SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production

Sustainable Procurement Policy and Responsible Procurement Checklist

The Sustainable Procurement Policy and The Responsible Procurement Strategy Document  enable environmental and sustainable considerations in the purchase of all bought goods and services, including consideration on whether existing assets can be reused or shared. The Sustainable Procurement Policy also has an objective to 'optimise the use of natural resources and cease or, where this is not possible, minimise the use of plastic and disposable items'.

Single Use Plastic Strategy

Our Single-use plastics strategy was introduced in 2018 and most recently reviewed in 2024. It details the actions we are taking and the progress we have made to reduce and minimise single-use plastics on campus. The policy outlines our approach to avoiding and substituting single-use plastics, recycling them where it's not possible to avoid using them, whilst exploring innovative and plastic-free solutions for implementation. The implementation of the strategy is monitored internally via the Sustainability team. Measures include: an increased number of water fountains on campus, maintaining a disposable cup levy, collaborating with the University Grounds team to develop a kitchen garden to supply our catering team (thus reducing plastic packaging), bin free offices (reducing the amount of black bags used and wasted), replacing single-use plastics with reusable alternatives in labs, and bulk-purchasing cleaning products to decant into reusable trigger spray bottles. 

Sustainable Food Policy and Action Plan

Our Sustainable Food Policy and Action Plan has been in place since 2018. It reflects the principles of the University’s procurement strategy, sustainability goals and climate emergency recommendations. Among other commitments, its aims include:

• Reduction in use of single-use hot beverage cups with the implementation of a 40p levy in 2020/21, an increase of 20p vs previous years. Over 130,000 reusable cups were used in 24/25, diverting from single use refuge. 

• 100% reduction in non-compostable single use food-to-go packaging - in 2020/21 single-use plastic was removed from the approved purchasing lists and replaced with compostable alternatives. 

• Food packaging for items prepared on site is biodegradable, compostable or recyclable- since 2020/21, only plant based wrap is used on our sealer. 

 The Policy and progress against the Action Plan are updated and published annually.   

Circular Economy and Sustainable Resource Management Strategy

Our Circular Economy and Sustainable Resource Management Strategy 2024-2030 focuses on integrating circular economy principals into all aspects of University life, facilitating the elimination of avoidable waste and minimisation of the rest, and reducing the negative impacts of our activities locally and minimising the overall impact on the environment. These goals apply to all resources, including plastic and disposable items. Progress against the Strategy Action Plan and KPIs is reported annually to the University's Climate and Environmental Crisis Board.

In July 2025, the Exeter Centre for Circular Economy (ECCE) convened colleagues from across the University to launch a new Community of Practice focused on embedding circular economy thinking into core University functions. The event brought together staff from our Estates, Procurement, Research, Operations and Education teams to explore how the Unvierstiy can lead by example in designing out waste, keeping materials in use and creating regenerative systems. 

Travel Policy

As a global University that engages with the world through research, field trips, conferences and collaborations the University recognises that travel may be necessary for learning, teaching, research and developing partnerships. Our Travel Policy, launched in Sept 2023, sets out guidance to enable travel to be undertaken in accordance with our values and to meet wider university targets and objectives, including sustainability, focussing travel on low-carbon options. 

Gift it, Reuse it

In Summer 2024 we launched a flagship initiative – Gift it, Reuse it – enabling outgoing students across our halls of residence to donate home essentials for incoming students the following September, free of charge. An estimated 8,000 of the items were taken by arriving students during Welcome Week, and the remaining items were offered out in pop-up shops in Clydesdale House later in the term.

The scheme continues to expand and in summer 2025, we had received 17,635 items, weighing 3,417kg. This is a 102% increase compared to summer 2024. We have also seen items returned to us this year that were taken from the Free Shops in September 2024, demonstrating the circular economy in action!

Gift it Reuse it won first place in the Educational Organisation category of the Exeter Sustainability Awards 2025 and was also shortlisted for the Creating Impact Green Gown Award 2025.

Exeter Centre for the Circular Economy

The Exeter Centre for the Circular Economy was established to advance the theory and practice of circular economy and delivers impact nationally and internationally through a diverse portfolio of research, education and collaboration activities. The Centre is dedicated to developing, testing and adding to the theory and practice of circular economy interventions and real-world implementation and is home  to a £30 million 4-year UKRI funded programme that brings together academics, industry practitioners and policy makers to deliver circular economy research and innovation.

The Centre is a leading provider of research-led circular economy executive and practitioner education programmes and courses. Drawing on the expertise of our research community at the University of Exeter, and our excellent relationships with industrial partners, we have curated and shaped inspiring and high impact education and training that enables leadership and managerial capabilities of organisations to deliver effective circular economy solutions.

International Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Resource Management in the Circular Economy 

We are now a partner in the new UN-backed International Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Resource Management in  the Circular Economy (ISC-SRM).  The new centre, which opened in April 2024, is a collaboration between the University of Exeter and University College London (UCL), Brunel University, Swansea University and the British Geological Survey, who together contributed £1.85 million to fund the centre’s technical activities.

It will develop new approaches to the circular economy and resource efficiency to enable carbon reduction and the transition to a greener future as well as ensure the UK can help countries across the world to maximise the environmental and economic opportunities the circular economy offers.