Why AI and Digital Technologies Matter for Sustainability
Sustainability Week returns to Richmond this November, and the theme this season is AI and Digital Technologies.
AI is now embedded in professional industries, higher education and everyday life, and its environmental impact is growing. As these tools become permanent, organisations and institutions should be aware of the implications and work towards managing that impact.
As a member of the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), representing London and the Southwest, Richmond American University London is committed to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through education, research and community engagement. Our Sustainability Weeks bring together our community, including staff, students and local businesses to learn together and collaborate towards sustainable practices within higher education, business and beyond.
November Sustainability Week – What’s On
Between 9 and 12 November, Sustainability Week at Richmond brings four days of events, training, exhibitions and activities with AI and Digital Technologies in focus. Discover how you can become a sustainability champion and join the community on our London campus in Chiswick Business Park.
Come and Explore Our 2025/26 Sustainability Report!
Our second report on display, with a quiz and prizes to be won
Date / Time: On display from 9th November | Quiz open until 13th November @12pm
Open to all: staff, students and visitors
What has the university achieved on sustainability this year, and where do we still need to go further? Our second Sustainability Report is now on display in reception, bringing the highlights of 2025/26 to life, from Estates practices to teaching and research. Stop by on your way in or out, explore the key figures and stories, and see how this year compares with our first report. Then test what you have learned with our quiz. Read the full report at [link / QR code].
Rules for the Machine: Navigating AI Law and Governance Today – Ethics, accountability and the evolving regulatory landscape
Monday, 9 November
12:30pm – 1:30pm
Classroom 1 (join online) [Open to external guests]
Speaker(s) / Host: Inma Ramos
As AI systems take on decisions that once belonged to people, a pressing question follows: who is accountable when they get it wrong? This session maps the current regulatory environment for AI, from the EU AI Act’s risk-based approach to the differing strategies emerging in the UK, US and beyond. We will unpack the ethical principles that underpin these frameworks, such as transparency, fairness, human oversight and accountability, and look at how they are being translated into legal obligations and governance practice. You will leave with a clear understanding of where AI regulation stands today, what it means for organisations, and the open questions regulators are still wrestling with.
Carbon Literacy Training: Understand It, Own It, Act On It
A one-day course for the whole university community
Delivered as two sessions of 4 hours each
First Part: Monday 9th November (1:30 – 5:30pm) Group Study Room
Second Part: Tuesday 10th November (9:30 – 1:30pm) Group Study Room
Classroom 7 (in person event – open to University staff, faculty and students only)
Climate change is often discussed in big numbers and distant targets, but what does it actually mean for the way we work, teach and study? This 8-hour Carbon Literacy Training gives you a practical grounding in the science of climate change, where emissions come from, and how they connect to everyday decisions in our roles and lives. Through discussion and interactive activities, you will explore what action looks like at an individual, team and institutional level, and commit to concrete steps you can take. Certification by The Carbon Literacy Trust is included at no extra cost.
How to join: Places are limited. Staff and faculty should book by 3rd November at 12:00pm by emailing Faculty Support to secure priority. Student bookings will open on 3rd November at 12pm. Please make sure that you are available on both dates.
The Hidden Footprint of AI and Our Digital Lives
A hands-on workshop to understand the impact and how to reduce it
Wednesday, 11 November
9.30AM – 12.30PM
Classroom 8 (in person only)
Facilitator(s): Inma Ramos
Audience: This is open to all internal and external, free
Every email, video call and AI prompt runs on physical infrastructure, and that infrastructure has a real environmental cost. Did you know that digital technologies account for roughly 3–4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and that manufacturing a 2kg laptop takes around 700kg of raw materials? In this collaborative, card-based workshop, you will work in small teams to piece together how AI and other digital technologies affect the environment, from device manufacturing to data centres to everyday use. You’ll then get creative bringing your team’s collage to life, share your findings with the group, and explore practical actions to make our digital habits more sustainable. No technical knowledge needed: just curiosity and a willingness to join the conversation.
Upon Completion you obtain the Digital Collage micro credential and upon completion of an additional training course you will be able to roll it out in your classroom, team or student society too!
Friend or Foe? AI, Digital Technology and the Sustainable Development
Thursday, 12 November
12.30PM – 1.30PM
Classroom 3 and online via Teams [open to external guests]
Speaker(s): Inma Ramos, Director of the Institute for Corporate Sustainability
AI and digital technologies are often hailed as accelerators of sustainable development, but are they helping us reach the SDGs or holding us back? This talk weighs both sides, exploring the specific targets and indicators where technology drives progress, from internet access and digital skills to innovation, and where it creates new obstacles, from energy demand to e-waste and widening digital divides.
Become a Sustainability Champion
Discover the whole timetable and make the most of all activities: Student Affairs – Information and support from Richmond Student Affairs
Join us, take part and help make Richmond University a model of sustainable living and learning.
