Student Loans Company
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Corporate Strategy Enabling student opportunity and delivering an outstanding customer experience Contents page 01 Chair’s Statement 4 02 Chief Executive's Foreword 6 03 The Business Environment 8 3.1 About SLC 9 3.2 Core Services 10 04 Strategy 12 4.1. Introduction – the Need for Change 12 4.2. SLC’s Vision 14 4.3. SLC’s Strategic Goals 16 4.4. An Outstanding Customer Experience 16 4.5. Enabler of Opportunity 17 4.6. Leaner, Better, Doing More for Less 19 4.7. A Great Place to Work 20 4.8. Trusted Delivery Partner 22 4.9. Enabling Student Opportunity and Delivering an Outstanding Customer Experience 23 Chair’s Statement 01 Chair’s Statement March 2013 March 2019 86 8.5 £136.7 01 million billion 5.4 million 46 PrProductoduct 46 Number of £52.9 billion VVariantsariants Customers Loan Book £ It is a pleasure to introduce students and taxpayers underpins Government will respond to its recommendations in a loan book of £52.9 billion. At the end of the last SLC’s Corporate Strategy for the our approach to reducing the due course. New political and economic realities may financial year (March 2019) those figures were 86 financial years 2019-20 to 2021- number of those borrowers arise as a result of UK-wide or devolved processes, product variants, 8.5 million customers and a loan 22. I trust that the following pages who fail to meet their repayment or from the performance of the global economy as book valued at £136.7 billion. These significant rates will make it clear that our acute obligations. a whole and its impact on labour markets or interest of growth provide important context for the strategic focus remains very much on the rates. This strategy sets out how we intend to changes we must now make, as outlined in this While maintaining a clear focus users of our services – in short, respond to our changing environment and cement document. on serving our customers, we on the needs of our customers. our position as a trusted partner in the efficient and also embark upon a journey to Finally, I would also like to highlight one of the agile delivery of Government policy – by providing We aim to provide students re-shape our organisation to meet company’s major achievements during my time as student finance reliably and securely, helping with seamless, digital access future challenges. In the current Chair – SLC’s role in helping to deliver two successful customers invest in their futures and supporting the to application, assessment, UK environment SLC must plan sales of tranches of the Government's student loan long-term growth of the UK economy. payment and repayment services, within a context of uncertain book, which have resulted in £3.6bn being returned and by doing so enable them and ongoing changes that have In late 2018, SLC took time to refresh its to HM Treasury. We look forward to working with to invest in their own futures interlinked political, economic, transformational strategy, to build upon the success Government on future sales, as well as to working and by extension to invest in social, technological and legal of the work of projects already completed or closely with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to the country’s future economic dimensions. The Department underway and to enhance the company’s capacity administer loan repayments and to ensure continued success. for Education (DfE)’s Tailored to deliver for our shareholders over future years. This value for money for the UK taxpayer. Review into SLC was published document introduces the revised transformation In providing these services as in July and contains detailed programme, Evolve, and shows how it supports our efficiently and effectively as discussion and recommendations strategic goals. Christian Brodie possible – based on an increased for the future evolution of the digital offering and enhanced As I prepare to step down at the end of my term in company. The independent panel self-service capability – we also 2020, I would like to reflect on the significant growth report to the Review of Post-18 aim to provide the best possible that SLC has experienced in that time. When I Education and Funding has also value for money to the taxpayer. became Chair, SLC offered approximately 46 product recently been published, and the At the same time, fairness to both variants, had 5.4 million customers and managed 4 5 Chief Executive's Foreword 02 Chief Executive's 02 Foreword A simple yet crucial goal is to provide an outstanding customer experience. Since I joined SLC as CEO last experience. Whether applying for It is also important that we have our shareholders’ their futures and supporting the long-term growth of September, I have been pleased student finance or repaying, our confidence: as a trusted partner in the delivery of the UK economy. to discover an organisation that customers expect us to deliver Government policy, we aim to support shareholders Finally, it is critically important to me that SLC has committed, energetic and intuitive, seamless services. in overhauling the policy commissioning process becomes a great place to work and to develop. Our conscientious staff; and a track and in simplifying and rationalising the existing set of To achieve this we need to work comprehensive new People Strategy aims to create record of delivering excellent products wherever possible, in order to better align with our partners to ensure that a more skilled, motivated and engaged workforce, results. policy intent with efficient delivery. It is important students have access to trusted aligned to current and future organisational needs. that SLC and the four Government administrations’ But we have much to do to build student finance expertise; our We will further develop simple, fair and consistent policy teams work more closely together. Jointly, the capacity in our technology systems must provide clear, policies alongside fair and attractive reward and we will align policy commissioning with a customer and workforce that will guarantee comprehensive and easily recognition for our people. Coupled with an improved and user centric design to better balance customer, our ability to meet the challenge accessible information and our employer brand and a stronger external reputation shareholder and business needs. of rising policy complexity and online application and repayment we aim to be able to attract and retain more good change in the education sector. sevices must allow customers to Over the years ahead, I also want us to do more people. Tailored skills development and career Our three year Corporate Strategy interact with us and self-serve in a to explain the company’s important role in the progression will be core components in building our enables us to do just that. And fully informed way. If they have to delivery of the UK’s higher and further education talent, so that we can better serve our customers. alongside our one-year Business contact us they should be able to services, and to get better at communicating Plan will enable us to achieve the do so easily through their channel with our customers, especially in helping them to goals we have set ourselves for of choice and should have their fully understand at the outset how the loans and Paula Sussex our stakeholders: our customers, query resolved by experts with repayments parts of the student finance system shareholders and staff. full access to all the required work. We should be recognised as a trusted and information. competent enabler of student opportunity, delivering A simple yet crucial goal is to strong social value by helping customers invest in provide an outstanding customer 6 7 The Business Environment 03 SLC’s Chief Executive leads a team of six Executive Corporate Governance The Business Directors – her Executive Leadership Team (ELT) – each heading up a directorate with a mix of SLC has arrangements in place to ensure good employees from across SLC’s offices in Scotland, corporate governance and its Framework Document, Environment England and Wales. which can be found at www.gov.uk/slc, provides comprehensive detail of the roles and responsibilities 3.1 About SLC of executives, board members and shareholders. 03 Six Directorates Additionally, the document stipulates that the SLC is a UK public sector organisation Product, Customer and External Relations company must have robust risk management established to provide financial services (in the Operations arrangements in place and sets out standards and controls with which the company must comply – HM Repayments and Counter Fraud form of loans and grants) to over 1.5 million new Treasury’s Managing Public Money underscores Technology Group and returning students annually, in colleges and many of these. Chief Financial Officer universities across England, Northern Ireland, People DfE’s Tailored Review of SLC was published Scotland and Wales. in July and contains detailed discussion and recommendations for the future evolution of the The Board SLC is a non-profit making company. The aim of these regular reviews is to SLC’s Board is responsible for setting the strategic organisation. SLC was incorporated ensure that public bodies remain fit for purpose, aims and objectives of SLC, consistent with the in 1989 as a company limited are well governed and properly accountable. The policy, resources and overall strategic direction by shares under the Companies report informs SLC’s future trajectory and planning, determined by Government shareholders. In Acts and is wholly in public and is published at www.gov.uk/government/ summary, the Board’s key responsibilities are to: ownership; the four UK Government publications/tailored-review-of-the-student- Administrations are its shareholders. Establish strategic aims and objectives and loans-company.