All of our activity is underpinned by our rigorous approach to governance, financial management and compliance. We are proud of the high standards we have reached in these areas and we continue to maintain a strong health and safety culture.
Keeping our customers safe is the single most important thing we can do as a housing provider. It is a huge responsibility and an area where we are never complacent.
Having a strong culture of health, safety and compliance across the whole business ensures that all employees understand the importance of taking ownership and responsibility in these areas.
We work with various safety experts and organisations to ensure best practice across all areas of the business.
We are currently partnering with RoSPA on its ‘Safer by design: framework to reduce serious accidental injury in new build homes’. Through evidence-based changes to home design, RoSPA aims for the number of accidents in the home to be reduced. Safer by design is closely aligned to our own design standards and we are RoSPA’s lead housing association partner on this project.
We were the first housing provider to work with a partnering fire authority - West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) - and we were the first large housing provider to achieve PAS7 certification which is UK’s highest fire safety certification.
We are delighted to be recognises as a Sunday Times Top 100 Best Company (not-for-profit) having placed within the top fifty in 2020.
We are a values-led business with an inclusive culture that promotes diversity and provides employees with the opportunities to develop and grow their careers. We offer apprenticeship and graduate schemes as well as several levels of internal training programmes, secondment opportunities and agile working.
Our employee offer aims to attract and retain the best people and our employee benefits package includes a contributory pension scheme as well as a range of other employee benefits including fully funded private medical insurance, employee wellbeing programme, enhanced maternity/paternity pay and up to 27 days annual leave.
When tendering for partners and suppliers, our procurement team includes a social value requirement, to ensure that we work with like-minded businesses who share our vision and values. Our procurement team actively identifies opportunities to further our social impact. through working in partnership with our supply chain.
Over £300,000 has been invested into local community projects from our partners including Fortem, Mears, AD Group, Dodd Group, Bell Group, Southern Land Services, Shield Environmental, Just Ask and Anthony Collins Solicitors.
Through our repairs and maintenance contractors, Fortem and Mitie, we offer customers work experience, apprenticeship and training opportunities. Trades ranging from bricklaying to plumbing, offer skills for life and provide a valuable opportunity for our customers.
At Tanyard Farm in Coventry, Dodd Group supported the refurbishment of our community centre there through its ‘Community Crew’ who installed and decorated the kitchen, fitted replacement lighting and re-decorated the main rooms. In Hastings, Shield Environmental supported our request for asbestos to be safely removed from outside a local charity. The asbestos had been dumped there and the charity asked for help getting it moved legally and safely.
We are committed to delivering an excellent service for all our customers and fully support the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code, which is designed to ensure all residents understand how to make a complaint and what they can and should expect from their landlord when they complain, whilst also encouraging ongoing improvements in landlord service delivery.
For information on our complaints process and the service our customers can expect to receive, please see our customer complaints procedure.
For details of our self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code, please see our self-assessment form.
