Benchmarking Corporate Responsibility

EAUC 12TH Annual Conference

University Exeter 2nd April 2008

Helps with internal data consolidation

Corporate Responsibility

Overview of BITC’s approach to benchmarking CR

Why it can work in the HE Sector

Benchmarking Corporate Responsibility

Corporate Responsibility- what is it?

A organisation’s positive impact on society & the environment through its operations, products or services & through its interaction with key stakeholders - such as employees, investors, customers, communities & suppliers

So how do you benchmark this?

You can’t fatten a pig by weighing it!

Our benchmarking tool - Corporate Responsibility Index?

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50

100 Co

Sector

Index

Framework

Measuring Managing Reporting

CR Index Model

Corporate Strategy

IntegrationPerformanceand Impact

Management

Community

Marketplace

Workplace

Environment

Assurance process

3 Env Impacts

3 Social Impacts

The Questions

Corporate Strategy Integration

Performanceand Impact

Management

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

Processes in place for managing risks/opportunities

Allocation of core responsibilities

Effective stakeholder engagement

Transparency and disclosure

Impact and continuous improvement

Key themes in the CR Index

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10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2002 2004 2006 2007

Overall

Strategy

Integration

Management

Performance

Assurance

Corporate Index - an improving picture

Community•Regulation & being seen as a responsible corporate citizen

•Economic development & employment

•Access to, and diversity within HEI’s

•Widening participation & lifelong learning

•Regional/Local partnerships &collaboration activities

•The impact of transient student population

•Encouraging students to participate in community, volunteering activities

Corporate Responsibility in the HE Sector

Business in the Community at CIPD Conference 2003

Environment•Energy use & carbon emissions.

•Waste & recycling management

•Travel management

•Procurement & supply chains

•Biodiversity

•Water management

•The built environment/construction,maintenance & refurbishment

•Knowledge production & transfer

Source: CR Index

Corporate Responsibility in the HE Sector

Business in the Community at CIPD Conference 2003

Workplace•Recruitment & retention of high quality staff

•Equality & Diversity

•Staff performance, development & reward management

•Staff wellbeing & welfare

•Health & Safety

Marketplace•Quality in teaching/research/knowledge transfer •Widening participation in lifelong learning

•Compliance with regulating bodies

•Reputation & the advancement of HE

•Managing course supply & demand

•Graduate employability

•Relations with student unions

•Procurement & delivering value for money

Source: CR Index

Why benchmarking can work in the HE Sector

Provides management information and gap-analysis

Reinforces good practice & helps drive continuous improvement

Challenges how systematic & integrated CR is

Helps with data consolidation

Provides a communication tool with internal & external stakeholders

Provides a focus on the “extra-financial” – the issues that help differentiate institutions and make some Universities “World Class”

What makes a ‘University that Counts’

= leadership and commitment at the highest level

= policies to ensure responsible behaviours across the business

= CR 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

BITC Members