Corporate  Social  Responsibility  Policy  &  RGU  Student  Association    

The  RGU  Student  Association  has  a  committed  responsibility  to  implement  all  key  aspects  of  our  Corporate  Social  Responsibility  Policy  (CSR),  by  engaging  and  educating  the  staff  and  it’s  membership.    RGU  Student  Association  employs  16  staff  rising  to  over  60  during  the  academic  year  with  the  commercial  services  fully  operational,  who  have  the  responsibility  for  facilitating,  approximately  16000  students  at  Robert  Gordon  University  and  30,000  throughout  Aberdeen.    To  highlight  the  extensive  relationships  and  projects  currently  being  worked  towards,  the  CSR  policy  can  be  separated  in  various  stakeholders  for  consideration.      

The  Stakeholders  

-­‐ Our  Student    members  

As  a  commitment  to  ensure  the  most  effective  structure  to  meet  the  demanding  educational  lives  of  students,  we  are  working  towards  recognition  of  the  Students’  Union  Evaluation  Initiative  (SUEI).      In  partnership  with  NUS  and  supported  by  the  Department  of  Innovation,  Universities  and  Skills  and  the  Scottish  Government,  this  accreditation  has  been  developed  to  make  a  positive  difference  to  the  lives  of  students  at  University,  by  improving  the  outcomes  from  the  Students’  Union.    Our  involvement  has  resulted  in  the  preparation  and  implementation  of  a  governance  review  during  2011.    This  review  was  conducted  to  ensure  the  Student  Union  has  the  most  effective  structure  to  meet  the  objectives  of  the  members  and  our  stakeholders.    This  process  has  progressed  with  the  creation  of  the  ‘Environmental’  and  ‘Ethnic  &  Equality’  Officer  position.    We  also  successfully  implemented  a  ‘you  say,  we  do’  campaign  to  advertise  survey  responses  from  student  members  for  suggestions  to  improve  every  day  scenario’s  across  the  university.  

-­‐ Our  Community    

Continuing  to  work  closely  with  external  agencies,  the  RGU  Student  Association  is  a  member  of  ‘Unight’  and  is  participating  to  maintain  a  ‘Gold  award’  in  the  Best  Bar  None  Aberdeen  accreditation  scheme.    With  a  permanent  volunteer  co-­‐ordinator  engaging  with  external  agencies  &  charities,  a  community  strategy  is  currently  being  finalised  to  compliment  the  increased  volunteer  participation  numbers  of  students  supporting  in  the  community.    This  addresses  where  students  could  support  and  enrich  the  community  where  they  are  living  by  focusing  on  the  four  main  areas;  local  environment,  volunteering  &  working,  safety  and  representation.    RGU  Student  Association  successfully  achieved  ‘Investors  in  Volunteering’  accreditation  in  2010  to  highlight  the  processes,  policies  and  procedures  with  regard  to  recruitment  and  support.  

 

-­‐ The  Environment  

In  2012,  the  RGU  Student  Association  received  a  2nd  Silver  award  accreditation  for  ‘Green  Impact’  delivered  through  NUS.    The  competition  is  an  accreditation  scheme  for  environmental  best-­‐practice  in  student  union  venues.    Key  components  of  this  programme  can  be  highlighted  within  our  Environmental  Policy,  which  covers;  recycling,  fair-­‐trade,  energy  efficiency,  procurement  &  our  carbon  footprint.    This  commitment  has  resulted  in  a  92%  recycling  rate  (2010)  of  waste  being  achieved  for  the  Student    Association.        

-­‐ Our  People  

These  factors  can  only  be  achieved  with  a  common  goal,  in  terms  of  all  the  staff  and  volunteer’s  registered  and  employed  by  the  Student  Association.    This  is  clear  and  evident  at  the  induction  phase,  but  with  investment  in  training  and  progress  towards  quality  assurance  initiatives,  such  as  the  Governance  review,  Best  Bar  None,  Investors  in  Volunteering,  where  these  awards  are  acknowledgments  of  everyone’s  hard  work  and  commitment.        

