How to read the Green League table

Universities have been ranked according to 13 criteria, which are explained here

The table above shows the overall ranking of universities and what "grade" they have been awarded. The People & Planet Green League 2011 ranks institutions according to 13 criteria designed to assess their policy and senior-level commitment to environmental management (40 points), as well as indicators of performance against policy commitments (30 points).

The criteria

1. Environmental policy  (5 points)


2. Management staff (8 points)

Points for having between at least 0.5 and two full-time equivalent staff members devoted to environmental management. Calculated based on number full-time equivalent staff per 5,000 students.

3. Environmental auditing and management systems (8 points)


4. Ethical investment (3 points)


5. Carbon management (7 points)

How strong and ambitious are universities' carbon management plans and carbon reduction targets? Bonus points for targets that include the full scope of climate emissions.  

6. Ethical procurement (2 points)

One point for achieving Fairtrade University status, one point for considering human rights impacts in other supply chains such as garments and IT.

7. Sustainable food (2 points)


8. Staff and student engagement (3 points)

Rewards those doing the most to encourage behaviour change in diverse and creative ways, from Go Green Week to formal student and staff union representation.

9. Curriculum (2 points)

Full points for taking steps to integrate sustainability into all teaching and research.

10. Energy sources (6 points)

Compares the amount of renewable energy institutions purchase and generate on-site against each other.

11. Waste and recycling (8 points)

Compares the amount of waste mass per head each institution generates and the percentage recycled.

12. Carbon reduction (10 points)

Compares the total carbon emissions per head and ranks institutions according to the actual level of reductions achieved since 2005 compared to sector-wide targets.

13. Water reduction (6 points)


See a more detailed table at

To see all the data go to

Find the full methodology on the People & Planet Green League website: