Office of Finance & Audit (OFA)

The American International University – Bangladesh (AIUB) is committed to environment enhancement activities by means of research, utilization of resources, facility and funding management.

At AIUB, sustainability is a term defined to comprehend and value the correlation among the earth’s inhabitants and atmosphere. We pledge to engage our collaborative effort and knowledge to uphold this definition.

AIUB aims to work towards achieving sustainability milestones in the following areas in near future:

• Increased number of research conducted focusing sustainability
• Reduction of carbon footprint in campus
• Increase of recycling resources
• Reducing solid waste
• Reducing emission of greenhouse gas
• Lower usage of energy
• More engagement of Students, Faculties and Officials towards sustainability

AIUB gives priority to research and student activities that ensures sustainable development and/ or encompass such components.

Some of the AIUB funded research, student projects and activities are:

Student Solar Car Project

Sustainable living project in collaboration with Habitat

College Student’s Ideas Challenge for sustainable development

Brief Overview

As one of the prominent private universities in Bangladesh, AIUB aims to not only lead by example, but set an example that can inspire and encourage its students, staff, and stakeholders to be sustainable, responsible, and morally ethical in every aspect of their lives beyond just work and studies. The university believes in ensuring environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and accountable governance & integrity.

Policy Scope & Purpose

AIUB is committed to ensuring that all funds are utilized responsibly. The policy outlines the strategy for the usage of funds endowed to the university for specific purposes in dealing with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues that address the focal point of sustainability within the university.

The university will be accountable for its financial resources, managing it with ethical and social obligations. AIUB will maintain its investment policy and practices, with discretion, in alignment with its mission, vision, and strategic priorities, abiding by the fiduciary and investment standards applicable to institutional funds.

Strategic Approach

The university believes that the investment activities must be conducted in a manner that seeks to ensure that the current needs are met without compromising that of the future generations. AIUB understands that this commitment towards investing responsibly must be aligned to the university’s general objectives in the long run. This policy has been developed to enable the university to pursue an ethical approach while minimizing the negative impact on returns, being socially aware and taking morals & ethics into consideration to reap mutual charitable benefits.

• AIUB will ensure that to engage and collaborate with organizations have a responsible culture, practices, and good governance, and not be affiliated with any organization whose operations may be harmful to society or the environment, specifically:

• Weapons/Arms
• Alcohol/Drugs
• Gambling/Illegal Activities

• AIUB will proactively seek opportunities to allocate funds towards promote social responsibilities, reducing carbon emission & greenhouse gases, and develop solutions for climate change, under the Higher Education Sustainability Initiatives (HESI), in cooperation with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). AIUB intends to work towards reducing its carbon footprint, through its infrastructure, policies, and practices.

• AIUB will continuously advocate for human rights, including but not limited to promoting equality of gender, race, and sexuality, and denouncing any and all forms of discrimination within the student community, as well as the staff and stakeholders.

• AIUB will engage in good business ethics, employment practices, and community service that furthers its objectives for establishing sustainable and morally sound organizational practices that always take sustainability into consideration for decisions related to fund allocation in ESG projects

• AIUB will encourage international cooperation with other institutions to promote mutually beneficial collaborative projects geared towards promoting cultural exchanges, minimize global conflicts, and empower stronger partnerships that forge ideas for creating a better future for the leaders of tomorrow

The American International University – Bangladesh (AIUB) is committed to diversity and sustainability as dimensions of an environmentally responsible society. Purchasing decisions at AIUB are aimed to balance social, economic, and environmental factors and consider the impacts resulting from production, transportation, use and disposal of products or services.

The designated procurement committee of AIUB will make procurement decisions that embody AIUB’s commitment including local and global issues affecting social, ecological, and economic sustainability.

Depending on the type of the procurement, requirement and commodity, the following practices must be adopted:

• Maximize e-Procurement or electronic payment vouchering, electronic and paperless processes, and web-based catalogs
• Whenever possible purchase organic and local produce
• Energy efficiency, such as Energy Star, etc. wherever applicable and available
• Exchange or Trade-ins – supplier take back programs
• Reduction of waste
• Reusable, refillable packaging
• Reduction of packing material
• Responsible delivery and transportation process
• Encourage bidders to submit proposals using recycled paper and doubled sided copying to minimize waste
• In case if environment friendly services or products are not available, the University will work with suppliers to identify and develop opportunities