21/09/2021

To our stakeholders:

I am pleased to confirm that the Academy for International Science and Research reaffirms its support of the Ten Principles of the United Nations
Global Compact in the areas of Human Rights, Labour, Environment and Anti-Corruption.

In this annual Communication on Progress, we describe our actions to continually improve the integration of the
Global Compact and its principles into our business strategy, culture and daily operations. We also commit to sharing
this information with our stakeholders using our primary channels of communication.

Sincerely,

Dr. Terence McIvor
CEO

AISR is committed to support the protection and fulfilment of human rights around the world and is guided by fundamental principles of human rights, such as those in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. AISR is also a signatory to the United Nations (UN) Global Compact.

AISR seeks to integrate the corporate responsibility to respect human rights articulated in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Our support for these fundamental principles and preventing potential abuses is reflected in our policies and actions toward our employees, suppliers, clients and the countries where we do business e.g. code of conduct, safeguarding policy, fair employment, data protection, and grievance mechanisms etc.

We believe that human rights are at the heart of a sustainable business, therefore we expect our suppliers and business partners to also integrate human rights into their policies, corporate strategy, risk management and reporting.

Our core values include tackling the issues of unfairness and promoting gender equality. AISR is involved in several European research projects focusing on the promotion of STEM subjects and careers, and nutritional education to help and combat obesity amongst school kids of all genders. These projects also contribute to tackling the STEM gender inequality.

AISR strives to prevent impacts to human rights and seeks to do business with clients who share our commitment to respect human rights. We carry out appropriate due diligence on clients to maintain our high ethical standards and to protect rights holders potentially affected by unethical and harmful activities.
By carrying out Human Rights related risks assessment, AISR seeks to address risks related to its products and services. This risk assessment process includes:
• Identifying the risks to all human rights related to the full range of AISR’s business activities and relationships
• Focusing on the most serious harms
• Engaging and communicating meaningfully with stakeholder

Specific goals for the upcoming year:
Professional Development has been one of the core values of AISR since its inception. We recognise the shifts that are taking place in the workplace due to COVID-19, and our responsibility to respect the rights of workers in our business is ever so important. We are committed to ensuring that all our employees are reskilled or up skilled in order to have a future-fit skillset. While we may not be able to offer permanent, full-time, fixed jobs for life, we want to ensure that our employees are equipped with the skills and knowledge required to protect their livelihoods, whether within or outside of AISR.

AISR’s policies and procedures reflect the support of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Therefore AISR’s policies set out clear standards for human rights in order to avoid and address human rights-related risks including:
1. Health & safety
2. Non-discrimination
3. No harassment and violence
4. Grievance procedures
5. Safeguarding of young people and vulnerable adults
6. Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining
7. No forced labour
8. Rest and leisure
9. Fair wages and income
10. Fair employment
11. Point of contact for Human Resources related topics

Training of employees on human Rights is part of the induction process. Additionally, we expect all our staff, contractors, clients and business partners to respect human rights in line with our policies.

Our Human Rights due diligence process focuses on four key areas:
• Assess and prioritise human rights risks
• Combine the portfolio of Policies relating to Human Rights and identified risks into ways of working
• Track and audit policy implementation
• Communicate progress internally and externally

We believe that maintaining continuous communication with our stakeholders is key.

Despite the impact of COVID-19, we were able to employ three new staff.

We track our Human Rights risks and impacts through two channels: AISR’s Human Rights Due Diligence Framework and suggestions box. Our Human Rights Due Diligence framework embeds respect for human rights in our internal controls, so that our Directors maintain oversight of projects and actions to strengthen respect for human rights. This includes taking key steps to prevent, manage and mitigate human rights abuses in our operations including:
• Assess actual and potential human rights risks
• Identify risks and take actions
• Mitigate risk sand remediate personnel
• Monitor, review, report and improve

AISR does not accept threats or intimidation against human rights defenders, and it recognises the role of human rights defenders by embedding human rights into our operations. We continue to draw from the experience of our business partners on topics such as respecting human rights in high risk contexts and health and safety.

AISR carries out annual periodic reviews, which are designed to provide an opportunity for reflection on the quality, standards and enhancement of its programmes, projects, academic provision, policies and procedures. This Periodic Review enables AISR to reflect on its strengths and areas for improvement in order to improve the experience of the students, staff, clients, business partners and stakeholders.

AISR supports the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the international labour standards developed by the International Labour Organization (ILO), freedom of association and collective bargaining and we ensure that our staff’s labour rights are respected and upheld to a high standard.

AISR actively seeks to avoid employment discrimination at all stages of the employment process from recruiting and promoting people. AISR encourages business partners and suppliers to adhere to the Global Compact Labour principles or equivalent.
AISR’s policies reflect the human and labour rights conventions and treaties from the right to decent work and freedom of association to equal opportunity and protection against discrimination. These policies include:
• Health and safety in the workplace
• Equal opportunity
• Rest, leisure and reasonable limitation of working hours
• The right of everyone to form and join the trade union of his choice
• And more

Goals for the future: As only some of our staff has taken up the National Union of Teachers membership opportunity, we will encourage them to join.

Our commitment to respecting human rights is more specifically described in our many policies, standards and strategies, including our Code of Conduct, Privacy Policy, Equal opportunity etc. These commitments apply to our employees, communities, business partners and includes our own operations.

We are committed to providing a safe, confidential and accessible workplace to all and ensure that anyone can report (suggestion box) any matter that they believe is inconsistent with AISR’s values and policies. We treat all reports seriously and will investigate promptly. AISR has legal responsibilities to ensure a safe and healthy workplace, which is ensured by our rigorous health and safety policy and continuous training of employees.

Training for employees on labour rights and policies is part of the induction process.

AISR is a member of the National Union of Teachers, providing opportunity for our teachers to join this union if they wish.

We monitor and evaluate any reported cases relating to labour rights.
No external audits are conducted.
We aim to include demographics of management and employees by diversity factors in our future reports.

AISR is mostly office based, thus the nature of our operations makes our direct environmental impact relatively small. The environmental impact is instead mostly indirect, via clients, business partners and suppliers.

We play a central role in educating our community, which enables us to influence the environmental awareness and work of our stakeholders.

AISR is committed to purchasing environmentally friendly products when economically viable.

Specific goals in the area of environmental protection for 2022: Participate in a research project, which is specifically concerned with the promotion of the European Green Deal.

Training in waste management and recycling is part of the employee induction process.
At our HQ office we use energy saving lighting throughout our offices and the heating is controlled to reduce energy costs.
We always check our potential suppliers environmental footprint of products and services.

AISR has not had any environmental incidents.
No external audits are carried out.

AISR has has a zero-tolerance policy for corruption, bribery and extortion as well as protocol to guide staff in situations where they are confronted with extortion or bribery.

AISR encourages business partners and suppliers to adhere to the Global Compact anticorruption principles or equivalent.

AISR supports the UN Convention Against Corruption and we will not operate in countries or with organisations who are corrupt.

AISR does not have specific goals in the area of anti-corruption for the upcoming year.

Training of staff about AISR’s policies regarding anti-corruption and possible conflicted situations is part of the induction process.
The suggestion box enables anyone to report any matter that they believe is inconsistent with AISR’s values and policies. We treat all reports seriously and will investigate promptly.

AISR has not been involved in any legal cases, rulings or other events related to corruption and bribery.

AISR submits audited accounts each year to Companies House which can be used as one of the methods of identifying any spurious payments which could be related to bribery or corrupt behaviour.