The eighth Sustainable Development Goal is to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

2022 progress report

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.

2021 progress report

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.