Russell Marchant, Vice-Chancellor at Hartpury University, has signed a new pledge backed by the UK government and campaign groups to state that Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) should no longer be used to silence the victims of sexual harassment.
In July 2021, Minister Donelan wrote to vice-chancellors urging them to tackle sexual harassment and abuse on campus, making clear all institutions must have robust procedures in place to deal with complaints and setting out her stance on the use of NDAs.
In January 2022 the UK government along with several UK universities and the global campaign #CantBuyMySilence came together to back the pledge. By signing, universities commit to not using NDAs against those who raise complaints of harassment and bullying – including sexual harassment and misconduct.
Russell Marchant, Vice-Chancellor, Principal and CEO at Hartpury University and Hartpury College said: “At Hartpury, we do not use NDAs and by signing this pledge we are emphasising our commitment to showing support for the removal of a practice that has the potential to inflict further harm to victims of harassment and assault.
“The aims of the campaign are in accordance with Hartpury values. We hope that our support helps to shine a light on the use of NDAs, which can be misused at the expense of a victim’s wellbeing. Our commitment to the pledge is part of the ongoing work we’re undertaking at Hartpury to tackle sexual harassment and misconduct, not just in universities and colleges but also in society as a whole.”
Embedding a culture where everyone feels safe to speak out has led to the creation of a specific sexual harassment policy at Hartpury University and Hartpury College and the introduction of new reporting systems for students, staff, and visitors. Using the Whisper tool, people who’ve experienced harassment in any form can raise the incident anonymously or provide their details so Hartpury can then put the appropriate support measures in place.
Working with Hartpury Students’ Union, Hartpury University and Hartpury College have established a prevention and response working group. The group comprises students, academic, professional and support staff from across the university and college and has set out clear aims to promote and embed a culture in which incidents of sexual harassment and misconduct are not tolerated and a safe environment for work and study is preserved.
Ensuring that the zero-tolerance policy, report and support processes and future plans for the group are clearly laid out for the Hartpury community, the working group will be running a series of social media posts and in personactivities - during the week commencing 14 March.
The Students’ Union will also be using the week to recruit student ambassadors to establish a branch of “The Last Taboo” - a student-led campaign group aimed at empowering students to tackle sexual harassment and misconduct. Read more about the campaign.
