Sustainable careers

The Student Skills and Employability team is putting sustainability at the heart of everything we do - from the promotion of vacancies to careers events. We aim to work with organisations who share the same sustainability values.

Sustainability success for Student Skills and Employability

Student Skills and Employability (SSE) have won the ‘Sustainability in Talent and Education’ category at the 2025 Target Jobs Awards.

The accolade recognises our commitment to embedding sustainability in career development and building meaningful partnerships with employers. This ensures our students and graduates have access to ethical, future-focused opportunities.

Key projects that helped secure the win include a professional clothing bank and a dedicated ‘Green Leaf’ sustainability strand within the My Stirling Award. The professional clothing bank allows students access high-quality, second-hand workwear donated by the University community. Green Leaf recognises sustainability-focused activities by students participating in the My Stirling Award.

Other contributing initiatives include the team’s Ethical Careers Policy and our membership of the Sustainable Recruitment Alliance.

The teams in SSE are Work-Based Learning, Employer Engagement and Careers.

Ethical careers policy

Earlier in 2024, the University of Stirling Students' Union passed a motion for the university's Careers and Employability Service to divest from fossil fuels.

We collaborated with the Student Union to develop a careers policy that balances flexibility, impartial advice and actively championing organisations that promote sustainability.

One of the key takeaways from the policy is that “organisations from the fossil fuel, mining, arms or tobacco industries will not be permitted to attend our careers or employer-led events on campus”.

Download our Ethical Careers Policy

Sustainable Recruitment Alliance Pledge

Students Skills and Employability and the Careers Service have signed the Sustainable Recruitment Alliance Pledge - becoming the first university in Scotland to do so. We are working to put sustainability at the heart of everything we do - from the promotion of vacancies to careers events and we aim to work with organisations who share the same sustainability values.

The pledge asks signatories to promise to review, reduce and report.

  • Review your early talent processes and operations and identify opportunities to be more sustainable.
  • Reduce the emissions in your work.
  • Report what you’ve changed to calculate the joint impact of all of the pledgers of the Alliance.

Sustainable Recruitment Alliance Pledge logo

Download our Sustainability Guidance for Employers

LGBT Charter

The LGBT Charter from LGBT Youth Scotland confirms that we proactively include LGBTQ+ people in every aspect of our work. We are a champion of inclusion where LGBTQ+ staff and students will be safe, supported and included.

LGBT silver charter mark

What next?

Our students gain more than a degree. Find out more about how our Careers and Employability Service supports students with their careers.