Worker's Rights

Living Wage Employer

Bangor University is a Living Wage employer, accredited by the Living Wage Foundation.

The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate that is voluntarily paid by over 7,000 UK businesses who believe their staff deserve a wage which meets everyday needs - like the weekly shop, or a surprise trip to the dentist.

Equality for Outsourced Staff

On any new contracts where the services would be classed as outsourced we ask the supplier to describe how they will commit to fair working practices for workers engaged in the delivery of this contract (including any agency or sub-contracted workers).

Bangor University has adopted the Welsh Government’s Code of Practice on Ethical Procurement in Supply Chains and we expect contractors to take a similar approach in relation to ethical working practices. This is designed to ensure that high-quality public services are delivered throughout Wales by a workforce that is treated legally, fairly and safely, and is well rewarded. This Code includes a commitment to consider promoting the Living Wage in relevant contracts. Evidence of fair work practices from suppliers, may include:

a fair and equal pay policy that includes a commitment to paying all staff at least the Living Wage;
becoming an accredited Living Wage Employer;
ensuring that all staff have access to training and development opportunities;
promoting equal opportunities for all staff regardless of age, gender, disability, religion, race and sexual orientation;
stable employment, avoiding inappropriate use of zero-hours contracts, and umbrella employment firms;
flexible working arrangements to allow support for carers, and for family-friendly working;
supporting workforce engagement, for example Trade Union recognition and representation, or other arrangements for empowering staff.

Fairtrade

We offer and support Fairtrade accredited products in all our outlets, and have Fairtrade accreditation. We also support students who wish to investigate Fairtrade, trade justice and ethical consumption within their dissertations.

Fairtrade Policy

Fairtrade University Award Logo

Procurement Strategy, performance & best practice

Bangor University’s Procurement Strategy 2023-2026 sees sustainability as a key strategic procurement objective in keeping with the University’s Strategic Plan.

Bangor University’s mission for procurement is to provide a high quality, fit-for-purpose, compliant procurement service which will deliver value for money whilst supporting and contributing to the University’s innovation, equality, social and sustainability objectives.

The Procurement Strategy is supported by a number of sustainability performance measures that will be assessed on an annual basis, such as the the numbers of projects including social value clauses and/or value of social benefit obtained through procurement, and the number of new and renewed contracts being assessed using the Sustainable Procurement Checklist. Measures also include an assessment of spend Welsh suppliers, and the number of successful tenderers with the Route to Net Zero Standard.

As a member of the Welsh Public Sector, Bangor University adopts best practice as recommended by Value Wales (Welsh Government). The University has adopted the principles of the Welsh Procurement Policy Statement, which supports the achievement of the seven well-being goals for Wales as set out in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act (2015). One of the principles aims at the delivery of social, economic and environmental benefits through effective application of Community Benefits policy. Community Benefits plans were in place for the construction of the new Menai Science Park and the contractor completed the Community Benefits Measurement Tool to record the various sustainability benefits that were achieved as part of the project.

Read more on the Procurement Strategy here.

Electronics Watch

As a full member of the North Western Universities Purchasing Consortium Ltd (NWUPC) we are able to benefit from significant cash and resource savings from collaborative procurement and access to over 100 tailor-led framework agreements.

NWUPC Ltd joined Electronics Watch as an affiliate member on behalf of members as well as ourselves in September 2019. Electronics Watch is an independent monitoring organisation set up with the purpose of protecting the rights of workers within supply chains. Their focus is on working with public sector organisations who purchase electronics and collaborating with them to have a positive impact on workers through the goods the public sector procures.

Slavery & Human Trafficking

With the introduction of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the University is required to produce a statement identifying supply chains where there is a risk of slavery and human trafficking taking place and to note the steps being introduced to assess and manage the risk. The University will seek to adopt the Welsh Government’s planned Code of Practice on Ethical Employment in Supply Chains.

Procuring IT equipment

The University buys its IT equipment through HE Consortia Framework Agreements. Our desktops and notebooks are purchased via the National Desktop & Notebook Agreement, which is contracted by the London Universities Purchasing Consortium (LUPC). LUPC are members of Electronics Watch and therefore Bangor University can be assured that its ICT purchases are supplied from ethical sources.