List of reports and evidence related to this goal.
Sustainability Report – SDG08 (8.0)
Introduction:
Al-Ahliyya Amman University (AAU) demonstrates a strong and growing commitment to advancing SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth through a comprehensive framework of policies, procedures, partnerships, and evidence-based reporting. The university ensures fair and equitable employment practices, promotes labour rights, prevents discrimination, and supports safe and inclusive workplaces. AAU also invests heavily in student employability, skills development, innovation, and future-ready competencies through academic modernization, applied learning, and strategic cooperation with industry, financial institutions, and global partners.
The SDG 8 reporting framework at AAU integrates:
- the Fair and Equitable Wage Policy, ensuring living-wage standards and wage transparency;
- the Labour Rights and Non-Discrimination Policy, guaranteeing equal opportunities and protection from discriminatory practices;
- the Anti-Forced Labour and Anti-Human Trafficking Policy, ensuring zero tolerance for any form of coercion or exploitation;
- the Student Work Placement and Development Policy, supporting structured transitions to the labour market; and
- a wide set of operational procedures used to monitor compliance, resolve grievances, and promote ethical labour practices.
Through annual sustainability reporting, AAU maintains full transparency and aligns staffing, training, compensation, and student development systems with local legislation, international best practices, and the global sustainability agenda.
The following reports provide a detailed account of AAU’s progress for the years 2023–2024 and 2024–2025.
- Report Name: Decent Work and Economic Growth– 2024-2025
- Executive Summary:
The 2024–2025 SDG 8 Report highlights significant achievements by Al-Ahliyya Amman University (AAU) in promoting decent work conditions, equitable employment practices, and sustainable economic development. This reporting cycle demonstrates strengthened institutional capacity, enhanced labour protections, and substantial investments in student employability and future skills development.
AAU expanded its commitment to fair compensation by fully operationalizing the Fair and Equitable Wage Policy, accompanied by annual audits through the Living Wage Compliance Review Procedure. Results indicate continued 100% compliance with national labour laws and university wage standards. Complemented by the Gender Pay Gap Review Procedure, AAU recorded stable pay equity across all job families and ranks. The Employee Rights and Pay Appeals Procedure ensured a transparent and accessible mechanism for reviewing wage-related concerns, reinforcing trust and institutional integrity.
Major progress was also made in labour rights protection. The Labour Rights and Non-Discrimination Policy and the Workplace Anti-Discrimination Procedure reduced reported grievances and enhanced workplace satisfaction. The Union and Labour Rights Recognition Procedure supported employee participation and social dialogue, while the Long-Term Employment Contract Monitoring Procedure improved employment stability.
AAU further strengthened ethical supply chain practices through the Outsourced Labour Rights Policy and Supplier Labour Rights Compliance Review Procedure. Meanwhile, the Anti-Forced Labour and Anti-Human Trafficking Policy was supported by systematic risk assessments across outsourced operations.
On the economic growth and student development front, the university expanded work-placement opportunities through partnerships including Jordan Ahli Bank, JoPACC, KIA Jordan, Kotler Impact, and UiTM Malaysia. These collaborations enhanced students’ practical skills, digital literacy, and employability in rapidly evolving industries such as FinTech, artificial intelligence, electric mobility, and digital health.
Overall, the 2024–2025 reporting year demonstrates that AAU has built a mature and integrated SDG 8 framework grounded in transparency, labour justice, and the empowerment of students and employees, creating meaningful long-term socioeconomic value for the university community and Jordan.
Links:
- Report Name: Decent Work and Economic Growth– 2023-2024
- Executive Summary: [Text 300 word]
The 2023–2024 SDG 8 Report outlines Al-Ahliyya Amman University’s (AAU) foundational progress in institutionalizing decent work standards and strengthening economic growth initiatives. This period represents a major consolidation phase during which AAU formalized key labour policies, standardized compliance procedures, and reinforced its commitment to fair, equitable, and ethical employment conditions.
During this reporting year, AAU finalized and rolled out its core labour framework, including the Fair and Equitable Wage Policy, Labour Rights and Non-Discrimination Policy, and Outsourced Labour Rights Policy. These policies established university-wide standards for living wages, non-discriminatory practices, and ethical contracting, forming the structural basis for all subsequent labour governance systems.
The university also introduced several key procedural mechanisms to operationalize policy commitments.
The Living Wage Compliance Review Procedure confirmed that all AAU employees receive wages meeting or exceeding national and institutional benchmarks. The Gender Pay Gap Review Procedure provided the first systematic baseline assessment of pay equity, ensuring transparency in compensation structures. The Workplace Anti-Discrimination Procedure was activated to protect against workplace bias and discrimination, promoting safe and inclusive work environments.
