After divesting from fossil fuels, universities are now ending recruitment ties to these companies too

Aberystwyth University has committed to ending its recruitment ties with fossil fuel and mining companies. In doing so, it becomes the 10th UK university and the 3rd in Wales to exclude the fossil fuel industry from its careers and recruitment activities.

Universities now ending recruitment deals with fossil fuel companies

In an updated Ethical Careers Policy published on Aberystwyth’s website, the university states that it will “no longer collaborate or hold relationships” with fossil fuel, mining or tobacco companies.

The announcement makes Aberystwyth the 10th UK university and the 3rd in Wales to publish such a policy, following similar commitments from the Universities of Swansea in November 2023 and Wrexham in December 2022.

Aberystwyth made its commitment after negotiations with People & Planet, the UK’s largest student-led campaigning charity. The charity coordinates the UK-wide Fossil Free Careers campaign, which demands university careers services adopt an Ethical Careers Policy that excludes oil, gas and mining companies from recruitment relationships, in order to “end recruitment pipelines” into extractive industries.

Students FTW

Fossil Free Careers has been endorsed by the National Union of Students (NUS) and the Universities and Colleges Union (UCU), as well as by 26 campus-based Students’ and Worker Union branches. Student campaigners across the UK are using this latest victory to push for similar exclusions on other campuses, particularly at the University of Bangor, where students have been negotiating for fossil fuel industry exclusions since September.

Josie Mizen, co-director for Climate Justice at People & Planet said:

We’re delighted to see Aberystwyth committing to cutting fossil fuel and mining companies out of its careers and recruitment activities. By doing this, the university is sending a clear message: that it will put the future of its students ahead of fossil fuel industry profits.

As the climate crisis escalates, it’s never been clearer that universities have a crucial role to play in turning the tide against the fossil fuel industry. In the last month we’ve witnessed floods devastate communities from Wales to Spain, destroying homes and even claiming lives. In the face of this destruction, it’s encouraging to see Welsh universities leading the way in cutting ties with the companies most responsible for this crisis. We hope that more universities will follow their lead before it’s too late.

All this comes after earlier this week, it was revealed that over 75% of UK higher education has now divested from the fossil fuel industry, illustrating how cutting financial ties with the industry is being increasingly recognised as a step that aligns with goals and values.

In Wales, this figure has hit 100% – as all universities have divested.

Featured image via the Canary