Objectives  of  ‘The  Stakeholders’  

-­‐ Our  Student    members  

Objective   Performance  Target   Time  Frame  

To  continue  to  monitor  &  review  the  Student  Association  structure  to  deliver  the  most  efficient  services  possible  

A  governance  review  was  carried  out  in  February  2011  and  implemented  in  May  2011.    This  was  an  objective  from  2010.    The  next  stage  is  to  amend  the  constitution  to  accommodate  these  changes  and  up-­‐date  to  meet  the  latest  educational  reform’s.  

To  be  completed  for  Oct  2012  

Passed  with  the  AGM  in  November  2012  

 

-­‐ Our  Community    

Objective   Performance  Target   Time  Frame  

To  deliver  best  practice  as  a  commercial  operator,  work  with  local  partnerships  to  minimise  ay  service  disruption.  

To  participate  in  ‘Best  Bar  None  Aberdeen’  accreditation  scheme  for  recognition  of  the  standards  in  place  to  deliver  this  objective.    

Audit  set  for  July  2012  Gold  Award  accreditation  in  August  2012  

RGU:  Union  aims  to  develop  opportunities  for  students  to  participate  in  community  events    

The  Student  Development  and  Volunteering  Coordinator  will  continue  to  develop  links  with  organisations  and  empowering  student  volunteers.    The  Community  strategy  being  finalised  will  document  this  process  and  this  will  be  used  as  evidence  towards  re-­‐taining  the  ‘Investors  in  Volunteering’  accreditation  which  is  to  be  reviewed  for  July  2013  

Investors  in  Volunteering  renewal  audit  –  July  2013  

 

-­‐ The  Environment  

Objective   Performance  Target   Time  Frame  

Develop  sustainable  procurement  throughout  all  areas  of  the  

To  offer  a  Fair-­‐trade  Coffee  in  the  Union  Café.   For  Sept  2012.  

Association  

To  promote  green  transport  options  for  between  campus  and  around  Aberdeen  City  

To  implement  and  operate  a  bike  hire  scheme  for  students    

To  have  the  scheme  in  place  for  the  start  of  ‘Go  Green’  week  in  Feb  13  

Minimising  wastage  of  resources,  such  as  energy,  fuel  and  water  within  its  buildings,  educating  these  practices  to  the  wider  student  audience.  

To  works  towards  achieving  a  Gold  accreditation  or  a  ‘special  award’  in  the  ‘Green  Union’  Sound  Impact  Awards  that  recognises  policies  and  procedures  to  implement  these  targets.      

Support  the  University’s  Accommodation  department  with  the  annual  ‘Halls  Challenge’  that  promotes  good  practice  to  a  wider  audience.  

To  reduce  photocopying  by  at  least  5%  for  the  previous  academic  year  and  increase  the  use  of  scanning  by  at  least  5%  for  the  same  period.  

Application  completed  for  Dec  12,  with  awards  announced  March  2013  

Competition  runs  from  Sept  12  until  April  13  

 

To  review  quarterly  to  ensure  compliance    

Increasing  recycling  opportunities  and  management  of  waste  

To  ensure  that  we  use  the  recycling  facilities  to  their  potential  and  achieve  a  recycling  rate  of  90%  or  more  for  the  Student  Association.  

Monitored  quarterly  and  run  from  Jan  to  Dec  annually  

     

     

 

-­‐ Our  People  

Objective   Performance  Target   Time  Frame  

Support  student  and  staff  fundraising  and  volunteering  which  directly  reaches  out  to  the  community    

Staff  involvement  in  initiatives,  including;  the  annual  Torcher  parade  and  Santa  run  for  the  Wildhearts  charity.  

Support  existing  groups,  such  as  RAG  which  has  now  developed  into  the  infrastructure  of  the  staff  with  an  elected  post.    An  increase  in  participation  numbers  are  being  encourage  as  a  target  with  more  students  to  participate  for  worthwhile  causes  

Reviewed  for  July  2013