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PURPOSE AND STRATEGY

Creating a Home for Success for students

By providing the right home environment for the students who come to live with us from across the globe each year, we can enable them to achieve the goals and ambitions they aspire to.

To do this we have the right employees, culture and relationships in place.

Our 1,900 employees are committed to the delivery of our Home for Success purpose. Our strong values underpin the way they deliver, day-in, day-out. Our actions as a business are driven by insights from our employees and students, enabling us to work collaboratively with university partners.

We have high visibility over our earnings and operate in a sector which is growing through demographic demand. Our occupancy rates are driven by a mix of contracts with university partners, private accommodation providers and direct-let sales. The marketing we do through our website and agents is enabling us to capture market share from the houses of multiple occupation (HMO) market – an area where we have seen progress in recent years.

The quality, location and scale of our portfolio is a key component in our business model and long term strategy. We align to the strongest universities, delivering solutions which work for them and support their growth ambitions. We are focusing investment in new development in London and prime regional cities.

Listen to Chief Executive Richard Smith talk about the purpose which drives Unite Students: Home for Success:

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OUR STRATEGY

Our strategic objectives

Going to university can be seen as risky to prospective students from the perspective of belonging

DELIVERING FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AND UNIVERSITIES

International Women's Day #BreaktheBias

ATTRACTIVE RETURNS FOR SHAREHOLDERS

The cost of living crisis is currently impacting on students' finances

A RESPONSIBLE AND RESILIENT BUSINESS

CASE STUDY

Our purpose in action during Covid-19

The Covid pandemic amplified the need to support students, particularly those a long way from home; to work closely with university partners and to keep our employees safe. We focused on:

The Unite Foundation has supported more than 500 estranged and care experienced students at university

Student wellbeing

University Partnerships

Informed by Living Black at University, a major report into Black students' experience in UK student accommodation – with research undertaken by Halpin Partnership – Unite Students has launched a national commission in order to respond to the findings and recommendations at a national level.

Employee inclusion