Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Employment policies and practices

Cranfield seeks to make sure it has relevant and up-to-date procedures and regulations that are legally compliant as well as representing the University's interests and our stakeholders. You can find out more about working at Cranfield and associated policies on our working at Cranfield pages.

For the second year running we were recognised in the Top 30 Employers in the UK by the charity Working Families, reflecting our innovative, flexible and family-friendly policies and practices that support parents and carers.

HR changed its name to People and Culture to reflect our desire to be a more progressive people-focussed employer, as set out in our Employer of Choice ambitions within our corporate plan [link to Ambition 2027].

Education

Cranfield’s School of Management [add reputation measure] produces graduates in management and leadership for businesses, and entrepreneurship. Many School of Management courses embed sustainability and leadership for sustainability within their modules.

Cranfield School of Management has been a signatory member of the UN Principles for Responsible Management Education since 2008, reporting biennially on our progress and commitment to educating responsible and sustainable business leaders. You can read our latest report here.

The Sustainable Business Networking Series offers in-depth discussions by leading experts in the field, for example on: shareholder activism to exert change and shape corporate strategies towards environmental, social and governance issue; whose job is it to make these global supply chains more sustainable; the vital role of business in leading a shift towards a more sustainable economy.

Professor Joe Nellis, leading economist and Deputy Dean of Cranfield School of Management, shared his insights about current global economy topics, discussing key influential factors and identifying the emerging trends.

Research

New research into working patterns during the Covid furlough scheme suggested that both employers and the government could be missing a trick by not making part-time working easier and more available.

Project ReSChape analyses recent social, economic and environmental changes and disruptions, including the Covid-19 pandemic, and evaluates their impact on supply chains.

During 2023, Professor Emma Parry and Professor Michael Dickmann published several papers on human resource management.

Work placements

At Cranfield, we are committed to helping our students to gain practical experience alongside academic business theory, to give them the best chance of success in the real world. We use our long-standing links with industry to ensure many of our students are offered the chance to undertake an industry internship as part of the course, thereby allowing them to put their skills into practice and gain the exposure they need to grow.

Employment policies and practices

Cranfield seeks to make sure it has relevant and up-to-date procedures and regulations that are legally compliant as well as representing the University's interests and our stakeholders. You can find out more about working at Cranfield and associated policies on our working at Cranfield pages.

Real Living Wage

Following our pledge in 2021 to become an accredited Real Living Wage Employer, our application was approved in 2022. We have demonstrated our commitment by making changes to our lowest level salary scales and other related pay rates in April 2022, meaning we are voluntarily paying a wage rate above the legal Minimum or National Minimum Wage to colleagues this applies to. This is one of many initiatives underway to ensure that we are seen as an attractive employer and one who is committed to fair reward and recognition.

Our expert academics also commented on this issue in the Chancellor’s Spring Statement.

Education

Cranfield’s School of Management (ranked within top 10 business schools in the UK) produces graduates in management and leadership for businesses, and entrepreneurship. Many School of Management courses embed sustainability and leadership for sustainability within their modules. We also offer networking events with other sustainability leaders. The ‘Game of Life’, for example, is a unique game which engages leaders for sustainable change.

Professor Emma Parry officially became the Chair of the British Academy of Management (BAM). BAM is the leading authority in the academic field of management in the UK.

Research

Our research on flexible working arrangements has shaped UK and international policy. The research examined the impact of flexible working on employee performance. It also explored the factors that influenced successful implementation of flexible working practices.

Work placements

At Cranfield, we are committed to helping our students to gain practical experience alongside academic business theory, to give them the best chance of success in the real world. We use our long-standing links with industry to ensure many of our students are offered the chance to undertake an industry internship as part of the course, thereby allowing them to put their skills into practice and gain the exposure they need to grow.

Cranfield seeks to make sure it has relevant and up-to-date procedures and regulations that are legally compliant as well as representing the University's interests and our stakeholders.

Evidence of activity in support of this goal includes our employment policies and practices for the living wage, discrimination, modern slavery, gender equality and union presence. These policies can be found on our policies, regulations and information compliance page.

Following our pledge in 2021 to become an accredited Real Living Wage Employer, our application was approved in 2022. We have demonstrated our commitment by making changes to our lowest level salary scales and other related pay rates in April 2022, meaning we are voluntarily paying a wage rate above the legal Minimum or National Minimum Wage to colleagues this applies to. This is one of many initiatives underway to ensure that we are seen as an attractive employer and one who is committed to fair reward and recognition.