Q: WHY DOES ‘GREAT PLACE TO WORK’ MATTER TO US? A: A Great Place to Work is the foundation of our success as a Great Place to Live and Invest. Our People Promise – to create the platform for our people to do their best work, experience the career journey of a lifetime, and achieve extraordinary things together – drives everything we do. Motivated, engaged teams deliver exceptional service, which fuels both resident satisfaction and shareholder value. By embedding our refreshed values – Lead with Heart, Stay on Point, Challenge the Ordinary, Unite as One – we’re building a culture of high trust, care, and challenge, where everyone can contribute meaningfully to our shared goals. Q: HOW HAS UNITE STUDENTS BECOME A BETTER PLACE TO WORK IN 2024? A: This year marked significant progress in making Unite Students a better place to work. Achieving the Investors in People Gold Award highlighted our dedication to empowering our people and improving their experience. We conducted our first culture audit, gathering insights that informed the creation of our new values and behaviours. The launch of My Impact provided a platform for more meaningful performance conversations, helping individuals align their goals with the Company’s priorities. Meanwhile, advances in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) – including guidance on neurodiversity and menopause – helped foster a more inclusive environment. Our engagement score rose to 74, the highest in two years, reflecting the positive impact of these initiatives. Q: WHAT ASPECTS OF UNITE STUDENTS’ WORKPLACE CULTURE ARE WE MOST PROUD OF? A: We’re proud of our vibrant, collaborative culture. Our teams demonstrate care, ambition, and innovation, tackling challenges with a forward- thinking mindset while staying true to our values. The progress we’ve made in DEIB is a testament to our commitment to creating an environment where everyone feels valued and included. Leadership and development opportunities, such as the General Manager programme, have strengthened our talent pipeline and empowered colleagues to grow in their roles. Q: HOW IS OUR PEOPLE FUNCTION WORKING WITH OTHER TEAMS TO FOSTER COMPANY-WIDE SUCCESS? A: The People Function plays a key role in aligning our people strategy with business goals. Through the People Come First (PCF) framework, we focus on unlocking potential, curating culture, and building for the future. This year, My Impact facilitated better alignment of individual performance with business priorities, while preparations for our 2025 Talent Experience Platform are set to enhance learning, development and goal setting. The Culture Matters forum has been a vital channel for employee feedback, shaping priorities and fostering inclusivity. By embedding our values into key processes such as recruitment and leadership development, we are enabling collaboration. Great Place to Work Q&A with Amy Round, Group People Director “ Happy, motivated teams are essential for delivering outstanding service to residents and driving strong performance for our shareholders.” THE UNITE GROUP PLC Annual Report and Accounts 2024 27