Roehampton University Commits to Excluding Fossil Fuel, Mining, and Arms Companies from Careers and Recruitment Events

Student climate activists are celebrating a significant victory as Roehampton University has committed to excluding fossil fuel, mining, and arms companies from its careers and recruitment events. This decision was made following sustained conversations between concerned students and the sustainability and careers teams, making Roehampton the twelfth UK university to ban recruitment relationships with the fossil fuel industry.

The university recently published an Ethical Careers Policy, which outlines the exclusion of these industries from spaces such as careers fairs, networking events, and advertising opportunities both digitally and physically.

Climate Justice

Josie Mizen, co-director for climate justice at People & Planet, expressed her delight at Roehampton University’s decision, stating, “We’re delighted to see Roehampton University commit to cutting ties with companies that are fuelling climate breakdown and war. The climate crisis isn’t some far-away reality, it’s here now, and the fossil fuel industry is both driving it and profiting from it. Universities are increasingly realizing that they need to stop adding fuel to the fire by giving these companies a platform.”

She added, “We hope other institutions will follow Roehampton’s example and urgently cut their own ties to these violent and destructive industries.”

Commitment to Sustainability

Marta Della Libera and Bev Jennison from the student futures team at Roehampton University emphasized the institution’s commitment to providing careers support that aligns with its values of sustainability and social responsibility. They stated, “At the University of Roehampton, we’re committed to providing careers support that reflects our values of sustainability and social responsibility. Our new Ethical Careers Policy ensures we do not promote roles in industries such as fossil fuels, mining, arms, or tobacco, while continuing to offer impartial guidance to students.”

They also highlighted the university’s focus on inclusivity, showcasing recent initiatives such as jobs fairs featuring charities like FoodCycle and the Dress for Success program that provided smart clothing donations to help students from all backgrounds feel confident for interviews.

They added, “This policy represents our human-centered approach to employability and reflects our broader efforts to embed sustainability across the university.”

Fossil Free Careers Campaign

Roehampton University’s decision to cut ties with the fossil fuel industry is part of the Fossil Free Careers campaign led by student-led charity People & Planet. This nationwide campaign calls for university careers services to adopt an Ethical Careers Policy that excludes oil, gas, and mining companies from recruitment relationships to “end recruitment pipelines” into extractive industries.

The Fossil Free Careers campaign has garnered support from the National Union of Students (NUS) and the Universities and Colleges Union (UCU), as well as 28 students’ union and trade union branches on UK campuses.

Climate Change Impacts

This move by Roehampton University comes at a crucial time as the impacts of climate change are increasingly felt across the UK. Recent reports have highlighted record-breaking temperatures and below-average rainfall, signaling the urgent need for action to address the climate crisis.

As climate change continues to be a pressing issue, Roehampton University’s commitment to ethical careers practices sets a positive example for other institutions to follow in promoting sustainability and social responsibility.

This article was written by Brendan Montague, editor of The Ecologist.