Nottingham Trent University signs up to JUMP employee engagement initiative

The JUMP scheme enables NTU to encourage activities that align with Nottingham City Council’s target of becoming a net-zero-carbon city by 2028

The Jump scheme, run by sustainable programmes supplier Green Rewards, encourages employees to engage in energy saving, sustainable travel, waste reduction and other green actions.

NTU is enrolling in the scheme to encourage new actions and behaviours across the pillars of carbon, resources, travel, food and drink, community volunteering and health and wellbeing.

“We’re really excited to be launching Green Rewards for all of our employees, as positive lifestyle choices are fundamental to us achieving our sustainable, environmental and wellbeing ambitions,” NTU’s sustainable development manager, Charmaine Morrell said.

“The programme demonstrates the strategic importance we place on sustainable and wellbeing choices we all make, and we hope it will inspire colleagues to work together in a fun and engaging way”.

The JUMP scheme enables NTU to encourage activities that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Nottingham City Council’s target of becoming a net-zero-carbon city by 2028. Announced last month, the aim builds on the local authority’s pledge to ensure that at least one-fifth of energy procured across the area is sourced from low-carbon facilities by 2020 – a goal it claims it is “on track” to achieve.

Green scheme

Last year, Green Rewards revealed to edie that a record 216,348 positive actions were recorded at universities in the last academic year as part of the programme.

Actions aimed at reducing plastic waste were the most popular under the scheme, with 82,540 positive actions taken collectively. For example, the University of Strathclyde diverted 2,939 disposable coffee cups from entering landfill by using reusable alternatives – the equivalent of 30kg of waste – during a five-month trial of the scheme.

The scheme has also seen Bournemouth University achieve an 11-tonne reduction in its Scope 3 emissions, after staff travelled 26,000 miles to and from campus sustainably. Elsewhere, Bournemouth University reduced paper use by 2% and the University of Reading achieved a 7% improvement in energy efficiency.

JUMP’s managing director Graham Simmonds added: “We’re seeing a big demand for our programmes, as employers embrace their responsibility to facilitate positive change among their people. I’m very impressed with NTU’s strong position in the environmental field and we are delighted to be working with them on this exciting project.”

Matt Mace