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Certificate of Sustainability Consultancy (Auditing)

Globe
Certificate leaders:
David Chapman (Estates)
Term 3
2 workshops

Group Project Time

Initially available to first and second year undergraduate students in the School for Cross-faculty Studies; with priority given to later years. Potential for wider learner participation depending.

This Certificate counts towards the Warwick Award. For registration on that Award. Sign up for that here.

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The Certificate of Sustainability Consultancy (Auditing) is a Warwick Award-accredited activity. Undertaking this Certificate will contribute five points towards the Warwick Award.

The Warwick Award is free for all undergraduates and taught postgraduates. For undergraduates, the Award will appear on your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) transcript, while taught postgraduate students who complete the Award will be issued with a digital certificate by the Skills Team.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS CERTIFICATE IS NOT RUNNING IN 2023-24

The Certificate of Sustainability Consultancy (Auditing) has been designed collaboratively and will be co-delivered by the University Estates Sustainability Team and the Global Sustainable Development Academic Convenors. This is a unique endeavour at The University of Warwick, allowing close collaboration between academic and service departments.

The primary focus of the Certificate is the process of institutional environmental auditing. Participants will learn a variety of accessible and basic auditing processes in a number of hands-on workshops, before engaging in a real-life consultancy project for one specific area of university operation or an external partner.

Potential Projects and Clients for 2023

Solar power potential in Coventry (Tony McNally, Climate Change Solutions)

Cycle Infrastructure and Use (TBC, GSD Cyclability ProjectLink opens in a new window)

Campus Biodiversity (TBC, University Sustainability Team)

Light and Power (various, University Facilities)

Waste and Recycling (various, University Facilities)

Water Flows and Usage (various, University Facilities)

Learner Project Teams will act as Sustainability Consultants meeting with stakeholders and decision-makers to collectively develop a written brief; working as a team, groups will generate necessary data through an appropriate audit methodology. Student consultants will then analyse and write up their findings and recommendations, which will be presented back to internal and external stakeholders for consideration in further action.

Successful completion of the Certificate, by passing both assessment component, results in the award of Certificate of Sustainability Consulting (Auditing) which will appear on your HEAR alongside your degree and other awards.

Application and Registration

Please note there are a fixed number of places on this Certificate. Learner are required to apply for participation and will be evaluated on an ongoing basis. Learners from the School for Cross-faculties Studies will have priority acceptance until 9:00 Monday 20th Feb. We will open the program more widely where capacity allows.

The online application form is linked on the left of the page.

Principal Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the Certificate of Sustainability Consultancy (Auditing), students will be able to demonstrate:

  • A critical engagement with the prevalent approaches to assessing sustainability in the workplace
  • A critical understanding of the scope and limitations of current UK legislation around sustainability
  • An ability to reflect on the various stages that are involved in undertaking an audit
  • An ability to design and undertake a sustainability audit, and to analyse and reflect on their findings
  • An ability to communicate their findings and recommendations to a group of stakeholders

Outputs (Assessment, graded on a pass/fail basis) - due by end of Term 3, or later by arrangement

  • Sustainability Audit Report & Recommendations (Group Submission)
  • Reflections on Professional and Personal Development (Individual Submission)