What are the material issues the company has identified?

In its 2021 Sustainability Annual Report RMIT identified a range of material issues, such as climate change, learning and teaching, environmental footprint, health, safety and wellbeing. Among these, promoting diversity stands out as a key material issue for RMIT.

Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:

“The reporting organization shall identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations and interests.”

Stakeholders must be consulted in the process s of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.

Key stakeholder groups RMIT engages with:

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Students	·      Biennial surveys ·      Meetings with the Student Group ·      RMIT University Student Union ·      Student Experience Advisory Committee ·      Student services and support ·      Events
Staff	·      Annual surveys ·      Annual performance development reviews ·      University support services
Alumni	·      Website ·      Events ·      Mailing lists
Industry partners	·      Advisory Boards ·      Relationship Managers ·      Work Integrated Learning
Suppliers	·      Contractual management process ·      Tender processes ·      Vendor management
Governments	·      Meetings ·      Project collaboration ·      Annual reports
Local communities	·      Website ·      Publications ·      Open Day ·      Events

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics RMIT engaged with its stakeholders through interviews.

What actions were taken by RMIT to promote diversity?

In its 2021 Sustainability Annual Report RMIT reports that it took the following actions for promoting diversity:

• Increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff
• RMIT is strongly committed to creating a workforce that is inclusive and reflects the diversity of people and cultures that exist in the wider Australian community, and to increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, implementing initiatives supporting employment. A key focus for 2021 was the development of RMIT’s workforce through the application of its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Plan 2021-2022 and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Future Workforce Strategy 2021-2025. Both the strategy and plan implemented a whole of university approach to employment, development and retention, and embedding hybrid accountability with each College and Portfolio. Individual Indigenous Employment Action Plans were developed by the Colleges and Portfolios and endorsed by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Committee. In 2021, RMIT reframed its approach to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employee Value Proposition, which included recruitment videos, an Indigenous careers page, and candidate prospectuses. Targeted guidelines for the Employment and Retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were also developed, to promote a cultural shift in the practices of hiring managers and the People team to make sure Indigenous recruitment was promoted across all roles. RMIT exceeded its Indigenous workforce retention target in 2021, recording 90 per cent retention (compared to a target of 80 per cent). Additionally, seven Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff received promotions or internal transfers as part of internal mobility initiatives, which was an increase on pre-pandemic levels. RMIT also invested in professional development for members of the Indigenous Staff Network and scoped trainee, graduate and apprenticeship programmes. The RMIT 2018 Higher Education Enterprise Agreement includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment and participation principles that recognise the rights and responsibilities of Indigenous employees, as well as highlighting the role reconciliation has as a core value of RMIT. It also requires that the University provides all non-Indigenous staff with the opportunity to participate in the relationship of reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.

• Promoting gender equality
• Led by the Gender Equality Action Plan, RMIT identifies and addresses barriers to women’s inclusion and career progression, focusing on delivering strategic, sustainable and meaningful change across the priority areas: leadership and governance, employment conditions and women’s career advancement. The Victorian Gender Equality Act 2020 (GE Act) requires RMIT to run assessments of its current gender equality standings and develop a four-year action plan to continue progress (RMIT Gender Equality Action Plan 2022-2025). Accordingly, throughout 2021, RMIT’s GEAP was developed through high level university-wide consultation and co-design. This has required deep analysis and review of gender and intersectionality, resulting in embedding the lens of intersectionality in RMIT’s new plan. In 2021, RMIT was also recognised as an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) citation from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) for the fourth consecutive year and re-submitted for certification for 2021 – 2023. The citation demonstrated a continued commitment to best practice in promoting gender equality in Australian workplaces. In addition, RMIT reports under the Workplace Gender Equality (WGEA) Act 2012 and the Victorian Gender Equality Act (2020). This report encompasses all employees (headcount) in Australia including full-time, part-time, casual and temporary employees.

Which GRI Standards and corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been addressed?

