Student Council MT23 Week 7

Reform to the Ethical Code of Practice for Commerical Activities

Reform to the Ethical Code of Practice for Commerical Activities
Proposer: Luca di Bona, St Hilda’s
Seconder: Alfie Davis, St Anne’s

 

Council Notes:

 

1. The SU currently has the policy “Ethical Code of Practice for Oxford SU’s Commercial Activities”, outlining groups that the SU does not work with commercially
2. The SU also has the policy “Fossil Fuels Careers Motion” that places further restrictions on groups which the SU works with commercially
3. According to the minutes of the Student Council Meeting in 3rd Week Trinity Term 2023, Oxford SU has a list of characteristics taken into account when making decisions regarding financial relationships, including if an organisation is one “who may have links to human rights abuses or associations with companies/organisations that perpetrate human rights abuses” or who has links with “animal rights abuse, those linked to licences sale of arms, fossil fuels, etc”
4. As of 17:45 on 16/10/23, the SU website contains banners (presumably paid for) for GCHQ and the Royal Air Force Air Squadron
5. Both groups have a history of human rights abuses^[1],[2]

 

Council believes:

 

1. The criteria for groups that the SU does not work with should be made clear in a single policy
2. This list should be broadened to explicitly include the aspects of the British (and other) states with ties to human rights abuses

 

Council resolves:

 

1. To adopt the Policy in Appendix One as the Ethical Code of Practice for Commercial Activities