Wellcome and Cancer Research UK sustainability requirements

Wellcome and Cancer Research UK (CRUK) require researchers and institutions to demonstrate environmentally sustainable research practices as a condition of funding. This mainly affects researchers carrying out wet-lab research.

Wellcome requirements

If you are doing wet-lab research, your laboratory must achieve Bronze-level certification from LEAF, My Green Lab or an equivalent body. You'll need to have this in place by award stage.

Wellcome also expects researchers to consider sustainability when designing their research projects, and when buying project-related equipment and materials.

Climate conscious modes of travel should be prioritised when possible for example, taking the train instead of flying. For essential air travel, researchers should compensate for carbon emissions generated via accredited carbon units using the University’s Carbon Contribution Portal (approved by Wellcome).

The portal has two options:

  • Estimator - where you can estimate the future costs of purchasing Carbon Contribution Units for inclusion as carbon credits at application stage (no purchase)
     
  • New Request - where you can actually purchase Carbon Contribution Units for essential flights, following your successful research application (purchase)

Read more about the Carbon Contribution Scheme

Cancer Research UK (CRUK) requirements

If you are doing wet-lab research, your laboratory must achieve Silver-level certification from LEAF, My Green Lab or an equivalent body. You'll need this at full application stage. 

Both the Lead and Joint Lead of the project will need to be accredited.

You are exempt if:

  • you are applying for: any bursary; Clinician and Advanced Clinician Scientist Fellowships, Clinical Trial Fellowship, Career Development Fellowship, Career Establishment Award, and any primer award 
  • you are a PhD or MD/PhD student, Postdoctoral Research Fellow/Associate, Clinical Research Fellow, Research Assistant/Technician, Facility/Technical Specialist
  • your contract starts fewer than 18 months from the final grant application submission deadline
  • your research group solely employs research techniques that are: computational, such as bioinformatics, biostatistics, or data science; desk-based, such as qualitative analysis or policy-focused research 

More about LEAF accreditation

Visit the Environmental Sustainability Team SharePoint page on LEAF for:

  • the LEAF user guide
  • criteria assessment guidance
  • support with registration

For any questions in relation to the LEAF certification, please contact: LEAF@admin.cam.ac.uk.  

If you have any questions regarding the environmental sustainability funding policies referenced above, please contact sustainableresearch@admin.cam.ac.uk.