52 Anchor Hanover Group Annual Report & Financial Statements 2024 Accreditation in the Inclusive Employers Standard in March 2023 and was accredited by the Housing Diversity Network in July 2023. We are also members of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme, a signatory of MIND’s Mental Health Anchor is committed to promoting an environment where all colleagues can be their best and thrive at work. We treat people fairly regardless of their background, characteristics and personal circumstances. We identify and deal quickly with discrimination, harassment and victimisation and take a 'zero tolerance' approach. We have four diversity and inclusion (D&I) Colleague Networks – enABLE (for colleagues with a disability), Rainbow (for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBTQ+) colleagues), embRACE (for colleagues with race or ethnicity other than white British) and Inclusive Ambassadors (D&I Champions). These networks provide peer-to-peer support for colleagues, as well as advice and challenge to the organisation. In the past year, these networks have organised activities to recognise events such as Black History and Pride months, reviewed new policies, initiated inclusion projects and participated in reverse mentoring with some of Anchor’s senior leaders. In recognition for our commitment to providing an inclusive workplace for our colleagues, Anchor achieved Gold Legal status Anchor Hanover Group is a Community Benefit Society (number 7843). It is registered under the Housing Act 1996 (registration number LH4095) and is also an exempt charity. Review of the business A review of the business is provided in the statement of the Chair and Chief Executive and the Report of the Board including the Strategic Report. Directors The directors at 31 March 2024 and at the date of approval of the financial statements are listed on page [xx] Anchor’s rules state that directors are appointed by the Board in accordance with a policy relating to the recruitment and selection of Board members adopted by the Board. The rules also state that non-executive directors may not serve more than nine consecutive years on the Board, in compliance with the UK Corporate Governance Code. Directors’ conflicts of interest Anchor has procedures in place for managing conflicts of interest. All Board members and executives are required to complete an annual declaration of interests. Should a director become aware that they, or their connected parties, have an interest in an existing or proposed transaction with Anchor during the year, they are required to notify the Company Secretary as soon as practicable. Board members need the permission of the Chair prior to making any new significant commitments. Employment: Diversity and inclusion Directors’ Report
at Work commitment, a member of the Care Leaver Covenant (national inclusion programme that supports care leavers aged 16-25 to live independently) and we are a Disability Confident Employer. Nine of our care homes have achieved the eight standards required to meet the Veteran Friendly Framework and a further seven are working towards this. This means they have arrangements in place to best support the practical, emotional and social needs of the Armed Forces community, Anchor has a D&I Lead on our Resident Council and a LGBT+ Group for residents which acts as a sounding board on LGBT+ issues and policies affecting our residents. We are member of the HouseProud Pledge led by Stonewall Housing, which is a scheme that all social housing providers can sign up to, to demonstrate our commitment to LGBTQ+ resident equality and support. In late 2023, we launched our Resident Inclusion Community for residents who have an interest in bettering diversity and inclusion for existing and future residents. Health and safety Anchor is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all its employees and others affected by its activities. Sustainability and ESG In the Summer of 2023, we published Anchor’s Environmental Sustainability and Net Zero Carbon Strategy, pulling together the workstreams already underway and setting out our pathway to net zero. The strategy breaks the work down into four themes driving towards our vision of ensuring that current and future generations are able to love living in later life. We published the following minimum targets in the sustainability strategy and have set out workstream targets in our pathway document. This has been widely publicised among colleagues and residents, recognising that the success of the sustainability strategy is dependent upon engaging all at Anchor with its aims. Anchor’s published targets are: • Rented homes to have energy efficiency scores of at least EPC C by 2030. • Care homes to have energy efficiency scores of at least EPC C by 2028. • All new homes to be designed to net zero standards from 2023 with delivery on site not falling below our ‘Green Line’ minimum standard. • To be net zero ready in our business operations by 2030 (this means that we will be operating at net zero when the national grid decarbonises). • To be operating at net zero across all carbon scopes, including our supply chain, by 2050. Over the last year, Anchor has been setting up the structures to enhance ethical procurement, embedding sustainability requirements in tendering process and introducing themes, outcomes and measures (TOMs) to report clearly on social value delivered under our contracts.
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