Engaging with stakeholders
Maintaining a clear, consistent dialogue with our
stakeholders is key to fulfilling our purpose and
ensuring the long-term success of our business.
Robust Board decision
making, assessed against a
comprehensive stakeholder framework
By understanding our stakeholders, and by considering
their diverse needs, the Board factors into boardroom
discussions the potential impact of our decisions on each
stakeholder group; adhering to the following principles:
Considering the long-term
consequences of our decisions
Considering the interests
of our employees
The need to foster good relationships
with our stakeholders
Considering our impact on the
environment and our community
Maintaining high standards of conduct
Acting fairly between stakeholders
Balancing stakeholder needs to
make the best possible decisions
Our consumers
The continued success of our business model
is underpinned by maintaining and strengthening
relationships with consumers. Our business thrives
by creating a large, engaged community of car buyers,
sellers and researchers who trust our brand and
reputation and have trust and confidence
in Autotrader as a marketplace.
548m
HOW WE ENGAGE
Regular contact with a diverse group of
consumers for research and insight
purposes looking into their car buying
intentions and beyond.
Conducting consumer user testing for new
and existing products, services and website
designs with a wide range of demographics.
Providing in-house consumer facing support
seven days a week.
Utilising social media and marketing channels
to communicate.
Our customers
Our partnerships with vehicle retailers,
manufacturers, leasing companies and
other customers enable us to offer consumers
the widest choice of vehicles. The majority of
our revenue is generated from our customers.
13,942
HOW WE ENGAGE
Our people
Our people are one of our most valuable assets
and the key to our ongoing success. To thrive,
it is important to attract new talent while supporting
and developing our highly skilled workforce.
We aim to create a diverse and inclusive culture
and environment where everyone has the right tools
to achieve their full potential and feels a valued
part of our community.
72%
HOW WE ENGAGE
The Board Engagement Guild, made up of employees
from across the business, engages with the Board
(without management present).
Regular employee engagement surveys.
Annual all-employee conference, regular virtual
business updates and daily updates via slack.
Open wellbeing forums.
Health and safety assessments.
Independent whistleblowing service.
Our partners
& suppliers
Our suppliers and partners support our technology
infrastructure, supply of vehicle and financing data,
and the fulfilment of some of our revenue-generating
products. Building trusted partnerships allows us to
collaborate more effectively and consistently
to deliver the highest-quality products and services.
>70%
HOW WE ENGAGE
Maintaining regular engagement with suppliers
and partners at the appropriate levels and fostering
an open dialogue for collaborative relationships and
creating opportunities for shared learning.
Implementing structured procurement processes to
onboard new suppliers and then conducting regular
check-ins for familiarisation, updates and building
ongoing relationships.
Agreeing initial ways of working with new suppliers
and partners and providing feedback throughout
ongoing projects.
The community
& the environment
We aim to have a net positive impact on the
planet while mitigating the effects of climate
change on our business. We strive to strengthen
communities and create positive social
and environmental change.
Net zero
HOW WE ENGAGE
Employee networks support our charitable initiatives,
including the Autotrader Community Funds.
We support and partner with organisations such
as Manchester Digital, Good Things Foundation and
the Automotive 30% Club, to address issues such
as the national tech skills shortage, digital inclusion
and the gender gap.
We work with local schools and colleges through
our STEM ambassador programme to support early
career development.
We regularly share data and insights with industry
bodies and Government departments to shape policies
that support the mass adoption of electric vehicles.
Our investors
Maintaining an ongoing, transparent dialogue
with current and potential investors fosters confidence,
resulting in continued access to capital that enables
us to invest in the long-term success of the business.
£463.2m
HOW WE ENGAGE
Open, honest and balanced communication accessible
to all shareholders.
Private shareholders are encouraged to contact the
Board through ir@autotrader.co.uk.
Comprehensive investor relations programme.
Annual Report, AGM, corporate website and regulatory
news announcements.
Ongoing dialogue with proxy advisors and other agencies.
The Chair and the Chair of the Remuneration Committee
maintain contact and correspondence with investors
throughout the year.
Governance-related meetings attended by the Chair
or another Non-Executive Director.
Feedback regularly given to the Board.
Sharing relevant industry-related data and internally
produced market reports with analysts and investors
on a monthly basis.
Understanding what matters most
An issue is material to us if it significantly
impacts our business and our strategic
priorities but also if it is viewed as being
important to our stakeholders.
In order to remain successful in the long term, an understanding of what ESG topics matter most to our key stakeholders is essential. Our materiality assessment helps to inform our ESG strategy and captures our impacts in a non-financial manner. The findings of our materiality assessment guide the focus areas of our ESG strategy.
To learn more about which material issues are important to our stakeholders, visit the ESG section via the link below:
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