The GRI Standard addressed in this case is: Disclosure 405-1 Diversity of governance bodies and employees

Disclosure 405-1 Diversity of governance bodies and employees corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Gender Equality
• Targets: 5.1, 5.5
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Targets: 8.5

 

78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards

SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.

Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.

7 GRI sustainability disclosures get you started

Any size business can start taking sustainability action

GRI, ISEP, CPD Certified Sustainability courses (2-5 days): Live Online or Classroom  (venue: London School of Economics)

• Exclusive FBRH template to begin reporting from day one
• Identify your most important impacts on the Environment, Economy and People
• Formulate in group exercises your plan for action. Begin taking solid, focused, all-round sustainability action ASAP. 
• Benchmarking methodology to set you on a path of continuous improvement

See upcoming training dates.

References:

This case study is based on published information by RMIT, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original please revert to the following link:

https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/our-values/sustainability/sustainability-annual-report

Note to RMIT: With each case study we send out an email requesting a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.

What are the material issues the company has identified?

In its 2015 Sustainability Report Wonkwang University identified a range of material issues, such as changes in financial conditions, quality of education, personnel (faculty and staff) recruitment, changes in conditions for education. Among these, maintaining the highest ethical standards in its operations stands out as a key material issue for Wonkwang University.

Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:

“The organization should identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations.”

Stakeholders must be consulted in the process s of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.

Key stakeholder groups Wonkwang University engages with:   

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Management	·         Official website ·         Conferences ·         Meetings ·         Workshops ·         Teaching ·         Counseling ·         Fieldwork
Faculty	·         Faculty Council ·         University Senate ·         Operation committee ·         Deans’ conference ·         Academic affairs committee ·         Newsletter ·         Intranet ·         Satisfaction survey ·         Workshop ·         Training ·         Counseling ·         Regular/irregular meetings
Businesses	·         Meeting ·         Training and support ·         Joint safety inspection
Governments	·         Official announcement by email or mail and participation in meetings
Students	·         Class ·         Boot camp ·         School newspaper and broadcast programs ·         Clubs ·         Counseling ·         Student satisfaction survey
Staff	·         Labor union ·         Internet ·         Workshop ·         Training ·         Counseling ·         Regular/irregular meetings
Local community	·         Official website ·         Press releases ·         Corporate social contribution activity ·         Meetings with locals ·         Support for multicultural families

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritize material issues, Wonkwang University conducted a survey among 935 stakeholders.

What actions were taken by Wonkwang University to maintain the highest ethical standards in its operations?

In its 2015 Sustainability Report Wonkwang University reports that it took the following actions for maintaining the highest ethical standards in its operations:

• Promoting students’ ethical behavior through the Institute of Moral Education
• [tweetthis]Wonkwang University’s Institute of Moral Education helps students build character and practice morality[/tweetthis], while also promoting the Morality Practice Certification and community service programs. Additionally, the university strives to prevent acts of academic dishonesty, such as cheating, impersonation and plagiarism. The Student Advisory Committee handles such incidents, strictly in accordance with regulations relating to student rewards and punishments.

• Promoting research integrity through the Research Ethics and Integrity Committee
• To prevent dishonesty in research, Wonkwang University establishes the Research Ethics and Integrity Committee when an act of dishonesty occurs. The Research Ethics and Integrity Committee:
  • establishes institutions concerning research ethics and integrity
  • receives and handles information on acts of dishonesty
  • begins preliminary and main investigations
  • protects informers and restores the honor of those investigated
  • handles the results of verification of research integrity
  • deals with issues the Chairman puts on the agenda

• Promoting bioethics through the Bioethics Committee
• Wonkwang University’s Bioethics Committee makes sure human dignity and values are respected in human subject research conducted at the university. The Bioethics Committee:
  • reviews the ethical aspects and scientific feasibility of life science research proposals
  • makes sure informed consent is obtained from human subjects and individuals providing samples
  • promotes the protection of the safety and privacy of human subjects and individuals providing samples and genetic information
  • handles urgent matters the Chairman puts on the agenda because of harm or concerns about possible harm to bioethics or safety
  • deals with other matters required by laws and regulations

Which GRI indicators/Standards have been addressed?

