Europe’s largest care operator and owner of Berkley Care Group, Korian, has changed its name to Clariane.

Shareholders approved the new name on 15 June with the adoption of a new corporate purpose to “to take care of each person’s humanity in times of vulnerability”.

Sophie Boissard, chief executive officer of Clariane, said: “Despite the ordeals and headwinds our sector has faced over the past three years, with the support of all our stakeholders, we have continued the fundamental work to improve the quality of care and treatment in our various networks. We have made progress on all indicators of our ESG roadmap and have already achieved most of the targets we set for ourselves for 2023.

“We are particularly pleased to be taking this next step in our commitment to serving our patients and residents, by adopting the status of a purpose-driven company with a new corporate project, ‘At Your Side’.”

The Clariane Group, which boasts 67,000 professionals supporting more than 800,000 people across Europe, has been operating in the UK since 2021 when it acquired Berkley Care Group, a luxury set of care homes, which at the time had six homes. Since 2021, their portfolio of homes has expanded to 12.

The group runs 695 care homes in seven European countries (Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom), supporting 95,000 residents each year.

Care home activity accounted for 65% of turnover at the end of 2022, with health and hospitality accounting for 24% and 11%, respectively.

Shareholders approved the conversion to a purpose-driven company, which is manifested by five commitments to residents, patients and their family carers, as well as to employees and local communities, focused on the themes of consideration, equity, innovation, proximity and sustainability.

The group also approved the creation of a mission committee, made up of representatives of patients, residents, employees and qualified personalities. Its role will be to monitor the implementation of the initiatives undertaken, with the support of an independent third-party organisation. It will serve as a forum providing all stakeholders in the governance process with the opportunity to be heard over the long term and will present a report each year at future annual general meetings, which will be made public.