Sustainable delegate guide

1. Bring your own

Bringing your own reusable water bottle and hot drink cup will help us to reduce single– use cups. There are water fountains available throughout the conference venue and across campus. You can also purchase reusable cups on campus as a reminder of your time at the University of Leeds. 

2. Get around the city sustainably 

Leeds is a compact city and easy to find your way around by walking, wheeling, cycling, or public transport. The University of Leeds has facilities across campus to support sustainable city travel including docking stations for our city bike share scheme, Beryl Bikes. Don’t forget to use the discount code we emailed to you.  

3. Storm Jameson Court

– Key Cards: Your room operates with a key card that switches the lights off when you vacate your room to reduce energy. Please still be mindful of plugging in appliances with standby to further reduce use. 

– No Single Use Plastics: We’re removed all single-use plastics in our rooms which means we offer excellent refillable toiletries that are kinder to the planet, cruelty – free, palm oil free, and paraben-free. 

– Be Water Wise: Try to minimise the use of water, particularly as Yorkshire is currently facing a water shortage. Some excellent steps could be to have shorter showers and turn off your tap when brushing your teeth.

– Less is more: As part of our commitment to sustainability, towels and linens will not be changed during your stay. This small step helps reduce water and energy usage.

4. Eat sustainably and locally 

The Scenarios Forum 2025 menu follows a set of sustainable and ethical principles informed by the latest research on sustainable food. Our on-site catering team have used these guidelines to inform their wider, long-term sustainability journey, meaning there are a wide range of sustainable and locally-sourced food options here at the University. You can find a list of on-site catering options here. 

5. Help us to reduce general waste 

There will be mixture of waste bins at the conference venue including dry mixed recycling, food waste and general waste. All bins will be clearly labelled and colour coordinated, and you can learn more about how to recycle on campus here.

6. Access for all  

We aim to make the conference inclusive and accessible to everyone. If you shared your needs at registration, thank you — this helped us plan accordingly. You can also view accessible routes and spaces on our maps here. If you need any further support, please let us know your needs at registration.

7. Respecting everyone  

We’re committed to creating a respectful and inclusive environment for all attendees. To support this: 

Gender-neutral toilets are available in the Sports Hall.

Prayer rooms are accessible nearby at Leeds University Union (LUU).

Quiet space is available in Room G11, designed for those who need a break from the busy conference environment. Sensory items are available to help create a calming atmosphere.

8. Wellbeing outdoors  

Take time to pause, reflect, or simply enjoy nature during the conference. Our campus and city offer a range of green spaces to support your wellbeing, including: 

Sensory Garden at Charles Morris Hall, a wheelchair-accessible garden designed with sensory features, particularly supporting neurodiverse individuals and those on the autism spectrum.

Roger Stevens Sustainable Garden, – located just outside the breakout session space. This garden promotes biodiversity with wildflowers, soft fruit hedgerows, and an insect hotel. It’s a living example of urban sustainability.

St George’s Field, a peaceful green space between Cemetery Road and University Road which is perfect for a quiet moment or short walk.

Woodhouse Moor, the nearest large park to campus. This 26-hectare green space offers walking paths, open lawns, and recreational facilities — just a few minutes’ walk away.

Leeds is also home to 62 community parks, each offering different opportunities to relax, explore, or stay active. 

9. Share your opinion to shape the future of sustainable events

You can take part in a research project attached to Scenarios Forum 2025, designed to improve our sustainability practices in conferencing, catering and events more widely. All you need to do is complete our anonymous pre-conference survey.

The survey should take no more than 10-15 minutes to complete and you will find full participant information at the start of the survey.