The GRI indicators/Standards addressed in this case are:

1) G4-56: Describe the organization’s values, principles, standards and norms of behavior such as codes of conduct and codes of ethics – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 102-16 Values, principles, standards, and norms of behavior

2) G4-SO4: Communication and training on anti-corruption policies and procedures – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 205-2 Communication and training about anti-corruption policies and procedures

 

78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards

SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.

Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.

7 GRI sustainability disclosures get you started

Any size business can start taking sustainability action

GRI, ISEP, CPD Certified Sustainability courses (2-5 days): Live Online or Classroom  (venue: London School of Economics)

• Exclusive FBRH template to begin reporting from day one
• Identify your most important impacts on the Environment, Economy and People
• Formulate in group exercises your plan for action. Begin taking solid, focused, all-round sustainability action ASAP. 
• Benchmarking methodology to set you on a path of continuous improvement

See upcoming training dates.

 

References:

1) This case study is based on published information by Wonkwang University, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning.  If you would like to quote these written sources from the original, please revert to the original on the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Disclosure Database at the link:

http://database.globalreporting.org/

2) http://www.fbrh.co.uk/en/global-reporting-initiative-gri-g4-guidelines-download-page

3) https://g4.globalreporting.org/Pages/default.aspx

4) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/

Note to Wonkwang University: With each case study we send out an email requesting a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.

What are the material issues the organization has identified?

In its 2016 Sustainability Report the KU Leuven FEB identified a range of material issues, such as diversity and non-discrimination, gender equality, employee and student safety and welfare, economic impacts on local community, energy efficiency/CO2 reduction, waste reduction. Among these, integrating ethics, responsibility and sustainability themes into educational programs and research stands out as a key material issue for FEB.

Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:

“The organization should identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations.”

Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.

Key stakeholder groups the KU Leuven FEB engages with:   

Stakeholder Group

Staff members

Student population

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritize material issues, the KU Leuven FEB carried out specific engagement activities:

• In academic year 2014-2015, focused, in-class stakeholder engagement activities were conducted with students in the Corporate Social Responsibility course (Brussels campus).
• In academic year 2015-2016, a FEB Sustainability and Diversity Survey among staff members and students on all campuses, was carried out.

What actions were taken by the KU Leuven FEB to integrate ethics, responsibility and sustainability themes into educational programs and research?

In its 2016 Sustainability Report the KU Leuven FEB reports that it took the following actions for integrating ethics, responsibility and sustainability themes into educational programs and research:

• Making sure ethics, responsibility and sustainability are present in FEB courses
• In 2015-2016 a curricular assessment, based on a terminology scan, was carried out, to assess whether and to what extent ethics, responsibility and sustainability (ERS) themes were included in FEB courses. According to the assessment:
  • social/societal welfare themes were dealt with in 358 courses
  • environmental themes were dealt with in 115 courses
  • ethics was dealt with in 71 courses
  • corporate social responsibility was dealt with in 47 courses
  • sustainability was dealt with in 36 courses
  • market failure was dealt with in 28 courses
  • stakeholder inclusiveness was dealt with in 27 courses

• Promoting education for sustainable development (ESD) through a range of learning activities
• Examples of such activities include:
  • The Interdisciplinary Assessment Project (IAP) gives masters students in Business Engineering, Environment, Health and Safety Management and students in some majors in Industrial Engineering the opportunity to work together in interdisciplinary teams to address real-world business problems involving sustainability issues.
  • The International Study Visit to London brings students in the Environment, Health, and Safety program in contact with selected sustainable development/corporate social responsibility themes, in order to compare the Belgian to the UK perspective.

