Social and Civic Responsibility Committee

A Social and Civic Responsibility Committee (‘SCR Committee’) will provide strategic and cross-University advice as required on all matters related to social and civic responsibility issues as the key oversight committee.   

The remit of the SCR Committee is to:   

• Assist the Principal, Court and University Executive in ensuring delivery of our social and civic responsibility commitments, and our Strategy 2030 vision to deliver positive change locally and regionally.   

• Progress embedding and integration of social and civic responsibility across the University, in doing so acting as an advocate for the University’s civic mission through effective communication within the University.   

• Review policy, reporting and programmes, including: the Community Plan, Social Enterprise and Social Investment, Community Benefit Policies.   

The SCR Committee is not responsible for overseeing the Climate Strategy, Widening Participation strategy, or EDI policy, strategy and outcomes, though it is likely that these areas will be of interest to the committee and there will be opportunities for joined-up work to have positive impacts.    

The SCRC will report into the University Executive annually on the Committee’s activity and progress across the University in implementing  the refreshed SCR strategy. The SCR Committee will receive reports from the Community Board.  Between meetings and when otherwise necessary, business may be communicated by email correspondence and decisions taken electronically.  

The SCR Committee should meet twice a year and otherwise as required.   

• Overseeing the progress in implementing the Social & Civic Responsibility Plan and any successor plans and monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the Plan on behalf of the University Executive.    

• To assist the Principal, Court and University Executive in ensuring delivery of the Social & Civic Responsibility objectives which outline that:   

  • We will widen participation in higher education and support inclusion. Increasing opportunities and raising aspirations by making education and employment an achievable goal for more people in Scotland and globally.   

  • We will work together with local communities to contribute to improve the lives of people across the Edinburgh City Region and beyond.    

  • In our operations, research and teaching we will engage critically with, and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.   

• To provide the necessary advice, leadership and oversight to progress the embedding and integration of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), community wealth building and commitments to community engagement across all aspects of University business – operations, learning and teaching and research, enterprise and commercialisation. This includes planning and business case development through to implementation and review.    

• To develop, agree, monitor, review, evaluate and report and seek the necessary approvals for the following strategies and commitments:   

  • Community Strategy

  • Social Enterprise and Social Investment

  • Gaelic Language Plan

  • Social Impact Pledge

  • British Sign Language Strategy 

• To ensure the University maintains a coherent and consistent narrative for reporting and communications on our commitments to social & civic responsibility. This includes reviewing annual reporting, communication plans and submissions for impact rankings (e.g. THE SDG ranking).    

• To provide a focal point for strategic review and assessment of impact in relation to our SRS commitments and priorities (e.g. the Strategic Performance Framework Social Impact KPI).   

• To provide a forum for the review of current SRS Social Impact and Community Engagement programmes along with the generation of new ideas, concepts, and programmes in response to SRS current or emerging needs and drivers. To engage with the SRS Department to ensure central and local strategic alignment, to articulate college needs and co-create solutions.   

• To ensure the University has a consistent and effective approach to engaging with stakeholders on these issues, including local communities, responsive to their needs and to align with our commitments to equality and diversity.   

• To oversee priorities and proposals for the embedding of SRS issues across the University in line with Strategy 2030 and to act as a conduit for college and schools to plan and embed SRS issues within their activities, to coordinate and to communicate.

The committee will be quorate when five members in addition to either the Chair or Vice Chair are present.  

Reviewing relevant objectives in Social & Civic Responsibility Delivery Plan 2020 to 2030 to note and acknowledge progress to 2025 and create updated Delivery Plan to 2030 including the following strategic objectives:    

• We will widen participation in higher education and support inclusion. Increasing opportunities and raising aspirations by making education and employment an achievable goal for more people in Scotland and globally.  

• We will work together with local communities to contribute to improve the lives of people across the Edinburgh City Region and beyond.   

• In our operations, research and teaching we will engage critically with, and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals including the promotion, protection and respect for human rights.   

The impact of the SCRC alongside its terms of reference will be reviewed biennially. 

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Last updated 30 April 2026, 1:04 PM