[2] The Guild possesses archives that go back to the First World War, establishing a very long tradition of what is referred to as 'modern Students' Unionism'.

This is achieved through regular meetings with University Senior Officers and Managers, as well as through lobbying Birmingham City Council, the Government and other bodies.

The Guild's welfare services are complemented by the Job Zone, which seeks and promotes part-time student vacancies, and the liberation associations.

With one of its three constitutional objects being to promote 'social intercourse', the Guild maintains social space, bars and event nights; all of these provide an income, without which initiatives including campaigns, the ARC, Job Zone, Niteline and many student groups would struggle to exist.

The major weekly night is Saturday's 'Fab 'N' Fresh', with other popular events including 'Very Important Tuesdays' (VIT), which have hosted acts such as Samantha Mumba, Wheatus and Cyndi Lauper, society-themed evenings such as 'The Mix', student group events and irregular gigs and comedy evenings.

The Guild finished a £4 million redevelopment in July 2010, with the ground floor of the building being completely overhauled, creating for the first time a dedicated membership area with all of the key services in one place.

In addition, the brand new bar started serving food, and the Guild opened its very own letting agent, the SHAC.

Every November until 2019 the Guild hosted Birmingham's biggest free public fireworks display on the Vale Village on the Thursday closest to bonfire night.

However, as the groups and the Executive are all part of the same organisation, the trustees reserve the right to edit content that poses legal or other risks to the Guild, which at times has caused friction amid claims of political censorship.

Each society produces roughly 1-2 shows per term, usually within the Guild itself, but occasionally branching out into site specific performance within the university grounds.

The Guild has a Student Groups department, which hosts and supports a large variety of student-led societies and volunteering projects.

[6][7] The society also actively encourages its members to improve their skills by making pull requests on their GitHub to make changes and improvements to the official website, giving members practise at using essential skills needed in the industry but not taught at the university.

[10] CSS also regularly host workshops to guide students through important information they will need to succeed in the industry.

[15] Some of these charities include Helen Bamber Foundation, Macmillan Cancer Support, Shelterbox UK and Birmingham Children's Hospital.

The Guild also released a statement to Redbrick, the student newspaper, stating that the event was projected to make a £14,000 loss.

It is also the custodian of the university's historic Cooke refractor, which was purchased in 1910 as a part of the original observatory on the Edgebaston campus and is now situated in a dome on top of the Poynting Building.

[25] The Society hosts a number of social events throughout the year, including an annual formal dinner, summer camping trip, and bar crawl.

Past Chair of the Society Samuel George won the 2007 Guild Awards Ross Barlow Memorial for most outstanding individual student for his work with AstroSoc.

[33] This decision was made following a Referendum that took place in February 2008 and was approved by over 4,000 students, the Executive, Guild Council and the university.

Key to the governance review was a need to clarify how decisions were made and by whom, especially in respect to the role of the Trustee Board and Guild Council.

They ensure the Guild remains legally compliant and solvent, in accordance with Memorandum and Articles of Association, the By-laws and Guidance and Strategy documents.

[39] In January 2006, a row erupted as the Guild became aware of and subsequently took issue with some of the policies sought by its Evangelical Christian Union society.

[40][41] At Guild Council in June 2006, President Richard Angell proposed a motion titled 'Ding Dong the Witch is Dead' that the Guild should 'have a party' on the occasion of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's death,[42] which was met with widespread criticism, even making The Times national newspaper.

In 2013, The Guild joined several other University unions in banning the song Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke from being played at club night Fab'N'Fresh.

[43] The boycott of the song was prompted by media outcry over the sexually explicit lyrics, which many deemed misogynistic and apologist regarding rape culture.

In retaliation, a Pro-choice society was quickly established to provide a group for students who advocate for the protection safe and legal abortion practices.