• Focusing research on ethics, responsibility and sustainability issues
• At the KU Leuven FEB, a number of research centres are focused on ethics, responsibility and sustainability (ERS) themes, including the following:
  • The Centre for Economics and Corporate Sustainability (CEDON), an interdisciplinary research group, is focused on the interactions between economics, business, sustainable development and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
  • The Centre for Economics and Ethics (CEE) is, among others, intended to support scientific research on the ethical aspects of economic activity.

Which GRI indicators/Standards have been addressed?

The GRI indicator addressed in this case is: G4-EC8: Significant indirect economic impacts, including the extent of impacts and the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 203-2 Significant indirect economic impacts

 

78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards

SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.

Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.

FBRH GRI Standards Certified and ISEP approved Sustainability Course | Venue: London LSE

By registering for the next 2-day FBRH GRI-Standards Certified and ISEP approved Course you will be taking the first step in gaining the many benefits of sustainability reporting.

 

References:

1) This case study is based on published information by the KU Leuven FEB, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original, please revert to the original on the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Disclosure Database at the link:

http://database.globalreporting.org/

2) http://www.fbrh.co.uk/en/global-reporting-initiative-gri-g4-guidelines-download-page

3) https://g4.globalreporting.org/Pages/default.aspx

4) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/

Note to the KU Leuven FEB: With each case study we send out an email to your listed address in request for a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.

What are the material issues the organization has identified?

In its 2013-2014 Sustainability Report ETH Zurich identified a range of material issues, such as quality of research, knowledge transfer, talent attraction and retention, diversity, recycling and waste, personnel development, sustainable catering. Among these, cultivating sustainability-related competencies in students and staff stands out as a key material issue for ETH Zurich.

Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:

“The organization should identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations.”

Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.

Key stakeholder groups ETH Zurich engages with:   

Stakeholder Group

Vice Presidency for Research and Corporate Relations

Industry

Faculty (Professors)

Federal Parliament

Departments

ETH Domain

Competence centers

Swiss universities

Scientific staff

International universities

Funding agencies and organizations (Swiss National Science Foundation, Commission for Technology and Innovation, European Union etc.)

Rector

High schools

Rectorate

Study Commissions

Directors of Study

Students

ETH Global

Public administration

Corporate Communications

Public authorities

NGOs

Media

Vice Presidency for Human Resources and Infrastructure

Local neighborhoods of ETH Zurich at Campus Zentrum and Campus Hönggerberg

Local neighborhood to ETH Zurich in other locations in Switzerland and abroad

ETH Zurich Executive Board and Associate Vice Presidents

Secretary General

Staff Units

Infrastructure Divisions

Administrative and technical staff

Student organizations

Sports facilities

Catering facilities

Vice Presidency for Finance and Controlling

Tax payer

Finance and Controlling

Donors

Foundations

Other third-party funding

Alumni of ETH Zurich

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To capture stakeholder perspectives on ETH Zurich’s material issues and explore stakeholders’ expectations, interviews with 21 representatives of stakeholder groups were conducted.

What actions were taken by ETH Zurich to cultivate sustainability-related competencies in students and staff?

In its 2013-2014 Sustainability Report ETH Zurich reports that it took the following actions for cultivating sustainability-related competencies in students and staff:

• Integrating sustainability across departments and degree programs
• ETH Zurich’s commitment to sustainability encompasses a number of courses and programs, such as the Department of Environmental System Sciences’ education programs, promoting sustainable development for more than 25 years.

• Encouraging students and staff to learn about sustainability through innovative activities and events
• Students and staff at ETH Zurich have the opportunity to better understand sustainable development issues through various activities and events, including the following:
  • The event series “Pioneers in Sustainability”, launched in 2013, offers students an opportunity to learn how to combine professional success with a commitment to sustainability.
  • The Energy Efficiency Challenge, in 2014, brought together more than 400 members of the ETH community, to suggest actions for improving energy efficiency at ETH Zurich.

• Offering summer and winter schools on sustainability
• ETH Zurich offers a number of summer and winter schools on sustainability topics, such as the ETH Sustainability Summer School, the World Food System Center’s three summer schools and the winter school of the Competence Center Environment and Sustainability (CCES).

