Kemmy Business School is Plastic Free

Kemmy Business School Breaks Free from Single-Use Plastic 

In a decisive move towards sustainability, Kemmy Business School at the University of Limerick has announced its commitment to eliminating single-use plastics. This policy marks a significant intervention on the national stage of higher education, setting a powerful example of environmental leadership. The Kemmy Business School is committed to Education for Sustainable Development, striving to create more sustainable and equitable futures for all.  At the heart of the KBS commitment is an understanding that theoretical discussions in the classroom must be matched by decisive actions in the campus experience offered to students.  In this way, the campus itself becomes an informal learning space where concepts such as ‘sustainability’ and a ‘just transition’ are moved from the abstract future and become a lived reality in the present.

Deeds Follow Words - In its current strategic plan, Kemmy Business School committed to minimising the faculty’s climate and ecological impact at an operational level, thereby sending an important signal to all stakeholders that KBS strives both to provide an eco-literate business education and to exemplify an eco-friendly business operation. Single-use plastics are among the biggest contributors to global pollution, with millions of tonnes ending up in landfills and water systems every year. Indeed, once used, they never truly leave the environment, eventually degrading and breaking down into microplastics which contaminate the air, land, sea, flora and fauna, and even the human body. By eliminating single-use plastics, the school is taking proactive steps to ensure that it is the change that it wants to see in the world.  

A Sustainable Future for All - Kemmy Business School’s commitment aligns with global efforts to address sustainability and climate change. Reducing plastic waste is a key part of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focused on responsible consumption and production (SDG 12) and protecting life below water (SDG 14).

A Call to Action - As part of this new initiative, the canteen at Kemmy Business School will no longer stock single-use items like plastic cups, bottles, straws, or packaging. The Kemmy Business School invites everyone to be part of this journey: by offering alternatives, students, staff, and visitors can embrace reusable options. This collective effort is vital for the long-term success of the policy and reinforces the school’s goal of creating a culture of resilience and well-being on campus and throughout the region.