The Making a Difference Awards recognise and celebrate the many different types of social responsibility achievements of the University’s academic and professional support staff, students and alumni.

Twelve months on from the launch of the University’s new Workplace Giving scheme, more than 200 members of staff are donating a total of over £100,000 a year to charity from their pay.

University Place hosted almost 800 first year students taking part in Sustainability Challenge 2015, part of our Ethical Grand Challenges programme for students.

But without real commitment from all governments to implement the Sustainable Development Goals, tackling poverty, inequality and climate change in every country, we will miss the opportunity to create a more equitable world for our grandchildren.

The ‘We Get It’ campaign took the Gold Award in the Best Corporate Campaign or Initiative category at the HEIST Awards last week.

The generosity of University of Manchester staff has led to the award of a Bronze Payroll Giving Quality Mark.

Winners received their awards from Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell in 11 different categories; such as Outstanding Contribution to Community Collaboration, Outstanding Contribution to Equality and Diversity and Outstanding Benefit to Society through Research, with all winners highlighting the significant difference they are making to the social, economic, cultural and environmental wellbeing of our communities and wider society.