Responsible Futures framework

The Responsible Futures framework, developed by pilot institutions and sector bodies, assists partnerships to legitimise and mainstream education for sustainable development as a tool for delivering an education.

The criteria used in Responsible Futures framework provide a roadmap for actions - they are not prescriptive and seek to recognise individual partnerships' different approaches.
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The criteria within the framework cover key themes including:
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Baselines and benchmarks

• Gaining an in-depth understanding, knowledge, and familiarity with ESD across the institution

Partnership and planning

• How you work to ensure capacity for and continuity of work related to Responsible Futures

Leadership and strategy

• Institutional leadership and gaining buy in through statements of support and strategy

Policy and commitment

• Committing appropriate resources to the agenda and aligning this with existing processes

Interventions

• Specific interventions used to engage students and staff

Impacts and outcomes

• •Reflecting on impact of your work  

Outreach

• Sharing what you have done and learning from others  

Self-defined criteria

• Highlighting unique good practice

Partnerships are supported throughout to engage with the criteria and deliver key impacts and outcomes through a whole-institution approach.

If you’re interested in looking through the Responsible Futures framework to see how it can support you, please get in touch (responsiblefutures@sos-uk.org)

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Responsible Futures year-long membership includes bespoke SOS-UK support.  

SOS-UK works with the partnership to first explore your aims and priorities. We then work with you to deliver a bespoke support that aligns with your priorities and helps you to meet your goals.  

Some examples of bespoke support we have delivered include:

• Workshops   
• Attending/chairing planning meetings   
• Research   
• Mock audits   
• Gap analysis of Responsible Futures criteria   
• Speaking on panels
• Feedback on strategies, policies etc.
• Creating resources

Since its pilot in 2013, over 39 institutions and students' unions have participated in Responsible Futures, representing nearly 700,000 students across the UK.  

The launch of the international pilot sees 6 new universities added to the network, reaching over 100,000 students globally.

Please see the UK and international pages to learn more about participating institutions.  

Responsible Futures Partnerships are encouraged and supported to make use of this extensive network of partnerships representing a broad range of experiences with embedding sustainability in learning, and share learning between partnerships through regular network catch up calls, support afternoons and webinars.

We are happy to connect you with individuals involved in the programme so you can ask them about Responsible Futures directly.

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Partnerships work through the Responsible Futures toolkit over one to three years. Once they indicate they are ready, partnerships have a two-day student-led audit facilitated by SOS-UK.  

The audit determines the partnership’s accreditation – either the full accreditation or a ‘working towards’ recognition – and provides both the partnership, student auditors and SOS-UK with valuable findings resulting from criteria and documentary evidence review, interviews, and student focus groups. This is consolidated into an individualized audit report outlining findings, successes, and opportunities for improvement.  

A critical aspect of the audit is the learning and development of the student auditors. The SOSUK staff member is there as a facilitator, but the process is very much led by the students.  

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We have an evidence base from delivering over 46 audits that it is a unique, and impactful opportunity for students to develop knowledge and skills re: sustainability. Students across institutions have described the experience as “immersive,” “uplifting” and “eye-opening.”  
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The Responsible Futures mark is awarded to institutions that pass the score threshold in their student-led audit. This mark is a demonstrable commitment to embedding sustainability across all aspects of student learning and is valid for two years.

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