41061 Unite AR22 HI-RES WEB-READY - Flipbook - Page 105
STRATEGIC REPORT
GOVERNANCE
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
OTHER INFORMATION
Workforce engagement has led to shaping the Board’s
decision-making which included the launch of our first
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging (DEIB) and Wellbeing
strategy. Through 2022, the Board’s decisions were
primarily focused on our people as well as safety and
wellbeing. See page 10 on how we engaged with our people
in 2022. Our engagement resulted in the following:
•
An EDI survey completed by employees to better
understand their needs and assess our progress.
•
The expansion of the DEIB and Wellbeing team to assist
with the implementation and embedding of the DEIB
and Wellbeing strategy into the culture of our business.
See more on page 50.
•
Launch of the Academy and our first Diversity, Equity,
Inclusion and Belonging course for all employees.
•
The Board continued to support flexibility in our ways of
working. See more on page 51 on enhancing the health
and wellbeing of our employees and students.
•
Ongoing participation in the Positive Impact programme
(see more on pages 10 and 54 about this programme).
The Board, through the detailed work of the Remuneration
Committee, also monitors pay and practices across the
wider workforce with the Group People Director attending
these meetings to update on workforce initiatives and offer
an employee perspective to the Committee’s deliberations.
See more on page 134.
The Board also considers diversity, equity, inclusion,
belonging and wellbeing across the workforce, by considering
(among other things) our gender and ethnic diversity
throughout the Group as well as our gender pay gap.
Investment in workforce
The Company invests in our people, conscious that we can
only deliver a home for our students, and ultimately our
purpose of Home for Success, through our people. Our
people are a key stakeholder and how we engage with them
and measure this is set out on pages 10, 31 and 49–51.
OUR DIVERSITY,
EQUITY, INCLUSION,
BELONGING AND
WELLBEING STRATEGY
LAUNCHED IN 2022
The Company is a fully accredited Living Wage employer and
provides recognition through pay awards, annual bonuses
for all employees and our annual employee scheme, Stars
Awards, recognising individuals and teams. Senior leaders
are eligible to participate in the Long Term Incentive Plan.
All employees are eligible to participate in the Company’s
SAYE scheme.
The Academy was launched in 2022 and provides
employees with a personalised and tailored learning
experience. Training has been rolled out throughout the
business across diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging,
student support, sustainability and leadership, including
the launch of our ninth leadership development cohort.
We refreshed our corporate induction during 2022
providing information about the business, roles and
properties so that each new joiner has everything they
need to succeed at Unite.
As a responsible and sustainable business, creating diverse
and engaged teams is critical to our ongoing success.
Whistleblowing programme
The Board annually reviews our whistleblowing programme
and the nature of concerns raised. Our Whistleblowing
Policy and a clear explanation as to how employees can
raise a concern in confidence, is readily available and
published on our intranet. This includes raising a concern
via an independent third-party if someone feels this is
necessary. Concerns raised are then investigated by the
Company Secretary and escalated as appropriate.
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