Each year, we host the Making a Difference Awards to celebrate the incredible and inspiring work of our University community. The awards highlight the extensive range of social responsibility initiatives of our staff, students, alumni and external partners, and covers categories such as benefit to research; widening participation; environmental sustainability and equality, diversity and inclusion.

Examples of our civic partnerships include:

• those with Manchester City Council on education, planning and the environment;
• the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and other local universities on a new Civic University Agreement to enhance regional social, economic and environmental wellbeing;
• a Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership and Health Innovation Manchester to drive local health improvements;
• the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership to deliver growth, jobs and prosperity for the area;
• Innovation GM to catalyse inclusive economic growth, level up the north, and increase global trade.

We also prioritise global partnerships to advance our work towards the SDGs. These include:

• our Engaged Member status of the global Talloires Network;
• as a founding member of the global University Social Responsibility Network;
• as a member of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI).

We signed the international SDG Accord as part of our ongoing commitment to social responsibility and environmental sustainability. Our Alliance Manchester Business School also signed the Principles for Responsible Management in Education (PRME). We are a founding member of the UK’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).