University of Winchester targets carbon reductions through behaviour change programme

The University of Winchester launched a four-month pilot of the JUMP behaviour change programme in September last year to educate staff members on ways to save energy, travel sustainably and boost wellbeing. The University has since decided to roll the programme out to all 600 employees.

“We’ve seen a really positive response to the JUMP programme at the University, with an engaged audience participating in activities every week and regularly feeding back to us how much they like the programme and what we can do to keep continually improving their experience,” the University of Winchester’s Liz Harris said.

“The university-wide roll-out will allow us to keep improving our environmental sustainability and employee wellbeing here at the University.”

The JUMP employee engagement programme, led by Green Rewards, rewards individual and team prizes for implementing positive sustainable business changes. During the four-month pilot, 54% of enrolled employees signed up to sustainable transport activities and reported progress each week.

Two-thirds of participants in energy saving activities reported changes in behaviour by turning off appliances and £400 was donate to the 401 Foundation by the University’s winning team, the Conference Office.

The University’s 600 members will be given the choice to sign in to an online platform to pick activities, report weekly progress and earn points for efforts. Activities are tailored to energy use, waste and recycling, food and drink and health and wellbeing.

Jumping for joy

The University of Winchester joins the likes of Swansea University, the University of Chichester, Bournemouth University, the University of Strathclyde, the University of Reading and Brunel University London in signing up to the JUMP initiative.

After slashing energy consumption by 14.6% across active departments, Bournemouth University is rolling out the JUMP programme to all staff in a way that contributes to at least one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is also part of the programme and has rolled it out across the UK and Ireland, after a successful pilot led to a 5% average electricity reduction and 500,000 disposable cups being correctly recycled.

In total, more than one million positive actions have been recorded by the JUMP programme.

In related news, the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) has reportedly reduced its carbon footprint by more than a third, while the University of Bristol has divested all investments in carbon-intensive sectors.

Matt Mace