How we work towards the SDGs

In this section

Please see our Student Factsheet about what the Sustainable Development Goals are and how we work towards them.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by the year 2030.

These 17 Goals build on the successes of the Millennium Development Goals, while including new areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, peace and justice, among other priorities. The goals are interconnected – often the key to success on one will involve tackling issues more commonly associated with another.

Worcester Students' Union, alongside the University of Worcester is a proud signatory of the SDG Accord, which is the University and College sector's response to the UN SDGs and aims to embed the SDGs into our work University and Students' Union Commit to United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals - University Of Worcester. Although signed in 2018, the SU continue to work towards the SDG's.

Our only issues based Network is the Sustainability Network, again showing the commitment of the Union and our students to living, working and studying more sustainably.

This is how the Students' Union works towards achieving the global goals:

GOAL 1: No Poverty

Contributed to NUS Poverty Commission and cited several times in the report
Continually Supporting students through applications to the Access to Learning Fund from our Advice and Support Service
Ensure that we keep membership fees for clubs and societies as low as possible
Made membership fees for clubs and societies available to purchase via Reach account
Consulted by the University on their Access and Participation Plans and fundamentally support widening access to education as a route out of poverty
Facilitate collections and micro volunteering for the local Food Bank and Bra Bank. Support national fundraising activities such as Children in Need and Comic Relief
Created care packages to help students who are parents which were distributed during February half term during lockdown during COVID-19

GOAL 2: Zero Hunger

Healthy eating and living campaigns
Work with University caterers and University to ensure range of healthy options in shops and eateries and to that prices are kept as low as possible for our membership.
Clubs and Societies getting involved with RAG fundraising for food poverty charities, e.g Worcester Foodbank
SU Community (food and essentials) Cupboard initiative organised by the SU President. Students leave what they can and take what they need. An initiative started in response to the 2022 Cost of Living crisis

GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-being

Facilitate general interest and academic societies to ensure students can get together as groups, learn, develop their talents, and have fun, increasing their sense of belonging and community.
Provision of recreational and competitive sport
Inclusivity Reps mandatory for all clubs and societies and trained on how to fulfill their role
Support World Aids Day campaign
Run a Safe Sex campaign all year round
Free Periods campaign
Personal safety and ‘How are you getting home?’ series of campaigns, in conjunction with a local night club and University Security.
Run several campaigns within the SU bar, including Every Other One Water, AskAngela, drink and drug awareness etc.
Support national campaigns such as World and University Health Days and Mental Health Awareness Week, International Men’s Day, Movember, Sober for October, running various activities and working in partnership with charities such as Papyrus and Student Minds
#TeamWorc UNITED accreditation scheme for club and societies to be more inclusive and share best practice
RAG fundraising for health research charities
Support our Networks to represent the views of different cohorts of students and raise awareness around different issues and where students can find help and support
Provide an independent Advice and Support Service to students, helping with a range of issues from academic to consumer
Regularly host local charities within the SU
Facilitate students to volunteer and micro-volunteer in the local community for mutual benefit
Running a Student Volunteering Week
Healthy eating and living campaigns
Work with University caterers and University to ensure range of healthy options in shops and eateries
Hosting annual events including Celebration Week, Welcome Week and Varsity

GOAL 4: Quality Education

Ensure effective and robust academic representation for all UoW students through an agreed Code of Practice
Course Rep Forum and comprehensive training for School and Course Reps
Officers sit on all major University committees and on Board of Governors
Provide a wide range of extracurricular opportunities to develop key transferable skills and complement their academic studies
Support Networks to tackle issues of equality within Education e.g. black attainment gap and the SU engages in national campaigns and debates around this.
Provision of gender neutral toilets to create inclusive learning environment
Work with the university to deliver Responsible Futures accreditation
Help and Advice service
Black History Month
LGBTQ+ History Month
Social Media comms to students that encompass a variety of cultural and awareness days

GOAL 5: Gender Equality

Support the student-led Women’s Network and their campaigns
Support and encourage sports clubs to raise awareness of barriers to female participation in sport through #TeamWorc UNITED scheme and inclusivity rep training
Sports
#Neverok pledge signing that encourages student groups to have the courage to speak up against sexism and all forms of sexual violence and harassment.
Provision of gender neutral toilets to create inclusive learning environment
Supporting Sexual Health for students through the Help and Advice Service

GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

Have fundraised for Water Aid in the past

GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Student Switch off campaign
Energize Worcester project with University, City Council, WPI and Worcester Bosch
Hosted an Air Quality Forum during Go Green Week 2023, to give students the opportunity to speak to local organisations.

GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Skills development through SU volunteering offer
Partnership with Careers Department
Support university with recruitment (reducing number of youth population not in education, training or employment)
Employ students in frontline roles wherever we can
Arranging Employability Fairs and volunteering Fairs for students
Comprehensive training for student volunteers

GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Encourage students to develop new and interesting societies and student-led projects
Arranging Employability Fairs for students

GOAL 10: Reduced Inequality

Networks and Student Council Reps
LGBTQ+ History Month
Black History Month
Sexual Health
Liberation campaigns (locally and nationally through collaboration through NUS)
Working with the University on initiatives around inclusivity
Equality and diversity monitored as part of staff and trustee recruitment processes
Equality and Diversity training compulsory for new staff and officers
Equity at Work training delivered to staff and officer team
Inclusivity Reps mandatory for all clubs and societies
TeamWorc UNITED scheme to raise awareness and remove barriers to participation in student groups
Outreach programme to talk to as many students as we can throughout the year
Support students in Partner Colleges

GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Contributions to NUS Homes Fit for Study
Commuter Students' Network
Campaigns for buses and bikes
How are you getting home? Campaigns
Work with local community (community forum), work on students being good neighbours
Advice and guidance to students from our Advice Service around private housing, energy consumption etc.
Facilitate students to contribute to and volunteer in the local community and on campus
Promote recycling and upcycling initiatives e.g. vintage clothing sales, bra bank, food bank collections, Repair Cafe
Work with local communities and businesses such as the Fold, Duckworth Trust to promote their opportunites.

GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Composting by staff
Reduce printing and waste in the SU
Most marketing and promotions done online
Membership forms and processes moved online wherever possible
Reduction of single use plastics
Green Impact campaigns
Sustainability included in all staff job descriptions
Supported students to run projects around the use of plastic (e.g. limiting the use of flyers at welcome festival).
Helping to promote University’s ‘keep cup’ initiative
Ordering the correct amount of Varsity t-shirts for varsity 2023
Selling TeamWorc reusable water bottles for students.

GOAL 13: Climate Action

Work with university to raise student awareness on issues that matter to students.
Green Impact campaigns
Student switch off
Sustainability Network
Committed to Carbon Neutral 2030
Officers declared Climate Crisis

GOAL 14: Life Below Water

Single use plastic policy, member of Plastic Free Worcester
Supported students to run projects around the use of plastic

GOAL 15: Life on Land

Support the Nature Society and the new Allotment and Gardening Society
Wildlife volunteering opportunities, long standing partnership with Wildlife Trust
Support for and partnership with Wilder Worcestershire and campaign for the Bill to Act

GOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions

Democratic decision making processes and structure, with annual elections (increasing engagement over recent years)
Student representation in academic matters through Course and School Reps
Trustee board ensures we operate ethically, prudently, and sustainably, and according to our charitable aims and objectives
Register to vote campaigns
Adherence to Charity and Students’ Unions’ governance code
Annual General Meeting
Participation in NUS National Conference, liberation conferences and zone committees
Promotion of events like student model Commonwealth Summit in Birmingham in May 2019
Consult our membership annually on satisfaction levels
Measure ourselves against agreed Values, Key Performance Indicators and a long-term Strategic Plan, as well as through benchmarking exercises within the sector
Produce an annual Impact Report

GOAL 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal

Partnership with University in general
Partnership with University to deliver Responsible Futures
Signatory of SDG Accord
Partnership with several charities around health and wellbeing and various other aspects of sustainability, not just the environmental issues.