Sustainability should be at the forefront of every business and SMB College Group is no different: our vision is to meet the needs of the present without compromising the future. We aim to enable measurable improvements in sustainability by challenging current practice and changing our actions and behaviours.
In April 2021, we launched our first sustainability and regeneration strategy, in which we outlined our commitment to working sustainably across all college activities. This includes targets for:
- Sustainable Resourcing
- Sustainable Environmental Practices
- Sustainable Educational Practices
- Sustainable Finances
- Sustainable Business
We have been utilising this strategy to ensure that sustainability and regeneration are fully embedded into the culture of the college and to prepare our students for their future while protecting the future through sustainable practices. Read more to find out how the College has put sustainability into practice!
We have continued to update our sustainability policy over time, read the most recent policy here: SMB Group Sustainability and Regeneration Policy 2023-2026
Regenerative Agriculture and Agroforestry Tour!
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Regenerative Agriculture and Extensive Tree Planting
Regenerative agriculture is a conservation and rehabilitation approach to food and farming systems by minimising soil disturbance, maximising crop diversity, keeping the soil covered, maintaining living roots all year round and integrating livestock.
At Brooksby we have:
- We have put in a few forms of agroforestry across the estate including alley cropped tree rows, under-grazed cricket bat willow plantations and are about to establish an elderberry avenue and chicken silvopasture.
- 100% of trees and costs have been covered through external grant funding, including Severn Trent, Woodland Trust and Leicestershire County Council
- Tree planting and aftercare has been undertaken by students as part of their curriculum delivery.
- This has created an invaluable learning resource with direct links to Plant and Soil Science, Contemporary Issues, Agricultural Environments, Identification, Planting and Care of Trees modules, along with many others.
- Adaptive Multi-Paddock Grazing (using fencing systems to move grazing animals strategically around a large pasture) - which has made grass more productive, nutrient dense and drought resilient and caused abundant insect and bird life to appear.
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River Wreake Restoration Project
This project seeks to enhance biodiversity and contribute to the restoration of the river wreake that runs through our Brooksby campus. This is a partnership between the college and Trent Rivers Trust and Enviroment Agency - this project also creates an abundance of monitoring and maintenance opportunities for our students.
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Regenerative Woodland Management
The woodlands across our Brooksby Campus have been put into a Forestry Commission-Approved 10 Year Woodland Management Plan.
All of the operations within this plan are broken down into tasks for the teaching team and all of the students are involved in every stage of the plan, implementing it as part of their ciriculumn.
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Decarbonisation Fund
We have successfully secured £2.7million as a part of the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.
The funding has specifically been awarded for the College to make positive environmental changes at our Brooksby Campus, our specialist 850-acre land-based and Sport site, with a focus on the Brooksby Hall area of the estate, the college will be replacing the current oil-fired district heating system, in addition to the introduction of solar power and upgrades to windows. Read more about the fund here: SMB College Group Awarded £2.7million for Decarbonisation!
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Hedgehog Friendly Project
Brooksby’s hedgehog friendly team is coordinated by Animal Management Lecturer and Veterinary Nurse, Beth Prior, alongside her team of Hedgehog Friendly student abassadors.
We have been awarded Gold Accreditation for Hedgehog Friendly Campus! Staff and students have been committed to preserving hedgehog life, putting 19 actions into place as a direct intention of being Hog-friendly, building 6 bug hotels, 8 log piles, planting 47 trees and clearing 5 hedgehog friendly ponds.
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Hyve Courses
Our Hyve courses are focused on hydrogen vehicle technology, electric and hybrid vehicles and ADAS (Advanced Driver Assisted Systems).
Emissions from gasoline and diesel vehicles—such as nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter—are a major source of pollution. Hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles emit none of these harmful substances—only water (H2O) and warm air.
Find out more about our professional Hyve courses and register your interest at Hyve Courses | SMB College Group
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Land-based Courses
Our Brooksby Campuses specialises in Land-based and Agricultural courses, if you love the outdoors and have a passion for sustainability and wildlife protection, one of our land-based courses could be perfect for you!
Some of our courses have been picked to mark the Coronation in recognition of their sustainability credentials, including the Level 2 Countryside Worker Apprenticeship .
Apply today to study a land-based course with us!
Countryside and Environmental Management | SMB College Group
Agriculture and Farming | SMB College Group
Gardening and Horticulture | SMB College Group
Sign up for a Brooksby Campus open day to find out more about Agriculture & Environmental Management courses! Events & Open Days | SMB College Group
News Stories
Silver Sustainable Food Places Award
SMB College Group is proud to play a signigicant role in Leicestershire winning the Silver Sustainable Food Places Award through providing healthy and sustainable food production education through its Agriculture, Countryside Management, Horticulture and Land-based Engineering programmes.
The Sustainable Food Places Award is designed to recognise and celebrate the success of places taking a co-operative, holistic approach to food and are achieving significant positive change on a range of key food issues.
Our Membership With EAUC
The objective of the EAUC is to create a world with sustainability at its heart, ensuring that Education is not only at the heart of global sustainability, but reflects the best practice in operational sustainability. As a member, SMB College Group has the same vision and is committed to enabling students to access a sustainable education, without impacting the future.
Find out more about EAUC here.
Next Steps…
- Continuing with the regenerative agriculture project.
- We are recruiting three sustainability Ambassadors, one for each campus, as part of our Student Board.
- We have started the process of embracing the attitude of 'refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and regenerate' - but we are aware that there is much more that we can do.
- We are working to embed sustainability into all areas of curriculum