Recognition, awards and external partnerships

The University of St Andrews is committed to transparency, collaboration and external accountability in how we deliver sustainability. Our work is recognised through memberships of sector‑leading organisations, voluntary commitments, and national and international awards that reflect progress across environmental, social and governance priorities.

Membership of external sustainability groups

We are an active member of a number of recognised external networks that support collaboration, benchmarking and shared learning across the higher education sector.

Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC)

The University of St Andrews is a member of the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC), the leading body supporting sustainability in tertiary education. Through EAUC we contribute to, and benefit from, sector‑wide collaboration on climate action, nature recovery, responsible procurement and leadership development.

Nature Positive Universities

We have voluntarily signed up to the Nature Positive Universities commitment, demonstrating our intention to halt and reverse biodiversity loss across our estate and activities. This commitment supports our wider ambition to be nature positive, alongside our net zero pathway.

Concordat for Environmental Sustainability in Research

The University is a signatory to the Concordat for Environmental Sustainability in Research, committing us to reducing the environmental impacts of research while maintaining excellence and integrity. This includes action across infrastructure, funding, culture and leadership, and supports the integration of sustainability into research practice.

Together, these memberships and commitments help ensure our approach to sustainability is informed by best practice, externally validated, and continuously improving.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Accord

The University of St Andrews is a signatory to the SDG Accord, committing us to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through our teaching, research, operations and partnerships. The Accord provides a shared international framework that supports collaboration, accountability and action across the higher education sector in response to global social and environmental challenges.

External awards and recognition

Our sustainability work has been recognised through a range of external awards, reflecting progress across operations, research, education and engagement.

The St Andrews Prize for the Environment

Hosted by the University, the St Andrews Prize for the Environment is an internationally recognised award celebrating innovative environmental solutions from around the world. While global in scope, the Prize also reflects the University’s longstanding commitment to environmental leadership, partnership and real‑world impact.

Green Gown Awards

The University of St Andrews has received recognition through the Green Gown Awards, which celebrate exceptional sustainability initiatives in the tertiary education sector. These awards highlight innovative approaches and measurable impact, and provide independent validation of our work.

Sustainable Restaurant Association – Food Made Good Standard

The University’s catering operations have achieved the highest possible Three Star Food Made Good Standard from the Sustainable Restaurant Association. This accreditation recognises leadership in sustainable food and drink across three key areas: sourcing, society and environmental impact. The award reflects our commitment to responsible procurement, reducing food waste, supporting ethical supply chains, and providing nutritious, sustainable food choices for our community. Achieving the highest rating demonstrates the significant progress being made through our catering services to embed sustainability into everyday operations and support the University’s wider net zero and sustainability ambitions.

Fairtrade University Award

The University of St Andrews and the Students’ Association have achieved the highest tier of the Fairtrade University Award, earning Three Stars for the 2024–2026 award cycle. This recognition acknowledges our leadership in promoting fair trade, ethical consumption and global social justice across procurement, teaching, research and student engagement. Through strong collaboration between students, staff and community partners, we continue to raise awareness of fair and ethical supply chains while supporting the availability of Fairtrade products across campus. The award reflects our ongoing commitment to creating positive social and environmental impact through our purchasing decisions and educational activities.

Internal recognition and awards

Recognising and celebrating the contributions of our community is an important part of embedding sustainability across the University.

The Golden Dandelion Awards

The Golden Dandelion Awards recognise staff contributions that advance sustainability at St Andrews. These awards celebrate practical action, innovation and leadership, and highlight how individuals and teams are helping to deliver our environmental ambitions.

In addition to the Golden Dandelion Awards, the University recognises sustainability contributions through internal awards and commendations linked to teaching, research, professional services and community engagement. These mechanisms help reinforce sustainability as a shared responsibility across all roles and disciplines.

By engaging actively with external partners and recognising leadership within our community, the University of St Andrews strengthens its ability to deliver meaningful and lasting change.

Video transcript

>> PROFESSOR SALLY MAPSTONE: The University of St Andrews is a world-leading university and we see it as our willing responsibility to integrate sustainability within our University strategy.

>> PROFESSOR SALLY MAPSTONE: We want to be known as a University that absolutely practices what it preaches.

>> PROFESSOR SIR IAN BOYD: The Principal launched the environmental sustainability board in February 2020, taking a whole institutional approach to sustainability.

>> PROFESSOR SIR IAN BOYD: In January 2021 the University Court approved the environmental sustainability strategy, this sets the ambition to be net-zero by 2035, which is 10 years ahead of the Scottish Government’s target.

>> ABI WHITEFIELD: The University takes mine and others concerns about the environment seriously and helps to support me and other students in helping to shape a more sustainable future.

>> ABI WHITEFIELD: We created a new course on carbon management last year and provided lots of new opportunities for students to get involved including community gardening and also having their input on the new environment strategy

>> ALISTAIR MACLEOD: It’s vital that we work on some of these more complicated issues with the whole community and Transition has been doing this across a number of themes including sustainable travel.

>> ALISTAIR MACLEOD: We have formed a local action group call the Active Way to look at paths and networks which enables us to make walking and cycling easier, whilst we’ve also help train local residents, students and staff in cycle maintenance.

>> DEREK WATSON: It’s what you do for sustainability that matters, you need to make the bold steps, like this biomass plant behind us.

>> DEREK WATSON: The future needs to be different, challenge what you teach, challenge what you research, challenge how you innovate.

>> DEREK WATSON: This is what we are going to have to do to drive a more sustainable future, this is in the gift of universities.

Video transcript

>> MAPSTONE: As a University, St Andrews puts sustainability absolutely at the heart of our operations and our culture.

>> WILLI: We've been absolutely delighted to work in partnership with land managers to restore nature at a landscape scale.

A collaboration of farmers, estates, businesses, public and voluntary organisations came together to improve the quality and connectivity of habitat at 27 sites along a 16 kilometre corridor.

This included: getting our own herd of Highland cows and conservation grazing in a neglected site of special scientific interest.

Creating two wetland mosaics on campus.

Planting nearly two and a half kilometres of native hedgerows and 4.7 hectares of native woodland.

Establishing swathes of wildflower meadow and restoring a saline lagoon.

>> REID: We've created a green space that everybody can share.

We've had a lot of great feedback from the students and the public as well.

>> CARSON: So I have seen it kind of transform from an empty field and to see it come to life over time has been really beautiful and gratifying.

>> FYFE: We have been looking after these Highland cows.

Their role is to graze the SSSI which runs along the coastland here.

We're working on rewilding what's left of the farmland here.

>> WALLACE: We planted one kilometre of hedgerow over three different sites.

We took out some old fence line and planted it with some new hedgerow.

It's going to have a lot of use for wildlife animals.

>> ERSKINE: It's fulfilled our long term ambition of trying to create more biodiversity across the estate but also to bring the community in with that.

>> WILLI: This was all made possible with the goodwill and enthusiasm of our project partners, staff at the university and a whopping 408 volunteers who took part in 38 practical sessions and training exercises.

Thank you to you all.