Just Group plc | Annual Report and Accounts 2024
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DIRECTORS’ REPORT continued
EMPLOYEES
EMPLOYEE DIVERSITY The Company is committed to building a diverse workforce and inclusive culture, and we collect data to monitor our progress in achieving our diversity targets. As at 31 December 2024, Just employed 724 males (53%), 651 females (47%) and <1% under other categories. We have increased gender diversity at senior levels (grade 14+, 13% of colleagues) by six percentage points to 39% females. As a signatory to the Women in Finance Charter, we have updated our target to state that 40% of our most senior population (Executive Committee and their direct reports) will be female by the end of 2026. As at 31 December 2024, 47% of this population were female. As a signatory to the Race at Work Charter, we are committed to ensuring our workforce is representative of the ethnic composition of the broader UK population. We have set an ethnicity target that more than 16% of our most senior population (recently updated to align with the new approach to gender reporting i.e. Executive Committee and their direct reports) will be ethnically diverse by the end of 2026. As at 31 December 2024, 16% of this population were ethnically diverse and we remain committed to maintaining progress against this target. Further information on colleagues, culture and diversity can be found in the Colleagues and culture report. BOARD AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT DIVERSITY The Governance in Operation report includes the Group’s data on the gender identity or sex and ethnic diversity of the Board and executive management as at 31 December 2024, the reference date, in accordance with the Listing Rules requirements. Details of the Board’s diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging policy and targets can be found in the Nomination and Governance Committee report. AUDITOR DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO THE AUDITOR Each Director of the Company at the date of this Directors’ report has confirmed that, so far as they are aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the Company’s external auditor is unaware. Each Director has taken all the steps that they ought to have taken as a Director in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the Company’s external auditor is aware of that information. This confirmation is given and should be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of Section 418 of the Companies Act 2006. AUDITOR APPOINTMENT PwC has expressed its willingness to continue in office as the external auditor of the Group. A resolution to reappoint PwC will be proposed at the 2025 AGM. An assessment of the effectiveness and recommendation for reappointing PwC can be found in the Group Audit Committee report.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYMENT Just is an equal opportunities employer and has policies in place to ensure decisions on recruitment, development, promotions and other employment-related issues are made solely on the grounds of individual ability, achievement, expertise and conduct. These principles are operated on a non-discriminatory basis, without regard to race, nationality, culture, ethnic origin, religion, belief, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or any other reason not related to job performance or prohibited by applicable law. We are a Disability Confident Committed employer and our recruitment process ensures we give full and fair consideration to applications made by those who are neurodivergent or have a disability, and any reasonable adjustments are made as required during the recruitment process to ensure all applicants have the same opportunity to demonstrate their skills. If an employee were to become disabled during their employment with the Group, support for continued employment would be provided and workplace adjustments made as appropriate in respect of their duties and working environment. EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION Employee engagement and creating a sense of belonging remained key priorities in 2024. Our people continue to be galvanised around our strong purpose of helping people achieve a better later life, and we are harnessing their appetite to be more ambitious in what they do and how they do it. During the year we evolved our Just behaviours, co-creating with colleagues across the organisation, as part of enabling our growth strategy. We have continued with our well-defined communication and engagement programme so that all colleagues understand our organisation’s strategy and goals and the role they play in achieving them. This includes quarterly Group CEO town hall business updates, regular emails to all colleagues, videos and news items on our intranet. We seek feedback on our activities to ensure that they are as valuable as possible. We regularly monitor the engagement of our colleagues and their views on matters that are important to them. During the year, colleagues were asked to complete two employee engagement surveys and we put in place specific and tangible actions as a result of the feedback. Performance-based pay rewards colleagues for the achievement of strategic business objectives and upholding our cultural, conduct and behavioural expectations. In addition, alignment with shareholder interest is provided through offering employee share plans to all employees. Further information regarding colleague engagement and how the Directors have engaged with colleagues, including the impact on decision making, is included in the Strategic report and Governance in Operation report.
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