More Sustainable Science Starts in the Lab: Seven CEITEC MUNI Facilities Receive International Certification

Seven shared laboratories at CEITEC Masaryk University have received LEAF certification, which helps research facilities reduce their environmental impact and use resources more efficiently. The certification marks a first step towards systematically introducing sustainable practices into laboratory operations and forms part of Masaryk University’s broader efforts to make its operations more sustainable.

Scientific laboratories are energy- and resource-intensive workplaces. Their operation requires specialised equipment, chemicals, disposable supplies and facilities for the long-term storage of biological samples. Reducing their environmental impact, however, goes far beyond sorting waste or switching off instruments when they are not in use. Efficient use of equipment and materials, sharing resources and well-designed working procedures are equally important.

These are precisely the areas addressed by LEAF (Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework), an international certification programme developed by University College London. LEAF helps research facilities introduce sustainable laboratory practices and continuously assess how they operate.

Seven shared laboratories at CEITEC MUNI have now achieved Bronze-level certification: Biomolecular Interactions and Crystallization (BIC), the Josef Dadok National NMR Centre (NMR), Proteomics, Cryo-Electron Microscopy and Tomography (CryoEM), the Multimodal and Functional Imaging Laboratory (MAFIL), Cellular Imaging (CELLIM) and Nanobiotechnology (Nanobio).

From sustainability strategy to everyday practice

Participation in the LEAF programme builds on the CEITEC MUNI Sustainability Strategy 2026–2028, which in turn follows Masaryk University’s university-wide sustainability strategy. The aim is to make sustainability part of everyday laboratory operations and establish a system for their continuous assessment and improvement.

CEITEC MUNI focused on its core facilities – shared laboratories that provide researchers with access to specialised technologies and expertise. Their equipment is used by researchers from different research groups and institutions, making efficient operation, resource sharing and consistent working procedures particularly important.

“We wanted to give our laboratories practical guidance on how to integrate sustainability into their everyday operations. It is not only about energy consumption or waste management, but also about the efficient use of equipment and materials, user training, the working environment and how teams function. LEAF has given us a framework that helps us improve these areas systematically,” explains Kateřina Hošková, Secretary for Research Infrastructures at CEITEC MUNI. “Sharing equipment and infrastructure is also a very important principle from a sustainability perspective. I am therefore very pleased that the University is currently implementing a university-wide booking system for specialised equipment and services, which will make sharing more efficient,” she adds.

One of the measures introduced as part of the LEAF certification was the appointment of sustainability ambassadors at individual facilities. They coordinate activities aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of their laboratories and bring sustainability topics into regular team meetings and day-to-day operations. A more systematic approach to sustainability has also influenced decisions about the purchase and operation of laboratory equipment.

Certification verifies how laboratories actually operate

LEAF offers three levels of certification – Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each includes requirements covering different aspects of sustainable laboratory operations.

Certification is not merely an administrative exercise. Facilities must demonstrate how they meet individual requirements. A subsequent audit verifies whether the submitted evidence reflects actual practice, including, where necessary, through an on-site visit to the laboratory.

The assessment also takes into account the specific conditions of individual facilities, which differ in their technologies, equipment and type of research. If a particular requirement is objectively not applicable to a laboratory, it may be marked as not relevant, provided this is justified. However, the number of criteria that can be excluded in this way is limited.

The programme also supports continuous improvement. Laboratories can assess their operations, identify areas for further development and gradually introduce more demanding measures, allowing them to progress to higher levels of certification.

Learning from international experience

When introducing the certification, CEITEC MUNI also drew on the experience of other European research institutions. Through its membership in the EU-LIFE alliance and involvement in its sustainability task force, CEITEC gained practical recommendations from the UK’s Francis Crick Institute, which has extensive experience with the LEAF framework.

“The experience of our colleagues at the Francis Crick Institute helped us understand how to implement the certification in practice and how to assess the individual criteria. International cooperation allowed us to build on approaches that had already been tested at another major research institution,” adds Kateřina Hošková.

A concrete contribution to Masaryk University’s sustainability strategy

By achieving LEAF certification, CEITEC MUNI is contributing to Masaryk University’s university-wide sustainability strategy, which includes responsible resource management and the integration of sustainable development principles into the University’s operations.

“Sustainability is an important topic for Masaryk University, and we are gradually integrating it into all areas of how the University operates. CEITEC demonstrates that even in the highly specialised environment of scientific laboratories, there are practical ways to use resources more responsibly. We greatly appreciate initiatives from our colleagues that help turn the University’s sustainability strategy into practice,” says Blanka Machová from Masaryk University’s Sustainability Office.

The experience of the participating core facilities can also inspire other research facilities at Masaryk University to make their laboratory operations more sustainable.

“CEITEC has long demonstrated that it can be a pioneer not only in science, but also in introducing new approaches to how research facilities operate. LEAF certification is another tangible result of these efforts. We are pleased to see initiatives emerging at Masaryk University that can serve as an example to others. We believe that CEITEC’s experience will help support more sustainable laboratory operations at other parts of the University as well,” says Richard Hubl, Director of Masaryk University’s Administrative and Operational Support Department.

Achieving Bronze certification is not the end of the process. CEITEC MUNI plans to recertify its laboratories annually and introduce further measures that may enable some facilities to reach higher levels of certification in the future. The aim is for sustainability to become a natural part of their day-to-day operations and to deliver lasting results.