• Bringing faculty and students working on sustainability-related theses into contact with private and public sector partners
• ETH Seed Sustainability is a project platform within which faculty and students working on sustainability-related theses are able to come into contact with partners from the private sector, public administration or other ETH Zurich units. In 2013 and 2014, 15 Bachelor’s and Master’s theses and one project thesis were written and finalized within ETH Seed Sustainability.

Which GRI indicators/Standards have been addressed?

The GRI indicator addressed in this case is: G4-EC8: Significant indirect economic impacts, including the extent of impacts and the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 203-2 Significant indirect economic impacts

 

78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards

SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.

Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.

FBRH GRI Standards Certified and ISEP approved Sustainability Course | Venue: London LSE

By registering for the next 2-day FBRH GRI-Standards Certified and ISEP approved Course you will be taking the first step in gaining the many benefits of sustainability reporting.

 

References:

1) This case study is based on published information by ETH Zurich, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original, please revert to the original on the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Disclosure Database at the link:

http://database.globalreporting.org/

2) http://www.fbrh.co.uk/en/global-reporting-initiative-gri-g4-guidelines-download-page

3) https://g4.globalreporting.org/Pages/default.aspx

4) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/

Note to ETH Zurich: With each case study we send out an email to your listed address in request for a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.

What are the material issues the company has identified?

In its 2016 Sustainability Report the University of Melbourne has identified a range of material issues, most important of which are responsible investment, campus development, governance, sustainable campus operations, digital innovation and student engagement on sustainability issues. This case study is focused on how the University empowers students to take solid action on sustainability issues.

Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:

“The organization should identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations.”

Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.

Key stakeholder groups the University of Melbourne engages with:   

Stakeholder Group

Students

Employees

Business

Industry

Government and Community Partners

Suppliers

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

The University is committed to engage its stakeholders in decisions related to sustainability issues.  The stakeholders are identified based on their particular interests, as well as, their ability to determine the sustainability performance of the University. Specifically, within the year 2016, the University received feedback from internal and external stakeholders, student representatives, business partners, industry groups, government and community organisations. This feedback has been incorporated into sustainability decision making procedures.

Stakeholder engagement assisted the University of Melbourne to identify the issues of major importance to its community, to comprehend and address the University’s material impacts and acknowledge the necessary commitments to make the greatest contribution to undertaking sustainability issues.

What actions were taken by Melbourne University to engage students with sustainability issues?

In its 2016 Sustainability Report the University of Melbourne reports that it took the following actions for encouraging and enabling students to engage with sustainability issues:

• Engagement of students in sustainability initiatives was wide-reaching in 2016, comparing to 2014, and included:
• The Fairtrade Steering Committee. The students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, organized a one-day Fairtrade market across campus in May 2016, aiming to engage and raise awareness on Fairtrade and other sustainability related topics.
• The “Follow Your Waste” tour. The university staff and students visits the landfill centre used by the University contactors.
• The Student Union (UMSU) environment group organised a series of workshops to strengthen the University’s Sustainability Charter and Plan.
• Active involvement of staff and students in the Sustainability Advocates Forum.
• C16Hack held in April/May of 2016. The students participated in a series of workshops that challenged them to provide innovative solutions to various sustainability issues on campus.
• Bee keeping tours and lectures. This educational and information sharing series engaged a large number of students, as well as, staff and the general public
• Four “Ride to Uni” events, promoting cycling as a sustainable means of transport, health and wellbeing.
• Launch of Green Impact in March 2017. Green Impact is an international, sustainability change and engagement programme launched in the UK by the National Union of Students. The programme aims at raising awareness of sustainability issues globally, by giving people a concrete approach to address sustainability issues and enabling them in achieving these actions. Engaging students is an essential component of the programme.

• Arming graduate students with the knowledge and skills so they can contribute to sustainability through their future professions:

As the graduates must be ready to adapt to the industries of the future sustainable economy, the University of Melbourne is taking action and is committed to developing by 2020 all undergraduate degree programs (at the course and/or major level) to enable students to understand and apply sustainability knowledge in their field.

