Recently, we attended the launch event of Newbridge Advisors LLP’s new report on sustainability resourcing across the social housing sector, ‘Resourcing the social homes of the future’.
From growing regulatory requirements in the sector to the turning tides of ESG and sustainability, this research brings an important contribution to the ever-evolving conversation. Using both surveys and focus groups, Newbridge gathered insights from a total of 30 housing associations to inform the report.
The findings indicate that sustainability remains a priority for the social housing sector. Multiple respondents highlighted regulatory pressures, retrofit and climate risks as reasons why sustainability remains on the internal agenda.
Key findings
The report highlights that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to resourcing the sector’s sustainability teams. Rather, successful organisations are those that invest in the people, leadership and organisational structures needed to embed sustainability across the business.
The research found that 62% of respondents have a centralised sustainability function in their organisation, with a vast majority (92%) in a single team. However, team size varied across associations regardless of organisational size. The number of people in central teams ranged from 1 to 20, with teams of three and seven being the most common.
Exploring the roles of sustainability teams, the report found that the core responsibility across all types of housing associations was reporting. All participants had ESG or sustainability reporting reflected within their remit.
Interestingly, the research explored where these teams sat within organisations. It found that asset management was the most common home for sustainability teams, which often gave them greater access to resources. Additionally, over 30% of those working in sustainability teams also had non-sustainability responsibilities.
The report also looked at how sustainability teams coordinated with other teams in the organisation. Working groups were the most common, followed by progress trackers. For housing associations without a central sustainability function, coordination is often via networks, key projects or internal reporting to key teams.
Based on the findings, the report recommends that sustainability should be treated as a core business function rather than an additional responsibility. To achieve this, providers must set aside an appropriate budget to gain resources to support their ambitions. At the end of the report, Newbridge included a ‘framework for the future’ – a practical guide which outlines how housing associations should structure their sustainability function.
The workshop
We also had the opportunity to host a workshop, discussing how organisations can build stronger internal support for sustainability and make the most of partnerships to deliver better outcomes.
Building stronger internal support
Building internal support for sustainability requires an organisation to move beyond treating it as a ‘nice to have’ and instead consider it an essential part of a business. Our workshop discussed the importance of culturally embedding sustainability. Organisations must establish a high-level vision from leadership, which trickles down to the rest of the organisation, connecting to delivery on the ground.
In order to do so, sustainability teams must be positioned as the go-to source on green finance, reporting and regulatory requirements – ensuring their strategic objectives align with wider organisational strategies. Communications are central to achieving this. Organisations should explain the importance of sustainability and tailor the message for all colleagues so that it is reflected across the whole business.
The importance of partnerships
Partnerships are vital to housing associations’ sustainability outcomes. We explored the range of forms this can take – including with combined and local authorities, government professionals, finance providers and sector organisations.
Those who are newer to sustainability roles can benefit from building a network by finding peers in similar roles in other organisations. We also discussed how organisations should consider customers as stakeholders; bringing them on board is a key part of their communications journey.
Overall, the event reinforced the continued support for sustainability across the social housing sector, in spite of the ever-evolving narrative surrounding it. To ensure sustainability remains a core priority, housing associations must put the right structures in place to deliver lasting impact. This will look different for each individual provider.
You can read the full report and find out more about Newbridge Advisors here: https://newbridge.co.uk/resourcing-the-social-homes-of-the-future/
