Global recognition for business sustainability partnership with Interface

The University’s ‘Radical Sustainability’ masterclass event with corporate sustainability leaders, Interface, has been recognised as an Outstanding Flagship Project by the United Nations University’s Institute of Advanced Studies in Sustainability.

The UNU-IAS co-ordinates the Regional Centres of Expertise in sustainability education, an international programme with over 170 RCEs advancing sustainability at the regional level through partnerships. RCE Severn is the University of Gloucestershire’s RCE, established in 2008 and working as part of the sustainability programme to create positive partnerships for sustainability with focus on learning and change to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Interface are renowned pioneers of sustainability in the manufacturing sector who have built a world-leading reputation for the integration of sustainability to future proof their business and influence a range of other industries through collaborative working with a range of partners.

Radical Sustainability was developed by the Sustainability Team and Interface as an innovative event to connect students and staff with cutting edge insights from both organisations who are pioneers of sustainability in their different sectors.

Interface took centre stage at the masterclass with headline presentations for the invited delegates, who also benefitted from rapid consultancy workshops for senior professionals to fast-track their solutions to current triple bottom line business challenges.

Students from 8 course groups in 2 academic schools also entered a coursework competition, with finalists exhibiting their innovations, projects and designs and pitching to win professional experience prizes with Interface

Radical Sustainability was sponsored with kind support from Interface and seed funding from the 2018-19 LIFT: Learning Innovation for Tomorrow programme within the University. 

Building on this success, the Radical Sustainability partnership is now developing between the University and Interface, informing new business engagement activities and the redesign of the MBA programme.

Find out more about the project here