Xiaohongshu
During UCL's 28 Days of Sustainability, we are spotlighting some of the sustainable products we proudly stock, the conscious choices behind our menus and shelves, and the small changes that make a big difference.
One of our ambitions as a Students' Union is to lead the way in sustainable practices and to ultimately become the most sustainable students’ union in the UK. We plan to do this through embedding principles of sustainability into all aspects of our activities and services, minimising our impact on the environment, and working with you, our students, to educate and empower all of us in the ways we can help minimise our impact on the planet.
Find out more about how the Students' Union UCL are leading the way in sustainability
Volcano Coffee Works
Last year we changed our tea and coffee supplier to Volcano Coffee Works who share our commitment to put sustainability at the heart of decision making. Located locally in South London, despite having grown from just a single Piaggio Ape cart to today being a team of 45 people, their mission has never changed - to create coffee that not only tastes good but does good. They treat their farmers fairly, invest in ambitious agroforestry and social projects local to their farming communities, and use the latest technology in the roasting process - every aspect of Volcano Coffee Works' business is targeted to make a positive difference. And it shows! In the same year they became our coffee supplier Volcano Coffee Works achieved a 93.1 B Corp Score placing them in the top 30% of B Corps Worldwide.
This year we're proud to have worked with them to develop the bespoke Bicentenary Blend - a coffee that not only celebrates our past but also looks to the future.
Join Darcy (Postgraduate Officer) and Emma Loisel, co-founder and chairwoman of Volcano Coffee Works, joins us to talk about her career and how a placing sustainability at the heart of your company does not mean compromising on success.
Unrooted Drinks
Did you catch Unrooted outside of Print Room Café?
Thank you to the Unrooted team who joined us at Print Room Café for a pop up sampling of some their delicious drinks.
Unrooted Drinks are a proud B-Corp and have been carbon neutral since 2022. They have a mission to help make the world a happy healthier place, and having taken strides to with emission reductions, packaging and waste, they also work with lots of programs and alliances to ensure the wider education, sustainability and preservation of the natural resources and communities they work with in the baobab industry. Find out more about Unrooted's sensational planet initiative!
Don't worry if you missed it, Unrooted Drinks can be found across our Union Cafés!
Reusable Cups
Did you know that around half a million single-use cups are thrown away every year at UCL? Using a reusable cup helps reduce waste and carbon emissions, but only about 25% of our drinks are currently sold in reusable cups. Join the movement and ditch the disposable!
Ditch the Disposable! During 28 Days of Sustainability we're reducing our reusable cups to just £9.95 (originally £12.99) to help encourage you to make the switch. Our cups are made entirely from plants and are available to purchase at Union Cafés. If you need further convincing you'll also save 50p on every drink when you bring your own cup/mug by avoiding our disposable cup charge!
Toast
If you love great beer and care about sustainability this one is for you. Toast Brewing brew with surplus fresh bread, turning leftover loaves into liquid gold. What’s more, 100% of their profits go to environmental charities—because good beer shouldn’t cost the Earth. 🌍
We were also the first students' union in the UK to serve Toast beer on draft - and if you want to try some for yourself head over to Institute to raise a glass (and for as little as £4 during Happy Hour!)
