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Building sustainable
futures

Commitment with action

UPP has long led the way in sustainability, from pioneering sustainable ‘Passivhaus’ building design to establishing the UPP Foundation in order to support access to education for all.  Net Zero, equality, social mobility – these are all areas about which our people are incredibly passionate.

But we recognise there is more to do to ensure our business has a positive impact on its people and on the world around us. That’s why our sustainability strategy sets out highly ambitious targets and commitments aligned to the UN Sustainability Development Goals.

At UPP, we know these SDGs have the power to change our world for the better, to ensure our impact on both people and planet is a positive one. That’s why we have incorporated alignment with the UN SDGs into our Environmental, Social and Governance strategy.

Our second annual sustainability report

Our second annual sustainability report, published in accordance with Global Reporting Initiative standards, sets out our commitments to people, place and planet, and the progress we have made during the 2022/23 financial year.

Materiality assessments: an informed, focused, measurable approach

A materiality assessment is the starting point for any sustainability strategy. It enables us to capture the voice of our stakeholders, identify areas of strategic focus, risks and opportunities for our business, and to then develop goals in order to address them. 

You can find out more about UPP’s materiality assessment journey and outcomes in this report.

Our Strategy

Environment and Net Zero

Taking a science-led approach to becoming a more sustainable business.

Social Purpose

Championing fairness by putting people at the heart of our organisation.

Good Governance

Setting standards for a responsible business

Aligning to
UN SDGs

The UN Sustainability Development Goals are a collection of 17 global objectives designed to protect our planet, eradicate poverty and build a prosperous world for all. 

They were adopted by the UN in 2015 and seek to address many global challenges, such as poverty, hunger, health, education, climate change and equality. 

At UPP, we know these SDGs have the power to change our world for the better, to ensure our impact on both people and planet is a positive one. That’s why we have incorporated alignment with the UN SDGs into each area of our strategy.

Key milestones

2021

November

  • Materiality assessment completed

2021

December

  • Carbon baseline produced

2022

January

  • Net Zero pathway developed

2022

Febuary

  • UPPF publishes Student Futures Commission report calling on sector wide manifesto
  • Social Value Portal

2022

March

  • Commitment to Science Based Target initiative announced

2022

April

  • New UPPF grants round

2022

May

  • 5 year carbon management plan completed
  • Employee safeguarding initiative

2022

June

  • Science Based Targets validated
  • Net Zero commitment announced
  • Responsible supply chain charter launched

2022

July

  • Business Code of Ethics published

News & Insights