Destination: Sustainability

1. Destination:Sustainability EAUC Conference 2009 Anne Raudaskoski, University of Westminster Liesl Truscott, CSR Consultancy

2. CSR: the path to sustainability • Why CSR • How to develop it? • Opportunities & Challenges • Your experience • Some solutions & ideas • Universities That Count benchmarking

3. For the first time… we now have an opportunity to holistically understand what our performance and impact as an institution is. Why should universities engage in CSR?

4. Jonathon Porritt, Chairman of the UK Sustainable Development Commission & Founder Director, Forum for the Future: "42% of the university applicants in our Future Leaders Survey said they would like to know more about the environmental performance and social values of the university they choose. For this reason, we enthusiastically welcome Universities that Count, which offers the only authoritative, independently assessed benchmarking system to show how universities are performing in these areas."

5. University of Westminster Universities should have a dual transformative role, i.e. unlocking the individual’s potential as well as improving a sense of collective wellbeing. This new vision of quality provides us with the opportunity “to demonstrate the full power and potential of higher education for the individual, for the economy, for the environment and for society.” (New economics foundation: University Challenge: Towards a well-being approach to quality in higher education, 2008).

6. University of Westminster “Universities should embrace corporate social responsibility principally because they are well placed to exercise the necessary leadership.” Director of Estates & Facilities “CSR shows that a university thinks of itself as part of a greater community, and provides a link to the outside world for its students.” …It makes students understand the importance of CSR and 360 degree benefits that accompany and carrying it forward into the organizations they join after graduation.” Tomorrow’s Leaders Project Coordinators

7. University of Westminster “Our day-to-day activities will have an effect on the local, regional and global environment in a number of ways. For Universities, this means action in all aspects of our everyday work, not only internally through our policies, but through our procurement and supply chains and, through our learning, teaching and research activities. We need to do the same with our external communities, whether locally, regionally, or overseas." Pro Vice-Chancellor “UTC has been truly an enlightening process. It has made me ask questions I had never thought of before.” Director of Finance

8. Challenges Opportunities What is CSR?? …not how but why “We’re a university, not a corporation…” CSR and its many faces: “I get the environmental side, but what about this social bit?” Fragmented organisational structures Many lines of responsibilities: Committees, Executives, Marketing, SHE, E&F, HR… Gap: Strategic Operational staff Limited resources (no CSR dept.) Being Jack-of-all-trade: CSR Expert, Activist, Catalyst, Facilitator* Communicating it effectively Building up the CSR agenda: development of a unique approach Trade-offs: tight budgets… No internal/external support What else..? *Source: Wayne Visser Opportunities Challenges Increasing cross-departmental collaboration, e.g. HR, E&F, SU. Schools… Catalyst for organisational development Improving the institution’s reputation Being a great neighbour…enables to express value base Creating new partnerships Bringing together the “triple bottom line ethos”: environment, social & economic decision-making and practices: making the case for CSR stronger Academics and operational staff working together Greater self-governance Improves accountability, trust and transparency Brings people together Improves employee motivation and morale Makes ethical statements practical Streamlines environmental, ethical and social initiatives HEIs and FEIs providing thought leadership in creating future Understanding responsibility beyond providing education Saving money What else..? P

9. Your experience “Challenges I face in my job...” • Lack of leadership • Hierarchy involved/red tape • Breadth of agenda • Lack of interest • Frustration in getting things done • University engaged in change • Difficulty with resources • Language/terminology involved “What I love about my job...” • Breadth of agenda • Interaction with the sector • Embracing change • Student engagement • Meeting and working with people • More moral perspective • Doing what trained in • Opportunity to make difference

10. Analyse the current situation • identify the gaps • plan • use cascade approach to reach all levels of the organisation • You probably need to be (a bit of!) Jack-of-all-trade Expert…Catalyst… Facilitator…Activist… and keep the ball rolling • Initiate and delegate • Use multiple channels

11. Welcome to EAUC e-news • (Positive!) communication constitutes participation • Never underestimate the power of thank you! • Talk to people, listen to them and their ideas…make your agenda relevant to them

12. Corporate Strategy Performanceand Impact Management Integration Community 3 Env Impacts Environment 3 Social Impacts Marketplace Workplace Assurance process CR Index Model

13. The CR Index - Questions Corporate Strategy Performanceand Impact Management Integration Values CR principles Leadership Advocacy Risk mgmt Policies Integration of principles Business conduct Performance mgmt Remuneration systems Strategic decision-making Training & development Senior training Stakeholder engagement Reporting Key issues Objectives/ targets Allocation of responsibilities Training/ support Internal monitoring and reporting Measuring and reporting Scope of data Quality of data Target setting Performance improvement

14. New Impact Area:Teaching, Learning and Research

15. Presenting the results Institution’s feedback reports: • Confidential from us to you • Specific to the Institution • Comparison against HE Sector • Comparison against the overall Index universe • Detailed gap-analysis for action planning

16. What makes a ‘University That Counts’ = leadership and commitment at the highest level = policies to ensure responsible behaviours across the HEI = CR/SD issues integrated into strategic decision making, = objectives and targets set to drive continuous improvement = clear responsibilities defined at all levels = effective communication to share learning and knowledge = training for relevant staff to ensure delivery of objectives = process for stakeholder consultation and engagement = monitoring systems to assess and report progress = public reporting of key issues, targets and performance = willingness to disclose information and share best practice = SD/CR integrated into teaching, learning, and research

17. For more information… www.eauc.org.uk/utc/

18. Thank you! raudasa@wmin.ac.uk liesl@csrconsultancy.com