University bans on big oil firms at recruitment fairs rise by 30%
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Survey finds post-1992 universities leading the way on sustainability and ethics. More universities are banning fossil fuel companies from recruitment fairs in a sign of the sector’s shrinking social licence among young people. The annual survey of sustainability and ethics in higher education found there has been a 30% rise in the number of institutions stopping fossil fuel companies taking part in graduate fairs this year.
The move, which is part of a wider drive to limit investment in big oil, follows years of campaigning by staff and students across the higher education sector. Josie Mizen, of the student campaign group People and Planet, which carries out the survey, said: “We’re delighted to see universities who’ve taken this vital step leading the way in this year’s university league. As the climate crisis escalates, more and more universities are realising that climate justice can only be achieved by cutting ties with the fossil fuel industry.”.
The survey found that the vast majority of the university sector had committed to divesting from fossil fuel companies, although many still needed to follow through on that pledge. Ten had also decided to end their links via recruitment to environmentally destructive industries, up 30% since last year.
Laura Clayson, the campaigns manager at People and Planet, said there was more work to be done: “Only 55% of UK universities have exclusions for fossil fuel extractor companies in their ethical investment policies, despite 78% having made public commitments to go fossil free … we look forward to the sector aligning their policies with their proclamations in recognition of these demands for justice.”.