After finishing their studies, [tweetthis]University of Melbourne graduates have a well-developed approach on sustainability issues[/tweetthis].

Which GRI indicators/Standards have been addressed?

The GRI indicator addressed in this case is: G4-EC8: Significant indirect economic impacts, including the extent of impacts and the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 203-2 Significant indirect economic impacts

 

78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards

SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.

Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.

FBRH GRI Standards Certified and ISEP approved Sustainability Course | Venue: London LSE

By registering for the next 2-day FBRH GRI-Standards Certified and ISEP approved Course you will be taking the first step in gaining the many benefits of sustainability reporting.

 

References:

1) This case study is based on published information by the University of Melbourne, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original, please revert to the original on the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Disclosure Database at the link:

http://database.globalreporting.org/

2) http://www.fbrh.co.uk/en/global-reporting-initiative-gri-g4-guidelines-download-page

3) https://g4.globalreporting.org/Pages/default.aspx

4) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/

Note to the University of Melbourne: With each case study we send out an email to your listed address in request for a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.

What are the material issues the organization has identified?

In its 2016 Sustainability Report Plymouth University identified a range of material issues, such as carbon emissions, energy and water use, waste generated, travel and transport, food and catering, financial sustainability. Among these, encouraging and enabling students to engage with sustainability issues stands out as a key material issue for the University.

Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:

“The organization should identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations.”

Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.

Key stakeholder groups Plymouth University engages with:   

Stakeholder Group

Professional and academic staff

Students

Local communities

Local businesses

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

In 2014 Plymouth University, renewing its sustainability strategy, carried out consultation sessions across the University, also reviewing its sustainability performance with community stakeholders, to evaluate, on the basis of feedback received, the University’s sustainability goals and material issues.

What actions were taken by Plymouth University to encourage and enable students to engage with sustainability issues?

In its 2016 Sustainability Report Plymouth University reports that it took the following actions for encouraging and enabling students to engage with sustainability issues:

• Advancing the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) agenda through the Centre for Sustainable Futures (CSF)
• The CSF collaborates closely, across the University, with professional and academic staff and students to promote ESD, by means of curriculum support and research.

• Embedding sustainability into the formal and informal curriculum
• Approximately 50 per cent of all curriculum programmes at Plymouth University incorporate sustainability topics. Over the past few years a number of courses included ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) elements, such as the BSc (Hons) Environmental Science, the BA (Hons) Social Work, the BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance and, also, the MSc Robotics, and the BA (Hons) Business and BA (Hons) Photography.

• Fostering extra-curricular sustainability learning
• Plymouth University developed three initiatives focused on facilitating extra-curricular sustainability learning:
  • the Future Leaders Programme, established in 2013, and available to any student, from any discipline, interested in innovation in sustainability education
  • Plymouth Growing Futures, an outdoor learning project connecting curriculum engagement and learning to biodiversity on campus, and involving photography, biological sciences, social work and educational studies modules
  • the Global Challenge programme, operating since 2013 and offering students the opportunity to explore the idea of global citizenship through interactive workshops.

Which GRI indicators/Standards have been addressed?

The GRI indicator addressed in this case is: G4-EC8: Significant indirect economic impacts, including the extent of impacts and the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 203-2 Significant indirect economic impacts

 

78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards

SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.

Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.

FBRH GRI Standards Certified and ISEP approved Sustainability Course | Venue: London LSE

By registering for the next 2-day FBRH GRI-Standards Certified and ISEP approved Course you will be taking the first step in gaining the many benefits of sustainability reporting.

 

References:

1) This case study is based on published information by Plymouth University, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original, please revert to the original on the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Disclosure Database at the link:

http://database.globalreporting.org/

2) http://www.fbrh.co.uk/en/global-reporting-initiative-gri-g4-guidelines-download-page

3) https://g4.globalreporting.org/Pages/default.aspx

4) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/

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