3 Corporate Governance Report
Recruitment and retention of care colleagues
We work directly with contractors to avoid such problems and work in partnership to actively manage risks. We undertake appropriate due diligence, follow robust procurement procedures and avoid concentration risk. The performance of contracts may be subject to disruption for a variety of reasons including availability of materials, work stoppages, labour constraints, and is impacted by macroeconomic conditions, and we have continued to monitor the associated risks closely. Construction and maintenance of Anchor’s properties is dependent on the timely and effective performance by third party contractors of their obligations, exposing us to the risk of potentially having less control over the quality of the services than if we were providing them directly. We have sought to mitigate this risk by paying colleagues the Living Wage Foundation rates for all current National Living Wage hourly paid roles across our entire portfolio. We were the first large care and housing group in the sector to do so. Anchor also has a Sponsorship Licence which means that it can sponsor carers from overseas to work in the UK. We have developed the Skills for Care ’Moving Up’ programme, including reverse mentoring; developing a career pathway toolkit to help colleagues plan their careers; developing colleagues through a care apprenticeship scheme; and providing ‘Being Well’ resources to support colleagues’ mental, physical and financial wellbeing. In common with all healthcare providers, Anchor faces challenges in recruiting and retaining appropriately skilled colleagues. This risk is exacerbated by general conditions in the job market where there is pressure on wages linking to the higher cost-of-living and inflation which have been apparent in the preceding period. We may face cost pressures if the National Living Wage increases and local authorities are not willing or able to increase their funding rates to compensate for this.
Reliance on third-party suppliers
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