500+ Businesses Engaged in Climate Action Through University-Led Programme

£2.56M GreenerFuture Initiative Drives Sustainable Change Across Leicestershire

Big Green Week, the UK’s largest celebration of community-led climate action, will take place from 7 to 15 June 2025, uniting individuals, organisations, and local groups in a shared commitment to sustainability. The event encourages people to adopt greener habits, inspiring collective action to protect nature and tackle the climate crisis. In line with this movement, Leicestershire’s leading universities, the University of Leicester, De Montfort University (DMU), and Loughborough University, are coming together to drive meaningful change. Their joint efforts in environmental education, carbon reduction, community engagement, and biodiversity restoration reinforce the power of collaboration in creating a more sustainable future. Through shared expertise and collective action, they are setting a strong regional example of how institutions can lead the way in climate responsibility.

This partnership began in 2022 with the establishment of the Universities Partnership, a pioneering agreement aimed at tackling local challenges, with climate change at its core. One of its key achievements has been the Leicestershire Climate and Nature Pact, a joint commitment by universities, councils, and businesses to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045. By sharing energy-saving practices, pooling resources, and accelerating sustainable initiatives, these institutions are helping shape a greener future for the region.

A flagship programme within the Universities Partnership is GreenerFuture, which advances the institutions’ shared sustainability ambitions. Developed through the Leicestershire Collaborate to Accelerate Net Zero (LCAN) project and supported by Innovate UK’s Net Zero Living Programme, the initiative has secured £2.56 million in funding. GreenerFuture is primarily focused on decarbonisation and overcoming non-technical barriers to achieving net zero. The programme provides fully funded support to key stakeholders. For businesses, it offers guidance on sustainable operations, improved energy efficiency, and emission reduction, helping them adopt greener practices while lowering costs. Meanwhile, residents and communities receive practical advice on promoting sustainability and energy-saving strategies, encouraging environmentally conscious behaviour at a local level. Additionally, policymakers benefit from tailored resources that strengthen their capacity to develop and implement effective climate policies.

Professor Paul Baines, Principal Investigator of the GreenerFuture Leicestershire project at the University of Leicester, has emphasised the critical importance of sustainability. He highlighted the programme’s role in assisting businesses to cut energy costs, communicate their green initiatives, streamline supply chains, and capitalise on sustainable economic opportunities. Running until November 2025, the project has already engaged more than 500 businesses and is providing direct support to 80 organisations across Leicestershire.

To further enhance climate action, the universities are delivering accredited, in-person carbon literacy training. This programme equips students, staff, businesses, and community members with practical knowledge on the carbon impact of everyday activities. Participants receive an official Carbon Literacy certificate, enabling organisations to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and progress towards Carbon Literate Organisation status. Dr Andrew Reeves, Associate Professor at DMU, has underscored that true sustainability extends beyond policy, stressing the significance of community empowerment, knowledge-sharing, and local innovation in generating lasting environmental impact.

Alongside climate initiatives, the universities are also addressing biodiversity loss. All three institutions have joined the Nature Positive Universities Alliance, a global effort dedicated to restoring natural habitats and promoting sustainable land management. Each university has taken targeted steps to support biodiversity:

• The University of Leicester has implemented a Biodiversity Action Plan aimed at preserving local ecosystems, including woodlands, wetlands, and hedgerows.
• De Montfort University is nationally recognised for its wildlife-friendly initiatives, which include student allotments, beehives, and involvement in the Hedgehog Friendly Campus Initiative.
• Loughborough University has carried out a comprehensive biodiversity audit of its 500-acre campus, home to species such as badgers, hedgehogs, kestrels, bats, and muntjacs. Additionally, it maintains six to ten honeybee colonies to support pollinator conservation.

In celebration of Big Green Week, the universities are collaborating with local councils to host a series of events designed to foster climate awareness, community engagement, and sustainable practices. These activities seek to strengthen partnerships between academia, government, and the wider public. Scheduled events include ‘People, Planet, Pastry’ in Leicester on Monday, 9 June; the ‘Sustainability Accelerator’ event in Market Harborough on Wednesday, 11 June; the ‘Oadby & Wigston Green Grant Launch’ on Thursday, 12 June; and the ‘Going Greener, Getting Climate Ready’ workshop on Friday, 13 June.

Through these ambitious and collaborative initiatives, Leicestershire’s universities are not only helping the region reduce its carbon footprint and enhance biodiversity but are also educating, empowering, and inspiring communities to take meaningful action towards sustainability. Their efforts underline the vital role that academic institutions play in driving impactful, community-led environmental transformation.

Editor’s Note:

Leicestershire’s universities are proving that real climate action comes from collaboration. Through the Universities Partnership, they have not only pledged ambitious sustainability goals but have also backed them with concrete initiatives. The Leicestershire Climate and Nature Pact, a commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2045, stands out as a major milestone, uniting universities, councils, and businesses in a collective push for change. Beyond pledges, their GreenerFuture initiative is making sustainability accessible. With £2.56 million in funding, it provides businesses, communities, and policymakers with the tools to reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency, and make meaningful changes. Over 500 businesses are already engaged, and 80 organisations are receiving direct support to transform their practices. Joining the Nature Positive Universities Alliance, each university has committed to restoring habitats and protecting wildlife, from maintaining pollinator colonies to conducting biodiversity audits. These efforts remind us that sustainability isn’t just about cutting carbon, it’s about safeguarding ecosystems too. This is what leadership in climate action should look like: universities stepping up not only as educators but as changemakers. Policy alone won’t solve the climate crisis; grassroots action, knowledge-sharing, and community empowerment will.

As per Skoobuzz, Leicestershire’s approach proves that collaboration isn’t just a strategy; it’s a necessity. More institutions should take note because this is how real change happens.