Report on research + photography

Social Responsibility at
Bradford College
Ruth Wilson, November
2013

Definitions

Corporate

social responsibility (CSR)

CSR is a concept whereby companies

integrate social and environmental concerns
in their business operations and in their
interaction with their stakeholders on a
voluntary basis.
European European Commission (2001),
Promoting a European Framework for Corporate
Social Responsibility, Green Paper and COM 366,
Brussels

Definitions

Sustainability

The goal of sustainable development is

to enable all people through the world to
satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a
better quality of life, without
compromising the quality of life of future
generations.
Bruntland Report, Our Common Purpose, UN,
1987

Social Responsibility Steering

Group

Ronan OBeirne Director of Learning

Development and Research
Andy Welsh Group Chief Operating Officer
Clare Lamkin Arts and Culture Manager
Assia Hussain Diversity Plus Co-ordinatior
Emma Smith Communities Officer
Khosro Jahdi Business and Marketing
Lecturer with specialism in CSR
Margaret Naylor Central Media Services
Ruth Wilson CSR Project Manager

What we did
1

Long report on CSR at Bradford College

researched and produced

Aug 12 Feb
13

Meetings of CSR conference steering group Aug 12 on

College Ethics Blog and twitter feed

Sept 12 on

Summary report, sent to all CMT May 2013

Feb 13

Community, environment and related

pages on website

May 13

College Ethics Guided Walk

May 13

3 photo shoots

May Oct 13

Presentations and survey to senior

management

June + Sept 13

Textile Archive Guided Walk

Sept 13

11 Survey for students/staf

Sept 13

12 Photo exhibition at various buildings,

becoming permanent display in Old

October 13 to
present

The report sections

Leadership

and governance
Access and equality
The student experience
Learning, teaching, assessment and research
Health, well-being, safety and security
Environment
Community and employer engagement
Business and employer relations
The long and summary reports and powerpoint are
available on the Bradford College staff intranet, and
were disseminated via the staff e-newsletter and a
seminar.

The College Ethics blog

Some of the staf profiled in the blog:

CSR Surveys
Two surveys were carried out, one with senior management, one
with staff and students at sCollege events. A mix of handheld, tablet
and online voting was used.
Approx 56 respondents. Hand held voting and online.

The following attracted the most votes among senior

managers:
Training for staff on sustainability, ethics and related issues
A cross-College environmental campaign
More volunteering and enrichment activities for students
Strengthening a culture of openness, with guidance available
Also significant: review of sustainability in the curriculum,
community engagement strategy, consultation with staff and
students on sustainability priorities.

Examples from staf/student

survey

How important is it
that organisations
are socially
responsible?
Caring for the
environment

Working with local

communities

Caring for the

environment

Working with local

communities

Building the health

and well-being of
students and staff

Providing extra
activities and
opportunities for
students

Building the health

and well-being of
students and staff

Providing extra
activities and
opportunities for
students

Buying ethically (food,

materials, supplies)

Other

Buying ethically (food,

materials, supplies)

Other

What matters
most?

The photographs
Nearly all the photos are by Paula Solloway
The posters have a small explanatory caption in the bottom right
hand corner.
The exhibition toured all major college buildings and is now on
permanent display in Old Building.

Thank you
R Wilson, November 2013

To everyone who has helped, including interviewees,

people in photos, readers, survey participants, steering
group members, staf who help hang and manage the
exhibition and everyone at the presentation today.
Also: the College Research Fund and Diversity Plus for