South Bank Students’ Union Limited

Who we are

South Bank Students' Union is a non-for-profit organisation, which champions social mobility through education and has a vision to disrupt the cycle of inequality in higher education. We are the recognised representative body of some 18,000 students studying at London South Bank University responsible for ensuring that our students needs and views are at the forefront of the University’s aims and ambitions. We also provide practical and academic advice, guidance, opportunities, and activities related to students’ academic, social, cultural and recreational interests.

Based at the heart of London’s Elephant & Castle, South Bank Students’ Union is on a mission to totally transform the way a students’ union works in a modern university. At South Bank Students' Union we believe that a student's background and life circumstances should not put them at an educational disadvantage, and all students deserve a high-quality University experience and the chance to graduate equipped with the tools to succeed in life.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

Commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

SBSU’s simple vision of disrupting inequality is the heartbeat of the organisation and it is this which steers its decisions, practice, and priorities. It unifies our services, and it drives our staff to remove societal barriers so that all people can achieve their full potential. SBSU believes that in order to truly disrupt inequality for its members, it must also strive to do this for its workforce – in short, staff must experience it in order to deliver it!

Our Union benefits enormously from having a team of staff with a range of diverse lived experiences. We understand that some life circumstances might be more complex, and that some will have had to overcome more barriers. We value the unique perspectives that are formed by an individual’s background and believe that ‘bringing your whole self to work’ is essential for informed decision making and collaboration and paves the way for high performance so we welcome applications from all, especially if your background and circumstances are traditionally underrepresented in the workplace. This approach underpins all of the organisation’s policies to ensure our practice is based on the equal and fair treatment of others. We do this with pride, integrity, and accountability, and understand we act as a role model to others in ensuring the promotion and practice of equality, diversity, and inclusion for all.

As an organisation, we actively look for ways that we can support our staff to thrive whilst not having to compromise on other aspects of their life which are important to them. We embrace flexible working and have a range of enhanced family leave policies and encourage staff to talk to us about how they can utilise these to help them succeed in their role.

We are proud to be the first Students’ Union to have adopted The Halo Code, the UK's first Black hair code. No Black employee should have to change their natural or protective hairstyle in order to thrive at work. We hope that the Halo Code will move us one step closer to a world free from discrimination, where all Black members of our community have their identities fully recognised and celebrated.

SBSU is an organisation where people with disabilities should feel included and that they can access the services and opportunities on offer. We are committed to providing them with the assistance and adjustments they need in order to progress, develop, and thrive.

This includes:

• Being a ‘Disability Confident’ Employer, which actively seeks out and recruits talented disabled staff.
• Supporting staff and prospective staff with disabilities to access and remain in employment – by making reasonable adjustments and removing barriers which might prevent them from carrying out the tasks expected of them effectively.
• Consulting with disabled colleagues and members to ensure continuous collaboration and to ensure their needs and development are given due consideration.
• Improving staff knowledge and awareness of disability through appropriate training and guidance.
• South Bank Students Union is a non-for-profit organisation, which champions social mobility through education and has a vision to disrupt the cycle of inequality in higher education.