commitment to facilitating research and knowledge exchange activities sustainably. The Concordat complements our recent affiliation to the UK Consortium on Sustainability Research. The Consortium is a network of UK universities collaborating to implement the SDGs through research and knowledge exchange-led activities. It complements the sector’s teaching and learning profile for SDG implementation.”
Learn more about Sustainable Development at the University of Westminster.
