SRS Business Plan
A safe, secure and resilient UBC
The 2025-28 Safety & Risk Services (SRS) Business Plan has been developed to support the Vice-President Finance and Operations (VPFO) Strategic Plan, which in turn integrates with The University of British Columbia (UBC) Strategic Plan. This business plan commits to a continual improvement in SRS resources, systems, and processes to ensure that the campus community is safe, secure, and resilient.
The SRS strategy has greatly evolved over the past five years. We have made tremendous progress in building relationships with our stakeholders, both internal and external, and are better positioned to assist in integrating a risk management culture at UBC. As always, we will continue to provide excellent delivery of risk services to our campus community.
SRS recognizes that there are key drivers that shape the department and inform our business plan. These drivers include:
1. Increasing Legislative and Legal Requirements
Provincial and Federal changes to legislation are constant. Tracking these changes, understanding the implications and any associated case law, and incorporating these new or revised requirements into our systems and processes is critical for SRS to be able to mitigate risk and maintain compliance.
2. Growth and Complexity of the Institution
UBC continues to undergo change and growth with new buildings, programs and more on campus residents. This impacts our relationships with stakeholders, like the University Neighbourhood Association and the RCMP, and the complexity of research activities creates challenges for SRS. These challenges include a need to ensure adequate and appropriate resources, including staff with the appropriate skills and training, for response and implementation of compliance and risk mitigation programs.
3. Technology and Innovation
Technology continues to evolve, which impacts the way we want to deliver service to our stakeholders. This evolution requires SRS to be innovative and have a long-term vision for IT-supported services, including crisis communication channels, training, information security practices, providing metrics to drive safety culture and accountability, and moving away from paper-based systems to provide streamlined processes to our clients.
4. Increasing Global Events that Affect our Campus Community
Increased environmental, social, and political events globally, nationally and locally continue to increase engagement across the UBC community. Appropriate response to these types of issues is critical to the campus community as is the welfare and wellbeing of the SRS team that responds to and manages these engagements.
5. Funding and Economic Change
Funding /budget uncertainty requires constant review of resourcing, opportunities for cost savings, and efficiencies.
The refresh of the SRS Business Plan is a key step in providing a roadmap and priorities for the next three years. In addition, the Action Plans provide details into the goals and activities of the SRS teams, and the opportunity to collaborate with UBC Okanagan to ensure alignment and a stronger community of practice.
Vision and purpose
Vision
A safe, secure and resilient UBC.
Purpose
We are trusted service providers who deliver integrated safety and security risk management services to the UBC community.
SRS Units
SRS strives to be an innovative leader in risk management across the University and amongst our peer institutions. We have an incredibly knowledgeable and dedicated staff that continuously focus on improving their services in the following areas of risk management.
- Campus Security
- Emergency Management & Continuity Planning
- Environmental Protection
- Insurance & Loss Prevention
- Occupational Health & Safety
- Privacy & Information Security Management (PrISM)
Strategic Directions
SRS has identified three Strategic Directions to ensure alignment with the UBC Strategic Plan and VPFO Strategic Plan.
Support and Develop Great People
VPFO Strategic Plan alignment:
- Inclusion: Culture Transformation – Inspire, recruit, develop, and support people through a unified VPFO culture.
Commitment Statement
- We will create a work environment that fosters employee value, growth and satisfaction.
Actions
- Promote employee growth through training and work opportunities that reinforce key skill sets.
- Cultivate leaders and UBC leadership competencies through training, coaching, and career development.
- Strengthen culture by building knowledge and resources in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Indigenous rights, and employee engagement and wellness.
Engage and Advise the Campus Community
VPFO Strategic Plan alignment:
- Collaboration: Customer Service & Engagement – Advance our culture of services, stewardship, and continuous improvement.
Commitment Statement
- We will sustain meaningful relationships that foster shared accountability for safety and security.
Actions
- Educate and leverage champions/advocates and communities of practice to serve as local resources.
- Enhance community communication channels and interactions.
- Mature and socialize our core service level requirements to manage service expectations.
Strengthen & Embed Risk-Based Practices
VPFO Strategic Plan alignment:
- Innovation: Business Transformation – Enhance our safety, sustainability, and financial accountability.
Commitment Statement
- We will deliver programs and projects that prevent loss, advance compliance and help mitigate risk.
Actions
- Deliver major strategic projects that address key institutional risk areas, in partnership with university stakeholders.
- Align and measure activities to an established standard.
- Integrate performance tracking with reporting and follow up to appropriate audiences.
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