Blueprint

Blueprint is our flagship sustainability engagement framework. It allows Schools and Services to better understand and act upon their own social and environmental impacts and how they can contribute towards the University’s sustainability goals including the Climate Plan. 

Fully supported by the Sustainability Service, Blueprint allows staff at all levels to be involved in creating bespoke five-year plans with objectives identifying where they can have the biggest impact and what matters most to them as a department. 

Interested in creating your own Blueprint for sustainability? Great! Email sustainability@leeds.ac.uk.

Blueprint teams are formed at a School, Service, or Faculty level. All staff can play their part in developing Blueprint objectives, delivering the activities and monitoring progress, and we encourage students to get involved throughout the whole process as well. 

There are five stages of creating a Blueprint:

1. Scoping – we work with a smaller group of staff to identify the key impacts and opportunities of your School / Service. 
2. Workshop –we work with a wider team of colleagues and students to really focus on the areas where you can make the most difference, have the most impact, and that are relevant to your work. 
3. Creation – the first draft of your Blueprint is produced, including all the objectives you have discussed in the workshop. Once you’re happy, it’s signed off by the Head of Sustainability and your Head of School / Service. 
4. Delivery - this is where the real work starts! Working as a team, and supported by the Sustainability Service, you’ll create an Action Plan and work to deliver the objectives in your Blueprint. 
5. Review and reward – Blueprint teams gather evidence as they work on embedding their objectives, then progress is reviewed by the Sustainability Service every 12 months. You’ll have the opportunity to have your work recognised and shared across the University community, including at our annual Sustainability Celebration.

There is the opportunity for staff and students at all levels to be involved with Blueprint at every step of the process, from workshop through to delivery and assessment.  

As well as supporting local change, the Blueprint framework is designed to encourage collaboration between Schools or Services – all teams are encouraged to join the Blueprint community to share ideas, challenges, and successes, and we hold networking and information sharing events throughout the year. 

Blueprint progress is recognised and celebrated annually at the University's Sustainability Celebration.