Queen’s celebrates renewal of Green Meeting Gold status
Queen's University Belfast has successfully renewed its Green Meeting Gold status, a significant achievement that underscores the University’s ongoing commitment to sustainability.
Funded by Belfast City Council and delivered by Visit Belfast, the Green Meeting Gold status is awarded by Green Tourism, a world-leading, internationally recognized sustainability certification that assesses and certifies businesses and institutions on their environmental performance.
Achieving and maintaining Gold accreditation requires meeting stringent criteria across various aspects of sustainability, from energy efficiency and waste reduction to promotion of biodiversity and supporting local communities.
Green Meetings Assessor Holly Morrison noted the positive results and improvements made since Queen’s first award, and onward steps the university can take:
“Queen's University has done an excellent job in retaining Green Tourism's Gold award upon resubmission. The team has demonstrated a deep understanding of sustainability and this is reflected in the site's strong scoring across categories. One area that Queen's University has scored particularly highly in was the Water goal, the result of a dedication to reduce consumption and introduce saving initiatives. Other highlights of their assessment included a commitment to health and wellbeing, an effort to source locally wherever possible, a comprehensive accessibility guide and a clear sustainability policy. As Queen's University continues on its journey towards sustainability, the key areas of focus should be on the Chemicals and Venue goals.”
Caroline Young, Vice President (Students and Corporate Services), commented:
“At Queen’s, sustainability is a core priority. The renewal of our Green Meetings Gold Award reflects our dedication – as outlined in our Strategy 2030 – to embracing UN Sustainable Development Goals and integrating sustainable practices into every aspect of our operations. As we continue to host events and meetings that reflect our values, I encourage all departments and teams to consider how they can contribute to and build upon this success as we continue to work towards our goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2040.”