UCEM’s sustainability and social responsibility credentials recognised with NUS Responsible Futures accreditation

Posted on: 11 May, 2018

UCEM is delighted to have been awarded NUS (National Union of Students) Responsible Futures accreditation after a successful student-led audit.

The institution became the first alternative provider to be awarded the accreditation – which demonstrates UCEM’s commitment to promoting sustainability and social responsibility within its curriculum – after a two-day audit carried out by UCEM students who had been trained by NUS.

UCEM was judged on 45 criteria and exceeded the threshold score of 200 points to gain the accreditation, which is valid for two years up until March 2020.

NUS’s VP Society and Citizenship, Rob Young, said: “Massive congratulations to University College of Estate Management on this significant achievement! Thank you for your dedication to creating a learning environment in which students develop the skills, knowledge, and attributes to be agents of change.”

UCEM student auditor, Christopher Weaver, who is Head of Technical Support at Safeglaze UK, said: “The efforts to attain the Responsible Futures accreditation by UCEM have been second to none. Hard work and passion have been prominent throughout the experience.”

Fellow UCEM student auditor, Ben Brereton, a Valuation Caseworker at the Valuation Office Agency, added: “UCEM has clearly demonstrated it is well-equipped to set a strong benchmark of responsibility and awareness of the responsible future for up-and-coming leaders of the built environment.”

Since launching in 2014, 30 institutions have worked with their respective students’ unions across the UK to take part in Responsible Futures to demonstrate their commitment to creating an environment where education for sustainable development can thrive.

The aim of NUS, through this process, is for institutions to equip students with the knowledge, skills and values to challenge the world around them and tackle social, economic and environmental issues.

UCEM’s Director of Research, Innovation and Partnerships, Aled Williams, led on the accreditation effort and commented: “I am delighted with the outcome of the NUS Responsible Futures audit.

“The two-day visit and preparation work we did for the audit over 12 months highlighted the many positive actions we are taking to promote sustainability and social responsibility; however, recommendations were made on how we can improve further and we will work hard to implement these enhancements.

“I’m confident in our approach to sustainability and social responsibility, and look forward to taking further steps to advance Responsible Futures so that we can make a greater impact and contribute to a better Built Environment through educating the industry’s future leaders.”

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