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Diversity, equity & inclusion

We’re creating a culture where being different is valued. A culture where our people and students can thrive and there’s room for everyone, no matter what their background or circumstances.

How we’re creating room for everyone

At Unite Students, our purpose is to provide a Home for Success. That means going beyond offering a room in which to sleep or a place to work, and instead creating an environment in which people can grow and thrive. ‘Home’ means different things to different people, but fundamentally, it needs to be somewhere people feel they belong.

As such, we’re moving away from the phrase ‘Equality, Diversity and Inclusion’ (EDI) and towards new language which highlights the importance of belonging and more accurately captures the holistic nature of inclusion: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB).

 

Our Awards

Unite Students receives international diversity and inclusion awards

Unite Students has been internationally recognised for its commitment to diversity and inclusion after receiving the Diversity Champion Corporate Award and International Inclusion Award, which form the International Diversity & Inclusion Awards 2023, by awarding body Diversiton.

Our people

Supporting trans employees

"I don’t think that I could have been in a better workplace to be transitioning right now, because we’ve got programmes that support trans people and we’re visible within the business."

George Moses - Student Experience Team Manager for Leeds South - shares his experience of transitioning while working at Unite Students, his journey to gender affirmation, and how student accommodation professionals can support students and colleagues going through this experience.

George Moses – Student Experience Team Manager for Leeds South - video
Living Black at University

Living Black at University

Time spent living in student accommodation is important and memorable. Through our Living Black at University research undertaken in 2021 we wanted to listen to Black students talk about their experiences in accommodation in their own words.

Women in property

Listen to Claire Barber, our Asset Management Director, discuss the important topic surrounding the retention of women within our industry. Supported by Ladies in Real Estate, the podcast discusses the low percentage of females at senior level joining the property industry and in particular, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging within the sector.

NEW: Living Black at University Commission Report

Our new Commission report shares practical tips and resources for improving Black students’ accommodation experience.

THE UNITE FOUNDATION

With our support, the Foundation provides a home at university to 80 new students each year. To date it has awarded 514 scholarships and 254 scholars have graduated.

2022 marks the Foundation’s 10th anniversary so we have renewed our commitment to the Foundation, agreeing a long-term funding commitment which will help the charity realise the ambitions of a new five-year strategic plan.

The Foundation continues to develop new delivery models enabling university partners to participate in its scholarships, increasing the number of accommodation scholarships available.

Watch the video