AAU invested in long-term employment and labour stability through the Long-Term Employment Contract Monitoring Procedure, which ensured that staff contracts comply with regulatory and ethical standards. Additionally, early risk prevention systems were established through the Forced Labour and Human Trafficking Risk Assessment Procedure, supporting AAU’s zero-tolerance stance toward exploitation.
The 2023–2024 period also marked significant strides in student employability and skill development. The Student Work Placement and Development Policy and the Student Work Placement Provision Procedure enabled new structured pathways for experiential learning. Collaborative initiatives such as guest lectures, industry visits, and early MoUs with financial, technological, and innovative organizations laid a solid foundation for strengthening economic growth and labour readiness.
This year served as the structural bedrock upon which AAU built its more advanced accomplishments in 2024–2025, establishing a strong, transparent, and inclusive ecosystem aligned with SDG 8.
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Impact Evaluation & Development Plan
- Performance Evaluation
- Structured Assessment Tools
AAU applies a comprehensive set of assessment tools including standardized sustainability literacy surveys, competency-based rubrics, reflective learning assessments, and embedded course evaluation instruments to measure understanding of sustainability and SDG principles. These assessments evaluate environmental responsibility, ethical employment practices, inclusion, climate awareness, sustainable economic development, and labour rights.
- Annual Assessment Cycles
Assessment cycles are conducted each academic year across all levels. Annual data track trends in awareness, behavioural development, and SDG-related competencies, enabling continuous improvement of workplace practices and student employability systems.
- Quantitative & Qualitative Indicators
The framework integrates multiple data types:
- scenario-based and multiple-choice assessments (knowledge),
- Likert-scale indicators (perceptions and attitudes),
- open-ended reflections (values and application).
This balance provides a robust, multidimensional picture of SDG 8 performance at the institutional and student levels.
- Integration with Curriculum & Workforce Systems
Assessment findings inform curriculum design, workforce development programs, and SDG integration across faculties. Insights from literacy assessments, training outcomes, and employability indicators are used to refine capstone criteria, strengthen labour rights content, and ensure academic programs prepare students for ethical, inclusive, and future-ready employment.
- Transparency and Public Reporting
All results are validated by the Sustainability & International Ranking Center (SIRC) and published in the:
- AAU Sustainability Report 2024–2025,
- Executive Sustainability Report,
- AAU Sustainability Portal,
ensuring transparency and alignment with global best practices. - Development Actions
Action 1: University-Wide SDG 8 Literacy Survey Annual mandatory survey for all students and employees.
Target: ≥ 70% participation per year.Action 2: Sustainability Competency Rubric Rubric assessing knowledge, behaviours, skills, and values linked to labour rights, economic sustainability, and future skills.
Target: Full adoption by 2026.Action 3: Capstone Course Integration Embed SDG 8 criteria into graduation projects and practicum courses.
Target: 100% integration by 2027.Action 4: Decent Work & Economic Dashboard A digital dashboard tracking wages, equity, labour rights compliance, employability, and student placement trends.
Target: Operational by 2026.Action 5: Regional Benchmarking
Annual comparison against MENA universities.
Target: Publish a benchmarking report every year. - Benchmarking & Best Practice
AAU benchmarks its SDG 8 framework against:
- University of British Columbia (Canada)
- University of Cambridge (UK)
- University of Gothenburg (Sweden)
Best Practices Adopted
- annual assessments of labour rights and workplace well-being,
- embedding SDG-based employability competencies in academic programs,
- competency-based labour-skills measurement,
- public dashboards for transparency,
- living-wage verification systems,
- gender-equity and anti-discrimination monitoring.
Localization to Jordan’s Context
AAU adapts these global practices through alignment with:
- national labour laws,
- Jordan’s National Employment Strategy,
- Fair and Equitable Wage Policy,
- Labour Rights and Non-Discrimination Policy,
- Outsourced Labour Rights Policy,
- Anti-Forced Labour and Human Trafficking Policy,
- Student Work Placement and Development Policy.
Future Goal (by 2028)
Establish the AAU Decent Work & Labour Rights Observatory, dedicated to measuring labour-rights compliance, economic impact, workplace equity, and employability outcomes at the student and staff levels.
Institutional Integration Summary
At AAU, SDG 8 is fully integrated into institutional systems through a robust framework of policies, procedures, assessments, and strategic partnerships. The Sustainability & International Ranking Center (SIRC) oversees quality assurance, data validation, and reporting, while academic faculties, HR departments, and industry partners collaborate to promote ethical labour practices, skills development, and economic growth.
Through structured assessments, workforce protections, student training pathways, transparent reporting, and evidence-based planning, AAU ensures that employees and graduates are equipped with the competencies necessary to advance inclusive economic growth, ethical employment, and long-term national development, strengthening SDG 8 and supporting SDG 4, SDG 10, SDG 12, and SDG 17.
