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News from the Geopark

English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark celebrates South Devon College's prestigious Green Gown Award for sustainability institution of the Year.

The English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark is proud to announce that its partner, South Devon College, has been awarded the coveted Green Gown Award for Sustainability Institution of the Year. This significant achievement, presented by the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC), highlights the College's steadfast dedication to sustainability and its innovative approach aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The judges praised South Devon College for its unwavering commitment to sustainability and its integrated approach to sustainability initiatives. They commended the College for positively impacting not only its campus community but also the wider region and beyond. South Devon College’s ambitious sustainability strategy seamlessly integrates sustainable practices into the hearts, minds, and actions of both learners and staff. This recognition is a testament to the College’s dedication over the past 15 years to fostering a culture of sustainability. During this time, key milestones in South Devon College's sustainability journey include the opening of the South West Energy Centre, the launch of a Green Travel Plan, investments in solar panels and air source heat pumps, and the construction of the Hi Tech & Digital Centre built to high BREEAM standards.

In addition to these achievements, South Devon College has embraced the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, which are integrated into all aspects of college life with clear markers across the campus to illustrate how each initiative corresponds to a sustainable development goal. The college’s adoption of the 17 SDG’s has transformed the way the college looks at sustainability and has helped to guide them towards this incredible achievement. The UN Sustainable Development Goals, established in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, address a variety of global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice. Running alongside this is the College's Sustainability Group, who also drive sustainability initiatives across the campus, engaging both students and staff in initiatives such as community volunteering and horticultural projects that provide food supplies for the catering department. Other sustainable actions include energy-saving measures, water conservation initiatives, and the planting of indigenous trees, shrubs, and wildflowers.

Laurence Frewin, Principal and CEO at South Devon College, expressed his excitement about winning the award, stating that it is a game changer for the institution. He highlighted the significant work that the College has been doing over the past 15 years and emphasised that winning the Green Gown Award is a testament to the hard work of colleagues and students. Laurence Frewin concluded that “we know we still have a lot to do, but I could not be prouder to tell our students, colleagues, and stakeholders that South Devon College has won Sustainability Institution of the Year, beating stiff competition including Durham University!”

Matt Green, Head of Commercial Services and Sustainability at South Devon College, emphasised, “it’s not just about the environment and the climate, but it is also about our society being fair and just and our economy having a positive impact for everyone. Our ambition is to seamlessly weave sustainability into everything we do, in all its forms; Social; Environmental and Economic.”

Nick Powe Chair of the Geopark said ‘ South Devon College became a Core Partner of the Geopark in 2019 and we can only congratulate them on the work they have done since then to integrate both the UNESCO Global Geopark into courses and the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals across college life which is exceptional.’   

The English Riviera Geopark extends its congratulations to South Devon College on this well-deserved accolade and looks forward to continuing their partnership to advance sustainability and environmental conservation in the region in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Photo of: JESSICA JONES, Student who designed the UNESCO Global Geopark board at South Devon College.