NERC Publication Scheme
July 2012
Contents
- Who we are and what we do
- Components of NERC
- How we work
- Information relating to the legislation relevant to NERC
- Working in partnership
- What we spend and how we spend it
- Procurement and tendering procedures including formally tendered contracts
- What are our priorities and how are we doing
- How we make decisions
- Policies and procedures
- Consulting our stakeholders
- Records management policy
- Personal data policy
- Charging regimes and policies
- Register of interests
- The services we offer
- Environmental Data
- Using NERC science
- NERC Libraries & Archives
- Publications
- Leaflets, booklets and newsletters
- News and Events
- Media releases
- Careers
- Customer service
Who we are and what we do
NERC funds world-class science, in universities and in our own research centres, that increases knowledge and understanding of the natural world.
We are tackling the 21st century's major environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity and natural hazards. We lead in providing independent research and training in the environmental sciences.
The NERC works alongside its sister Research Councils who have responsibility for other areas of research. The Research Councils are working together to create a common framework for research, training and knowledge transfer through Research Councils UK (RCUK). The Secretariat for RCUK is hosted by the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); the publication scheme for the RCUK Secretariat is incorporated within the EPSRC publication scheme and can be found on the RCUK's Freedom of Information webpages.
Related link: What we do 
Components of the Natural Environment Research Council
The Natural Environment Research Council is made up of a central office, research centres and facilities. As well as funding environmental science in universities, we own some of the world's best known research centres, such as the British Antarctic Survey and the British Geological Survey. Our ships, aircraft and satellite expertise gives us a global reach:
- NERC, Swindon Office (www.nerc.ac.uk)
- Research Centres (NERC owned) –
- British Antarctic Survey (www.antarctica.ac.uk)
- British Geological Survey (www.bgs.ac.uk)
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (www.ceh.ac.uk)
- National Centre for Atmospheric Science
- National Centre for Earth Observation
- National Oceanography Centre (noc.ac.uk)
The main pages of the NERC website are summarised on the Public site guide. This lists pages providing interesting areas of general information. If, however, you can't find what you are looking for, try the site search facility - a search box is included at both the top and bottom of each web page.
Related links: Research
centres and facilities
and Public site guide
How we work
An explanation of how NERC operates - its internal structure, and how the structure relates to the various roles and responsibilities of senior staff and its management board decision-making processes - is given in the about us section.
Related link: About us
Information relating to the legislation relevant to NERC
NERC's statutory obligation is to monitor British populations of seals as required under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970. Other legislation under which NERC has responsibilities can found by entering the search term "natural environment research council" (using quotation marks as demonstrated) into the 'advanced' text search area of the UK Statute Law online database.
Working in partnership
NERC works with several external partners, including both government and businesses. Case studies of successful developments that are based on our environmental science are available on our web pages.
If you would like to speak to someone about your interests, please contact knowledge@nerc.ac.uk.
Related links: Working with business
and Information for policymakers
What we spend and how we spend it
NERC's accounts are included in its Annual Report and Accounts. Our current Annual Report and other financial information, including remuneration for senior staff, can be downloaded from this website. Paper copies can also be ordered while stocks last.
Information on all of our funding schemes and research opportunities can be found on this website.
Related link: Annual
Report & Accounts
Procurement and tendering procedures including formally tendered contracts
All the UK Research Councils operate procurement through the RCUK Shared Service Centre Ltd. Information on Shared Service Centre Ltd can be found on the RCUK SSC website.
What are our priorities and how are we doing
Information on NERC's strategic priorities and managing its performance can be found on the NERC strategy web pages.
The Science Impacts Database (SID) gives public access to case studies showing the policy, economic, social and practical impacts of NERC's science investments. It is a new initiative and we welcome any feedback or comments you might have.
Related link: Strategy and managing performance
External link: Science Impacts Database
How we make decisions
A brief overview of our governance bodies, managerial structure and scheme of delegation followed by links to all NERC's main decision-making bodies, and their meeting papers and reports, can be accessed from this website link to our NERC Boards.
Related link: Boards and committees
Policies and procedures
All NERC's policies and procedures can be accessed from the web pages on NERC's business procedures.
Related link: Policies, procedures and guidance notes
Consulting our stakeholders
We consult widely within the environmental science community, with policy makers, government and public bodies, and the general public about the science we support. For further information open this link to the NERC consultation web pages.
