Unite Students leads the way in corporate social responsibility – 19 January 2016

Unite Students, the leading supplier of student accommodation in the UK, has again been recognised for its long-standing commitment to being a sustainable and socially responsible business. The company retained its listing on the FTSE4Good index with a significant improvement in the score. The index measures the performance of companies demonstrating strong environmental, social and corporate governance practices.

The company achieved the maximum possible score in 6 out of the 11 categories assessed, including Health & Safety, Human Rights & Community, Corporate Governance and Anti-corruption. The rankings reflect Unite Students’ commitment to making lasting improvements to its environmental impact and the way it has successfully implemented its robust corporate responsibility and sustainability strategy. Unite Students’ overall score of 4.4 out of 5 places them in the top 3% of real estate companies listed on the FTSE4Good Index.

To be included on the FTSE4Good index, a company must demonstrate that they are working toward the highest standards in several categories, including environmental management.

Unite Students’ commitment to implementing every aspect of its Environmental Strategy was also demonstrated in November 2015 with the company being awarded a position on the Climate Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI). Additionally, Unite also retained the coveted “Green Star” status in the 2015 International Global Real Estate Benchmark (GRESB) survey, which ranked the company amongst the most sustainable companies in the property sector, globally.

Richard Smith, managing director of operations at Unite Students, commented:

“We are very proud of this latest recognition of our ongoing efforts to improve the social and environmental aspects of our operations. We will continue to ensure that our business is run safely and sustainably and continuously look for ways in which to develop further.

“As well as providing our students with a safe and welcoming ‘Home for Success’, we have a social and environmental obligation to fulfil in the communities in which we operate. This responsibility is a key element of our Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability strategy.

“Being recognised on the FTSE4Good index reflects our commitment to our core values as a responsible and ethical business.”