Understanding sustainability leadership: Guidance for academy trusts

By Harriet Hodgson-Grove
on 12 Jun 2025

Academy trusts across England must nominate a sustainability lead and implement a climate action plan by 2025, in line with the Department for Education’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy. Our guide outlines how trusts can meet these requirements and begin the journey toward net zero.

Two children wearing protective beekeeping suits and gloves examine a honeycomb frame covered with bees in an outdoor setting, with sunlight streaming through the green trees in the background.

In April 2022, the Department for Education (DfE) published the Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy for the education and children’s services systems. This followed extensive engagement with sector representatives, young people and sustainability and climate change experts, and sets an ambitious vision that the UK education sector would be a world leader in sustainability and climate change by 2030.

Our guide below provides practical steps for academy trusts to meet the DfE’s 2025 climate action reporting requirements, including how to appoint sustainability leaders, draft climate action plans and engage stakeholders.

It covers everything from decarbonisation and biodiversity to curriculum integration and procurement strategies - helping education providers align with national climate goals and build sustainable futures.