Environmental and Ethical Policy
Stirling Students’ Union is a representative body for all enrolled members of the University
of Stirling. We are committed to ensuring that all decisions made within the organisation
consider any environmental and ethical implications and that this remains a central focus of
the organisation, its members and staff community.
The Students’ Union has a proven track record for delivering environmentally and ethically
sound projects and has dedicated societies, elected officers and staff who strive to reduce
its carbon footprint1. We want to build on our successes and continue to be recognised by
the National Union of Students (NUS), the Scottish Government and other unions for our
environmental approach.
The purpose of this document is to provide all Union staff, members and corporate partners
with our environmental and ethical expectations. The key pillars holding up its values are
that the Union must:
 Ensure environmental impact is minimised while continuing to provide high quality
services to the student body;
 Establish and commit to targets which will reduce the Union’s environmental impact;
 Strive to ensure our members and external partners adhere to the Union’s values
and policy.
Commitments
Stirling Students’ Union commits to improve its environmental and ethical performance and
in turn reduce its environmental impact in the following areas:
Management and Leadership
The Union recognises the need for management and elected officers to drive, and deliver,
quantifiable objectives. Therefore, any projects and policies which are passed by the Union
must take into account any environmental and ethical impacts with the goal of reducing its
impact on an annual basis.
Staff and External Partners
All employees will be actively encouraged to engage in internal and external environmental
training and awareness programmes. External partners’ capability and competence in
environmental matters will be assessed and continually monitored. The Union will request
sponsors to be actively aware of the policy e.g. to refrain from using plastic bags (or other
promotional material which has a particularly negative environmental impact) when
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Students Union Sustainability Team
promoting their products. The Union will reserve the right to reject environmentally
unsustainable practice in any partnership.
The Union will actively engage with existing and potential suppliers and partners to
introduce responsibly sourced products.
Environmental Impact & Performance
The Union believes that it is important to review its environmental plans and targets on an
annual basis. Union staff will work closely with sabbatical officers upon the commencement
of their term in office to develop policies and drive continual improvement in our
environmental targets to reduce our waste, carbon emissions and increase sustainable
practice within our premises.
Performance will reported, measured and reviewed regularly and our sustainability officer
and team will be expected to report regularly to the Board of Trustees and the Executive
Council on our performance. The Union will commit to reduce its impacts in the following
areas:
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Utilities – the measurement and reduction of water, energy and waste
Transport – measurement of staff business travel and increase promotion of
sustainable travel practices
Procurement – liaise with suppliers to reduce environmental impact
Fair Trade - the Union will aspire to become Fair Trade certified
University Relations – the Union will strive to liaise with the University on all
environmental and ethical issues
Implementation
The policy will be implemented in a number of ways:
- Online (www.stirlingstudentsunion.com)
- Put into staff handbook
- All new staff required to read and sign
Actions
 Set up systems to measure utilities, staff business travel
 Create plan for Fair Trade
 Promote policy to wider membership and staff
 Set up meeting with University to promote policy and discuss how we can work
together