Meet the Team!

Sustainability is a central part of our what we do at Camphill. We caught-up with our Sustainable Development and Social Enterprise Lead Nico Nino-Ramirez to ask him about his time at Camphill School Aberdeen and the steps being taken to reduce our environmental impact.

How long have you worked at Camphill School Aberdeen?

I have worked at Camphill School Aberdeen for eight and a half years.

What brought you to Camphill School Aberdeen?

I really wanted to be part of a true community, that has a progressive family-friendly employment model for work-life balance. I also wanted the opportunity to put the best of my experience as an economist and knowledge of the Scottish charitable sector to my work at Camphill. Most importantly, I wanted to be part of the lasting difference that Camphill School Aberdeen makes to the lives of children and young people with complex additional support needs in the north east of Scotland.

The environment and sustainability is a key part of Camphill’s ethos around the world, what steps are Camphill School Aberdeen making to reduce waste and their carbon footprint?

We do a huge amount at Camphill School Aberdeen to tackle our waste and reduce our carbon footprint. We bulk-buy to reduce the impact from the supply chain, develop circular schemes to prevent single use and high-volume disposal where possible. We also source local and seasonal produce and contribute to local mobility by encouraging everyone on the estate use bicycles as their main form of transport

We also use greener transport on the estate, partner with other local players who have similar aims and implement a zero waste strategy to food and household supplies across three estates.

We’re constantly developing strategies to better manage our carbon footprint across supply chain, buildings and transport.

Are there any key highlights that stand out for you so far during your time at Camphill School Aberdeen?

What really stands out for me here is the nurturing environment. It not only encourages the abilities of our children and young people to develop their fullest potential but can also contribute to addressing local environmental and social challenges. This has been a key highlight throughout my career with Camphill School Aberdeen. 

How much of a difference will the capital appeal campaign when complete make to students and their families at Camphill School Aberdeen?

Huge! Not only will it give students at Camphill School Aberdeen the chance to continue developing their skills from facilities that will have minimum carbon footprint, but will also create the opportunity for them to access the wider community while contributing as part of our Social Enterprise model. Not to mention we hope the appeal will help to encourage the wider community to lead a more sustainable lifestyle.