Benchmarking (Corporate Responsibility Index)

Introduction

The University has been involved in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for many years and since 2005 has been measuring its activity in this area via the Business In the Community (BITC)  CSR and Environmental Index.

In 2005 the University of Bristol participated in a pilot project to test the appropriateness of Business in the Community’s Environment Index for the Higher Education Sector.  The index provides organisations a framework to compare environmental performance with peers, and can be used as an internal management tool to understand a company’s environmental impact and identify gaps in performance.

The project was funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and delivered in partnership with Business in the Community (BITC) and the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC).  The findings of the project can be found in the ‘Universities that Count’ Report.

Reports 2005/06 - Environment , Sector Report

In 2007 the University agreed to participate in the BITC  Corporate Responsibility Index as part of a regional initiative with HERDA SW. The CR Index is the UK’s leading benchmark of responsible business and helps companies to integrate and improve responsibility throughout their operations by providing a systematic approach to managing, measuring and reporting on business impacts in society and on the environment.  The results of this are published below.

Reports 2007 - CSR, Environment, Sector Report.

Since 2008 the University  has taken part in the sector wide Universities that Count Project. Again undertaking the CSR  and now ESR index as developed by BITC for the Higher Education Sector.

Reports 2008 - CSR, Environment, TLR, Sector Report 2008

The University has been commended by the index for its approach to Risk Management, its "Positive  Work Environment" programme under staff development and its activity of climate change. Finally in 2008 the University was the first out of the Russell Group Universities in terms of Teaching,Learning and Research.

The 2009  Universities that Count Report

In 2010 the University is taking a year out from completing the index to focus on delivery. In particular delivering the Carbon Management Plan, a Sustainable Procurement Policy and further Student Engagement.