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► Ethical & Evironmental Policy
UWSU Ethical & Environmental Policy
1. PREFACE
The University of Westminster Students’ Union (UWSU) recognises the impact that its operations and membership have on the wider world. As a responsible organisation, UWSU aims to act in an ethical manner and to minimise its environmental impact. It will do this by making ethical and environmental issues central to its operations and policies.
UWSU is committed to full compliance with environmental legislation and will strive to continuously improve its environmental performance, working closely with the University, NUSSL and NUS amongst others in that regard.
UWSU will also lobby the University to continually mentor and improve their environmental and ethical performance.
UWSU aims to develop both its members and staff awareness of bringing about ethical and environmental change both as members of the Students’ Union community and as members of society at large.
Developing and acting up on an Ethical & Environmental policy is important for the Union for a number of reasons:
a. Emphasising its position as an independent progressive membership led organisation
b. Contributing to real change
c. Saving costs and resources
2. POLICY STATEMENT
UWSU will:
Ensuring that students and staff feel part of what the Union does will be vital in meeting our targets. Although technical changes can be made, it is the change in the actions of students & staff that will make the long term difference. So it is crucial to keep staff and members informed and part of the process.
In doing so, it is important to ensure that Ethical & Environmental issues are central to UWSU's operations, forming part of inductions, publications, standard agenda items etc
It should also be remembered that there are approx 26000 students at UWSU, and encouraging them to change their behaviour on the back of the Union's work will have a considerable impact on our community.
2.1 Awareness & Publicity
i) Promote awareness of ethical and environmental issues and its Ethical & Environmental Policy amongst staff, students and the organisations and individuals with which it is associated.
ii) Ensure that Ethical & Environmental issues are central to its operations and practices and form an integral part of staff training and induction.
iii) Provide appropriate mechanisms for staff and members to contribute to the development programme for improving our environmental performance.
iv) Ensure that it has access to up to date information and environmental legislation and best practice in order to make informed decisions.
v) Publicise the Students’ Unions efforts in relation to environmental management to its members and the wider world.
Ensuring that students and staff feel part of what the Union does will be vital in meeting our targets. Although technical changes can be made, it is the change in the actions of students & staff that will make the long term difference. So it is crucial to keep staff and members informed and part of the process.
2.2 Energy & Utility Use
i) In conjunction with the University, implement an effective energy and utilities strategy to reduce consumption, and associated environmental impact as well as cost.
ii) In conjunction with the University, implement, monitor, record and evaluate target performance levels for the Students’ Unions buildings.
iii) Actively promote energy saving and conservation issues amongst staff, officers and general users of the Students’ Union and its facilities. The environmental and cost impact of this could be substantial.
iv) Encouraging students to be aware of their energy impact and to change their behaviour could have massive effects.
2.3 Buildings Management
i)In conjunction with the University, take account of the implications for energy efficiency in relation to the plan, use and operation of the Students’ Union building and utilities.
ii)In conjunction with the University, implement environmental efficient design as key criteria in the developments of any major refurbishments.
iii)In conjunction with the University, utilise items contributing to environmental improvement and good practice in relation to the general upgrading and maintenance of the Students’ Union premises.
2.4 Purchasing
UWSU spends substantial amounts of money on items throughout the year. Ethical & Environmental factors should play an important part in any purchasing or tendering process.
Examples of factors to betaken into account include use of recycled paper for office use, or in flyer printing. Fair Trade and organic clothes (for retail and promotion) as well as food and drink etc
i) Consider whole live costs and environmental impact when assessing equipment and products for purchase.
ii) Buy less, but better in order to minimise the impact on the environment.
Where practical, to purchase goods and services which are manufactured/ remanufactured, used and disposed of in an ethical (good labour standards, fair trade etc) and environmentally friendly manner.
iii) Aim towards the stocking and use of cruelty free products.
iv)Through the Students’ Unions purchasing consortium NUS Services Ltd, encourage major suppliers to adopt best practice with regards to environmental practice and standards.
2.5 Finance
The finance sector is notoriously poor performing in terms of ethical and environment factors (lending to arms manufactures, oppressive regimes, multi-nationals involved in deforestation etc).
i) Recognise the ethical issues involved in the finance sector.
ii) Ensure that ethical factors are considered when any financial product or tendering is being looked at.
2.6 Fair Trade
The benefits of Fair Trade have been well discussed. As well as the obvious benefits for the growers and suppliers, it is also becoming more demanded by consumers and helps the Union position itself as a progressive organisation
i) Achieve and retain Fair Trade status.
ii) Use Fair Trade food & drinks at all internal meetings and external hires.
iii) Sell as many Fair Trade products as is practical through retail outlets.
iv) Consider Fair Trade products (e.g. garments) first when purchasing.
v) Promote Fair Trade products at point of sale, through Union media and through promotions such as Fair Trade Fortnight.
2.7 Transport
Staff miles are relatively small and most are travelled on public transport, but still worth looking at. However targeting a large student body could have significant effects.
i)Develop a comprehensive travel plan which advises, encourages and assists staff and students to use the most sustainable mode of transport available to them when travelling to and from the University and in pursuit of their business.
2.8 Waste Management
This is an area where it is vital to get staff and members feeling part of the process in reducing consumption and effective recycling. Effective systems need to be put in place to ensure that this can be as easy for staff and members as possible.
i) Work towards decreasing consumption.
ii) Ensure that waste is managed in a manner consistent with legal requirements and best practice.
iii) Increase recycling and reuse of materials.
iv) Ensure all staff and members are fully aware of their own role in reducing waste.
2.9 NUSSL – Sound Impact
i)Working within the parameters of the NUSSL Ethical and Environmental Committee’s Sound Impact Awards benchmarking scheme has already proved successful for UWSU, and we intend to keep benchmarking ourselves in order to continually improve our performance.
3. MANAGEMENT & IMPLEMENTATION
Responsibility for the implementation of the Environmental Policy rests with the Executive Committee and on a day to day basis is delegated to the General Manager (or Ethical & Environmental Champion) and Vice President (Campaigns and Communications).
There will be an Environmental and Ethical Policy Working Group, with a membership made up of no more than 5 staff and students, chaired by the Vice President (Campaigns and Communications) will meet up to 3 times per year, which will have as its Terms of Reference:
To advise upon and keep under review and promote the Students’ Unions policy for the environment.
To ensure that the Executive Committee and departments are kept informed of their obligations under the policy.
To oversee a Union wide Ethical & Environmental action plan.
To monitor the implementation of the policy.
To receive reports from members of the Working Group regarding progress in implementing the policy.
To achieve and retain Fair Trade status.
To annually benchmark our environmental performance using the Sound Impact Awards model.
In conjunction with the University to commission when appropriate surveys designed and other activities attending to operational policy.
For progress to be made - there needs to be a set of SMART aims & objectives, with clear ownership and measurable time lines.
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