Abri Group Limited is a Community Benefit Society, registered with the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH). We are committed to high standards of governance, our most recent In-Depth Assessment rated at the highest ratings of G1 (governance) and V1 (financial viability).
The Abri Group is made up of a series of Community Benefits Societies, Private Companies and Public Limited Companies. A recent review enabled us to streamline our Group structure. This released financial capacity and provided an efficient Group structure.
In the year 2020-21, we adopted the UK Corporate Governance Code; this framework underpins good governance principles and practices throughout our Group. We have taken a decision to adopt the NHF Code of Governance 2020. The NHF Code is aligned to the needs of our business.
Our governance practices focus on Board leadership and effectiveness, remuneration, transparency, accountability, stakeholder relations and most importantly ensuring that our customers are at the centre of our decision making. The Chair of our Resident Scrutiny Group is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee and the Customer Services and Performance Committee, both are committees of the Group Board. We have open channels of communication between the Board and the Resident Scrutiny Group, including an annual co-regulation event. We also have a dedicated Senior Independent Director in post – Joanna Makinson.
Our shareholders are a mixture of non-executive directors, customers and stakeholders and the shareholders hold the Board to account.
Our Group Board operates a common board structure for the registered providers in the Group. This provides effective decision making, efficiencies and delivers value for money.
The Board are custodians of Abri and are responsible for ensuring that our strategy is fit for purpose and ambitious, making sure we meet our social purpose, vision, and values, and ensuring that we have the right culture to deliver our strategic objectives.
The Group Board is supported by a number of committees. This enables the committees to provide scrutiny in line with their approved terms and to report back to the Board with recommendations. The Chair of the Group Board meets regularly with all Committee Chairs as a collective and on an individual basis. The Committees that support the Board are:
- Executive Board.
- Audit and Risk Committee.
- Treasury Committee
- People and Culture Committee.
- Development and Assets Committee.
- Integration and Transformation Committee.
- Customer Services and Performance Committee.
The Executive Board is responsible for the day to day running of the business and is supported by:
- Equality and Diversity Committee.
- Development and Assets Investment Group.
- Voice of the Customer Committee.
As a pillar of good governance, it is important to ensure that the Board continues to have the relevant skills and talent to oversee the delivery of our strategy. An annual skills analysis is carried out and the most recent review highlighted that additional recruitment would strengthen the Board further.
A recruitment exercise was carried out, focusing on specific skills, diversity, and transparency. The Board successfully recruited new members bringing additional expertise in sustainability, customer services, communities, and strategy. For all new Board Members, we provide a thorough induction programme to equip members with insight into the Group to support them on their journey as custodians of Abri.
It is important to refresh membership on the Board. Abri, until recently, allowed for a maximum of nine-year tenure since the adoption of the NHF Code the maximum tenure is nowsix years. The Board, with the support of the People and Culture Committee regularly reviews succession planning and there is a clear plan in place based on skills and tenure to ensure thatAbri continues to attract talented Board Members.
We also operate a regular Board appraisal programme and a Board training plan to ensure that the Board stays abreast of key topics.
Our governance practices are underpinned by our constitutions, policies, and procedures. This ensures that we have the right tools to deliver sound governance. We operate an enterpriserisk framework to enable the Board to have oversight of our key risks and the associated internal controls to mitigate the crystallisation of risks.