Vertas Win Grounds and Landscaping Contract with The University of Suffolk

The University of Suffolk is welcoming Vertas (part of the wider Vertas Group) as its new Grounds and Landscaping services partner.

Vertas is one of Great Britain’s largest integrated facilities management companies and currently provides experienced Grounds and Landscaping services to over 220 schools, churches, care homes, leisure centres and other organisations across East Anglia and the East Midlands.

The University’s green spaces make up a large part of the campus footprint as well as forming an integrated part of the wider Ipswich environment. This resource is therefore an important asset to the student, staff, and wider Ipswich community and visitor experience.

Over the coming years the University will be developing the campus environment with partners and student volunteers to extend pollinator pathways, restore the wildflower meadow, and maintain and create spaces for everyone to enjoy.

Head of Sustainability at the University of Suffolk, Justine Oakes, said: “We’re delighted to start this new collaboration with Vertas.”

“Natural capital has a valued management emphasis within our estate strategy and operations; through an improvement programme that seeks to address urban biodiversity loss, whilst additionally educating and creating research opportunities for a deeper understanding on the impact of restorative nature benefits on nature itself, campus health and wellbeing and climate resilience.”

Contracts Manager at the University of Suffolk, Sam Phillips, who has taken the lead on scoping and developing this new service said: “Vertas boasts an award-winning grounds service, offering quality and a great service and will be joining us to help us implement our landscaping, maintenance and biodiversity programme.”

Karen Burrowes, Vertas’ Operations Director, commented: “We are very excited to be partnering with The University of Suffolk in the delivery of their Grounds maintenance services. At Vertas, our Grounds teams and colleagues have a real passion for supporting improved biodiversity across the country at the locations we service, and we are really looking forward to supporting the University’s aims, alongside our own in providing a first class and environmentally supportive service that the students, University, and county can be proud of.”

If you would like to know a little bit more about our Biodiversity Plans and Actions please visit https://www.uos.ac.uk/sustainability and scroll down to the bottom of our Sustainability Policy for document links.

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