Building Socially Responsible Institutions

 

Access all Presentations and Resources from this Summit on our Sustainability Exchange

Summit Chair:

Aoife Behan, Food for Life Scotland Communications Manager, Soil Association

Summit Contributors:

 

Social Responsibility and Human Rights: Beyond CSR

Michelle Brown, Head of Social Responsibility & Sustainability Programmes, University of Edinburgh
Is CSR dead? Traditional approaches to corporate social responsibility have often been bolted on and not part of the fundamental strategy. Frameworks such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (as well as other standards and legal requirements) clarify expectations for social responsibility deep into supply chains. The launching of the Sustainable Development Goals also places expectations on organisations to align their strategies. This session explored these and other recent developments in corporate responsibility and sustainability, shared case studies and learning from the University of Edinburgh and explored some potential issues and questions for Universities and Colleges. 
 

How a Community Garden can benefit students and the wider community

Severine Monvoisin, Community Garden Coordinator, Edinburgh College
This session explored the achievements and the challenges of Edinburgh College's award-winning community gardens, and the development of the various projects within and around it. The project coordinator discussed what has worked and why, and what difficulties they encountered along the way. This was an interactive session, with the presenter welcoming participation in the discussion in the form of questions and insight from your own experiences.
 

Private Sector Example: Turning Waste into Opportunity

Louise Swift, Public Sector Sales Director, Interface
The Net-Works programme evolved from a need to find a better way of doing business. It’s a unique solution, innovating a new source of recycled Nylon-6, which not only helps Interface achieve its sustainability strategy, but also provides support and incentives for some of the poorest people in the world to protect their natural environment. Net-works illustrates how the triple bottom line can be achieved successfully in practise.
 
 

Workshop: Building socially responsible institutions – the power of food

Aoife Behan, Food for Life Scotland Communications Manager, Soil Association
Food matters. The way we produce, process, distribute and consume our food has wide ranging implications for our local – and the wider global - environment, economy, and society. This workshop explored how institutions can play a part in creating greener, healthier and fairer food chains which benefit everyone.