Three UK universities have joined a campaign to ban fossil fuel companies from using their career services to recruit students.
Wrexham Glyndwr University (WGU), the University of Bedfordshire, and the University of the Arts London (UAL) are amongst the first four universities to switch to a fossil fuel-free careers service.
Birkbeck, University of London, was the first university to take on this policy back in September.
‘A sustainable workforce’
Lynda Powell, the executive director of operations at WGU, told the Guardian that ‘[this] approach supports future generations to make meaningful career decisions.
‘Through this we are supporting the development of a sustainable workforce for the future.’
The university’s policy adds: ‘We take our responsibility to social and climate justice seriously […] there are some industries that we see as fundamental barriers to a more just and sustainable world.’
The UAL’s deputy vice-chancellor, Professor David Mba, told the Guardian that the commitment was ‘in line with UAL’s commitment to climate justice and its social purpose,’ and that ‘it does not work with companies in the fossil fuel, mining, arms or tobacco industries.’
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‘Defining issue’
This decision comes after a campaign from the student-led group People & Planet, which has branches in universities across the UK.
The campaigners claim that universities have been ‘propping up the companies most responsible for destroying the planet.’
People & Planet describes the climate crisis as ‘the defining issue of most students’ lifetimes.’
Their campaign is supported by both the Universities and College Union (UCU) and the National Union of Students – and they describe themselves as ‘the largest student network in the UK campaigning for social and environmental justice.’
‘Show with actions, not words’
People & Planet has previously seen campaign success. In the organisation’s 50-year history they claim to have been instrumental in ‘pressur[ing] almost half of all UK universities to divest from fossil fuel companies’, as well as ‘getting the G8 to pledge 100% access to HIV/AIDS treatment.’
Following the three universities newly committing to the ban on fossil fuel recruiters, People & Planet’s co-director of climate campaigns, J Clarke, said: ‘All three of these universities should be recognised for their climate leadership, being early adopters of Fossil Free Careers sets a strong precedent in the UK’s higher education sector.
‘It is vital that our universities show with actions, not words that they are taking the side of climate justice, and not of the industries driving us deeper into a climate crisis that is harming the least responsible first and worst.’
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