Northampton College has won a top award for putting sustainability at the heart of its operations.

The further education provider won the West Northamptonshire Sustainability Award at the 2025 Northamptonshire Business Awards after impressing judges with its wide range of Go Green projects that are helping it to radically reduce its carbon footprint and promote education about sustainability.

It is the latest in a series of high-profile award wins which have recognised the College’s outstanding green credentials.

Northampton College Principal Jason Lancaster said: “We’re so thrilled to have once again been recognised for supporting the green economy with sustainable jobs, energy-efficient buildings and green transport and for our efforts to successfully cut our waste and carbon footprint.

“We’re proud to promote sustainable careers in our £500,000 Green Skills Centre and Green House Project Learning Lab, which students built using sustainable construction skills, and through sustainability educational programmes which are attended by hundreds of school students annually.

“Sustainability is at the heart of both our operations and our curriculum. From installing photovoltaic panels to creating protected conservation areas and promoting recycling and sustainable transport methods, the changes we’ve made have dramatically cut our carbon footprint, reduced our electricity use by more than 20 per cent and mean we send no waste to landfill.”

Northampton College generates a low carbon footprint through efficient building management systems including a green sedum roof, LED lighting, biomass heating, rainwater harvesting and photovoltaic solar panels. The College’s successful Big Switch Off electricity campaign and biomass boiler have cut its carbon footprint fall by 27 per cent despite a growth in staff and student numbers.

It provides electric vehicle charging points, secure cycle points, student bus pass bursaries and runs staff car sharing and cycling initiatives. Staff driving to college can also donate 1p per mile to the College Tree Fund.

It maintains a variety of outdoor spaces, including a protected conservation area which sustains breeding birds and pondlife, and a market garden where students produce food for the College’s restaurant.

The College also promotes the circular economy through reusable bottle and coffee cup initiatives in its canteens, hundreds of paper recycling bins, converting food waste into biofuel, recycling waste metal and Swap Shop clothing events.

Last year, Northampton College made it through to the Commended Colleges shortlist in the national Association of Colleges Beacon Awards 2024/25 for The Sustainable Energy First Award for Education for Sustainable Development. It was also the only further education college to be a finalist in the Sustainability Institution of the Year award category at the International Green Gown Awards in 2024, having won the same category at the UK & Ireland Green Gown Awards in 2023.

The Northamptonshire Business Awards are organised by the Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce, and the West Northamptonshire Sustainability Award was sponsored by West Northamptonshire Council.

For more information about Northampton College visit www.northamptoncollege.ac.uk

Picture: Representatives of Northampton College with their award. Credit: Nick Freeman Photography