RNN Group Launches Sustainability Logo

Earlier this year, RNN Group held a competition for students, challenging them to design an environmental logo supporting sustainability and green initiatives within the Group.

Gracie Firth, an 18-year-old graphic design student who studied at Rotherham College last year, has been named the winner. She specialises in illustration, with a particular passion for creating logos and poster designs.

Explaining her inspiration, Gracie said, “RNN Group announced their sustainability brand earlier this year and asked our students to create a logo to promote sustainability throughout their sites. I saw this as a wonderful opportunity to use my creative skills to design this logo, helping others recognise and understand sustainability.

“My logo design consists of a leaf in four sections. Each section is a different colour, which represents the three colleges and one university in the RNN Group – namely, Rotherham College, Dearne Valley College, North Notts College, and the University Centre Rotherham.

To align with RNN Group’s brand guidelines, Gracie’s original design (shown above) has been slightly modified. However, her original concept remains intact within the finalised logo.

She continued, “The reason I decided to choose a leaf shape for my logo is because of the connotations leaves have with nature and the environment. Leaves play an important role in the earth’s biosphere as they work together to support life in nature and keep plants alive. In my logo, this represents how humans need to work together to make changes and keep the environment and natural habitats alive.

Gracie added finally, “I hope that my logo can help the College and students recognise the environmental issues and how we can overcome them.”

Jason Austin, CEO and Principal of RNN Group and one of the judges of the competition, said, “We were excited to see the quality and ideas for the new logo in the many entries we received for the competition from our learners, but Gracie’s design, her story, and her additional supporting social media posts were a wonderful representation of the sustainability work of the Group.

“RNN Group works hard to operate as sustainably as possible, but we want to continue to do all we can to support sustainable initiatives for our staff and the group to work towards a more sustainable future.”

The RNN Group operates sustainably in a number of areas, including:

Energy and Utilities: We use solar panels, solar heaters, wind turbines, and at one college, a ground-source heat pump to generate clean energy. Rainwater is harvested for various uses, and the transition to energy-efficient LED lighting is underway.

Sustainable Travel: We have electric charging stations, provide secure bike storage, offer a salary sacrifice programme for bike users, and provide shower facilities for cyclists.

Bus Service: We have partnered with Zeelo, the first global bus platform to provide 100% carbon-neutral services.

Recycling and Upcycling: We engage students in running clothing rails across the group for pre-loved clothing exchange, recycle materials like wood, metal, and plaster in construction departments, and actively recycle cardboard and paper.

Google Reference College: The RNN Group holds this distinction, reflecting its commitment to sustainability. For more information, please visit https://www.rnngroup.co.uk/learn-with-us-for-education/google-reference-college/.

Print and Paper: The Group has shifted to non-PVC banners to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. All paper used for literature is either FSC graded or recycled. Additionally, the Group is transitioning to using QR codes on small business cards to minimise paper usage.