Related link: Consulting our stakeholders
Records management policy
NERC's Records Management Policy ensures compliance with all relevant acts, regulations and standards of best practice. The Records Management Policy defines the guiding principles that govern the management of business information across NERC. It aims to ensure that information is accessible through time to those that need it, and that the business, legal and regulatory requirements of stakeholders are met.
Records Management Policy (54KB)
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 any documentation held may be subject to disclosure, irrespective of whether it is designated as a 'record'. NERC's record management is consistent with the Code of Practice on the management of records under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. As part of our commitment to records management NERC has introduced a corporate Electronic Records Management System. The Code of Practice on the management of records under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 can be accessed from the Ministry of Justice website.
Personal data policy
For information on NERC's personal data policy please see NERC's Information Charter which is published on our website.
Related link: Information
Charter
Charging regimes and policies
NERC charges for its data and services in line with HM Treasury guidelines, and pricing policy is based on the principles central to the Baker Review (1999)1 and the RIPSS Review (2004)2.. Details can be found on the HM Treasury website.
NERC's charges under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 can be found on the NERC Freedom of Information web pages.
NERC's policy for charging for its data can be found in our NERC Data Policy.
The British Geological Survey (BGS) has achieved accreditation under the Information Fair Trader Scheme (IFTS) from the Director of the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI). Further information on its pricing policy can be found on the BGS website.
Related links: Freedom
of Information
and Data policy
Register of interests
NERC's register of interests for its main decision-making board is published on this website.
Related link: NERC Council - Register of interests
The services we offer
NERC offers a wide range of services through its network of Research Centres, Collaborative Centres, Environmental Data Centres and Research Facilities. Links to these can be found on the main NERC website.
Environmental data
Information about NERC's environmental data holdings can be accessed via the NERC Environmental Data Centres' web pages.
NERC also operates a data search facility, which can be accessed via the NERC Data Catalogue Service website.
The NERC Environmental Data Portal (EDP) was developed to enable people to visualise data globally, regionally and locally through Google Earth or a web browser-based map.
Related link: Data
centres
Using NERC science
Our knowledge exchange schemes, and how our science works for industry and business, government and public sector, are explained on the NERC website.
Related links: Knowledge exchange funding schemes
Working with business
and Information for policymakers
NERC Libraries & Archives
NERC operates libraries and archives containing comprehensive primary and secondary research collections relating to environmental sciences. Holdings are dispersed amongst many specialist research centres.
Related link: Libraries and archives
Publications
Most of the outputs from NERC research are published in open scientific literature. NERC's Open Research Archive (NORA) provides a repository for research outputs (such as electronic copies of published papers) to improve access to the science being delivered by our research centres.
NERC's award winning quarterly magazine Planet Earth contains all the latest environmental science news. It is aimed at non-specialists with an interest in the sciences of the environment. For further information see the Planet Earth Online website for the latest news and science features.
Related links: NERC
Open Research Archive
and
Planet Earth
Leaflets, booklets and newsletters
NERC's publications can be either ordered or downloaded from this website (if published by NERC Swindon Office), or are available from its respective Research Centre/Surveys on specific topics relevant to their work.
Related link: Publications
News and Events
NERC organises exhibitions, conferences, events, debates and parliamentary receptions aimed at the general public, young people, policy makers, business and schools.
You can find details on all forthcoming and some recent events on our News and Events website. This section also contains a round-up of all NERC news and gives access to our RSS feeds.
RSS is a format used to publish frequently updated works, such as news headlines, audio, and video using a standardized format over the web.
Related links: News
and Events
Media releases
Access to our main press office, and the press offices at our Research Centres can be found on the NERC Press Office website.
Related link: Press
Office
Careers
Many of NERC's research centres and collaborative centres give careers advice and information on their own websites. Some of them also offer work experience and summer projects to school students interested in a science career. For further information on careers and current vacancies please see the NERC Careers website.
Related link: Careers
Customer service
If you have any formal complaints about our Publication Scheme or if you think we have not supplied information in accordance with our scheme then you should write, in the first instance, to:
Complaints Officer
NERC
Polaris House
North Star Avenue
Swindon
Wiltshire SN2 1EU