41061 Unite AR22 HI-RES WEB-READY - Flipbook - Page 102
100
THE UNITE GROUP PLC | Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
BOARD LEADERSHIP AND PURPOSE continued
Following the launch of our new 24/7/365 operating model
in June 2022, we brought employees together for our
Forward Together events. These events focused on sharing
our plans and strategy to deliver on our core purpose,
Home for Success, and creating opportunities for all
through our People Strategy.
During 2022, the Board resumed in-person meetings and
ensured there was opportunity to listen and hear directly
from the leadership team, the wider business and our
stakeholders. Through 2022, the Board engaged with our
employees and stakeholders on the impact of the rising
cost-of-living pressures, as well as our environmental and
social impact.
The Board was keen to build upon the 2021 Fresh Start
events to reinvigorate our purpose, values and culture
and update our teams on our strategy. To support this,
the business ran “Class of 22” events across 5 cities, with
everyone across the business invited. The Board’s focus
for these events was to prepare our teams for the 22/23
academic year student arrivals and working together to
build a world-class customer offering.
The Board receives updates on business performance
from our leadership team, including the Chief Customer
Officer, Group Investment & ESG Director, Group Property
Director, Group People Director, Deputy Chief Financial
Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, Group Safety Director, Group
Communications Director, Head of Sustainability, Higher
Education Engagement Director and Group Legal Director &
Company Secretary (among others).
Unite Live
The Board is also responsible for:
Forward Together and “Class of 22”
Unite Live provides employees with an opportunity to
engage directly with our Chief Executive Officer and the
senior leadership team through an online forum. Any
question can be tabled about working in Unite with regular
questions relating to safety, wellbeing and diversity.
We update our people on business developments through
weekly updates from our Communications team and via a
range of platforms including the employee intranet, the Hub.
Board oversight
The Board discharges some of its responsibilities directly
and others through Committees and senior management.
Terms of Reference for the Committees are available in our
Governance Framework, published on www.unitegroup.
com/about-us/corporate-governance. To discharge their
broader responsibility effectively, the Group operates in an
open, harmonious and transparent manner, ensuring open
communication between the Board and the business and
its stakeholders.
•
Assessing, monitoring and promoting the Company’s
culture, and ensuring that this closely aligns with its
purpose, values and strategy (see pages 98–99, Our
Values and Culture).
•
Ensuring the necessary resources are in place for the
business to meet its strategic objectives.
•
Establishing workplace policies and business practices
that align with the Company’s culture and values and
support its strategy (see pages 102–103).
•
Overseeing the implementation of a robust controls
framework to allow effective management of risk, with
this oversight delegated to the Audit & Risk Committee
(see pages 119–124).
•
Effective succession planning for key senior personnel,
much of which is delegated to the Nomination
Committee (see pages 115–118).
The Board has ultimate responsibility to Unite’s
shareholders for all the Group’s activities as well as a
broader responsibility to consider the views of other key
stakeholders. These include our customers, universities,
employees, suppliers and the communities we operate in,
as well as considering environmental and social issues when
making decisions. All of the Board’s significant decisions are
considered having regard to Section 172 and specifically
the likely consequences of these decisions in the long-term
and their impact on our stakeholders. Pages 66–68 highlight
how the Board has sought to effectively consider and
engage with our shareholders and wider stakeholders.
While the above summarises the key areas of Board
responsibility, it is not intended to be exhaustive.
