In November 2023, we launched the Green Sleeve initiative in The SUSU Shop to try and tackle the 30,000 disposable cups being used for hot drinks.
Since the changes, we’ve seen a big shift:
- In December 2023, 19% of drinks were served in reusables.
- In January 2024, that went up to 21%.
- By June 2024, we hit a peak of 35%.
- Across the 2024–25 academic year, 27.5% of all hot drinks were in reusable cups.
That’s a massive 1300% increase, saving around 13,500 single-use cups.
Thanks to the initiative, we’ve been able to launch two major sustainability projects:
1. Carbon labelling our food with Klimato
We now show a CO2e* score for every menu item in our cafés and bars, and for the sandwiches in our meal deals. Labels are colour-coded to help you make sustainable choices.
2. Switching to Bird & Wild coffee
We’ve partnered with Bird & Wild to serve shade-grown coffee that’s Fairtrade, Organic and certified by the Smithsonian Bird Friendly program. Grown under the rainforest canopy, it protects habitats for birds and other wildlife, and 6% of sales go to the RSPB.
Thanks to everyone’s support to our commitment to being a more sustainable organisation.
*CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) is a standard way of measuring the environmental impact of different greenhouse gases.