THE UNITE GROUP PLC Annual Report and Accounts 2024 12 STRATEGIC REPORT BUSINESS MODEL continued Stakeholder value How we engage Through our Higher Education Engagement team, we meet regularly with leaders across the UK university sector. We engage at various levels in institutions ranging from discussions on strategic planning to day-to-day operational requirements. In addition, we engage actively in the wider Higher Education sector, presenting at conferences and contributing to Higher Education research. We continue to support the Living Black at University Commission, to help black students more easily acclimatise to life at university. Value created in 2024 • Provided 38,000 beds to universities for the 2024/25 academic year. • Agreed a new joint venture with Newcastle University to redevelop their Castle Leazes site. • Our Support to Stay framework aims to join up wellbeing services with university partners. Priorities for 2025 We will continue to support the growth ambitions of our university partners through nomination agreements and opportunities to deepen strategic partnerships. We expect to secure our second university joint venture in the next three months; continuing our research programme in partnership with universities to better understand each cohort of students. Universities Key issues • Student experience and welfare • Operational performance • Health and safety How we engage The availability of housing is a key issue for our local communities. We are focused on supporting the growth of our university partners through the delivery of new, high-quality and affordable student homes, which increase housing supply and help free up more traditional housing for families and young professionals. We also engage actively with local stakeholders for our development projects to ensure the design of our buildings, public spaces and community facilities meet their needs. Our Positive Impact programme encourages employee participation in local community projects, which can earn awards based on delivering measurable impact. Value created in 2024 • Delivered our most sustainable development to date. • Employment for over 1,500 people in our local communities. • Invested £10.2million in initiatives to reduce our environmental impact. • 3,842 hours of employee volunteering in the year, an increase of 9% compared to 2023. • 47 Silver and Gold Positive Impact awards for community projects. Priorities for 2025 We aim to increase community engagement through our Positive Impact programme, via initiatives delivered by local teams in our properties and our head office colleagues. In addition, we will continue to engage with local authorities and local communities around new development activity, to explain how the community benefits from creating new, high-quality student accommodation. Communities Key issues • Trust and transparency • Housing availability • Local investment and job creation