The University of Westminster played a key role in this year’s London Climate Action Week (LCAW) by co-hosting the Fitzrovia Sustainability Summit alongside the Fitzrovia Partnership. The event provided an inspiring platform for students to showcase their innovative climate action initiatives and highlight their commitment to driving sustainable change.
Now in its seventh year, London Climate Action Week has grown into Europe’s largest city-wide climate festival, attracting more than 45,000 attendees annually. Running from 21 to 29 June, the week brings together a wide range of organisations, individuals and communities to showcase solutions and initiatives that support decarbonisation and climate resilience across all sectors of society.
Held on 23 June, the Fitzrovia Sustainability Summit brought together businesses, community leaders, policymakers and sustainability experts to highlight the progress made in the first 80 days since the launch of Fitzrovia’s Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan.
During the summit members of the Cavendish Living Lab team, Julia Pinheiro Bassani and Nellmah Sahar, presented their work as part of the Pack It Green initiative. This initiative supports sustainability in local businesses by analysing datasets that evaluate the challenges vendors face regarding the use of sustainable materials in their take-away and delivery systems.
Julia Pinheiro Bassani, second-year Biomedical Science BSc Honours student, said: “As a student, being able to showcase our project findings at the Fitzrovia Sustainability Summit reaffirmed our commitment to making sustainability a cornerstone of our community. Our Pack It Green initiative was built on the idea of open dialogue, aiming to encourage thoughtful reflection on how sustainability can be meaningfully integrated into daily life. This event not only provided us with a platform to share our work but also connected us with sustainability experts who expanded our understanding and inspired even greater impact.”
Students also set up a display stand to share with attendees examples of the work taking place as part of the lab, including creating sustainable materials for fashion students and cultivating food on campus using hydroponics to donate to local foodbanks.
The Fitzrovia Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan sets out 57 targeted sustainability outcomes, which depend on the active involvement of local members, stakeholders and the wider community. The Fitzrovia Partnership will lead on areas where it can directly influence change and support collaboration across sectors. Key actions include promoting sustainability seminars and training, encouraging separate stream recycling to boost recycling rates and helping businesses work towards sustainability accreditations. Oversight is provided by a steering group, chaired by the University of Westminster’s Vice Chancellor and President Professor Peter Bonfield, which includes representatives from local businesses, the community and both local and regional government.
Morgan Lirette, Sustainable Development Advisor at the University of Westminster, said: “Opening our doors for the London Climate Action Week is itself a privilege. To do so for the Fitzrovia Sustainability Summit keeps alive our dedication to the Fitzrovia Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan and to fostering sustainability as an anchor institution in London.”
The Fitzrovia Sustainability Summit directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, 12: Responsible Consumption and Production and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about Sustainable Development at the University of Westminster.
