ESG and Sustainable Finance
As an aggregator providing bond finance to the UK’s housing associations, bLEND is committed to the social purpose of the sector. Our competitively priced funding helps borrowers maximise their impact:
ENVIRONMENTAL
Housing associations have long incorporated sustainability into their business models, as well as innovating to build environmentally responsible homes. bLEND's borrowers:
- set bold energy performance targets for new build stock (EPC)
- invest to improve energy efficiency of existing stock by updating windows, insulation, boilers, and adding solar panels
- include in developments green and open spaces for residents
- ensure their business model is geared around reducing carbon footprint
SOCIAL
bLEND lends solely to UK Registered Providers of social housing. Many housing associations already measure the social value of their work, which includes:
- the provision of affordable, safe and high-quality homes
- empowering residents by giving them a voice
- services to support local communities, including through education and training, business development, and services for the homeless and victims of abuse
- being responsible employers and encouraging positive workplace environments
GOVERNANCE
English and Welsh housing associations are subject to oversight by sector regulators and must abide by standards of governance.
- Moody's considers governance across the sector to be strong
More broadly, THFC Group is in the working group convened to develop a new sectorwide standard for ESG reporting, and so bLEND will be improving and adapting its ESG reporting in line with the outcomes of this process (https://esgsocialhousing.co.uk/).
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Hightown
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Leeds Federated
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Platform Housing Group
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Regenda Limited
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Silva Homes Limited
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Wakefield & District Housing
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Wales & West
Hightown
As well as providing affordable homes, Hightown runs care and supported housing services, with an emphasis on tackling homelessness. Their homelessness services are estimated to save local police and public services up to £600,000 a year. In 2018/19 Hightown’s financial inclusion service helped nearly 600 tenants access welfare and financial support.
By investing in air heat pump technology, Hightown has managed to not just increase the provision of renewable energy for heating homes, but also tackled fuel poverty and helped residents lower their energy bills.
Read Hightown’s 2019/20 social impact report here.
Leeds Federated
Leeds Federated Housing Association manages around 4,300 properties across Leeds, Wakefield and North Yorkshire.
Read Leeds Federated’s latest reports and accounts here.
Platform Housing Group
Platform Housing Group own and manage c. 45,000 homes across the Midlands.
In 2018/19, using the HACT social value metric, Platform achieved £4.5m of social impact for residents through the provision of support and advice in relation to welfare, employment, finances and energy. This figure represents the “perceived social value” in addition to actual financial activity.
Read Platform’s 2018-23 strategic plan here.
Regenda Limited
The Regenda Group is a North West housing association with a particular commitment to regenerating communities. This means not just building new high-quality homes, but providing services to empower residents.
The recently launched drop-in centre, Ways2Wages, helps people access training and employment.
Through Creative Credit, Regenda worked with 6 Oldham schools to engage children in learning about financial inclusion and responsibility.
Read The Regenda Group’s performance reports here.
Silva Homes Limited
Silva Homes manages over 6,000 homes across the South East of England.
Read Silva Homes’ performance reports here.
Wakefield & District Housing
WDH is a housing association dedicated to social impact in the Wakefield district.
Through its Cash Wise service it has provided financial advice to over 1,800 people, as well as tackling digital exclusion at its Wakefield city centre Hub. In 2018/19 WDH helped 229 people into work, and engaged 50 young people from local schools in their Community Leadership Programme.
WDH’s sustainability plan commits it to reducing its own carbon footprint year on year (17.2% reduction since 2014/15), as well as bringing all existing stock and new builds to a minimum EPC rating of D. WDH is a participant in the EU-funded RED WoLF project which aims to fit properties with solar panels and electric storage heaters.
Read WDH’s sustainability plan and policy here.
Read WDH’s 2030 vision here.
Read WDH’s other publications here.
Wales & West
Wales & West manages 12,000 homes across Wales including supported housing targeted at specialist needs. Wales & West not only run their own events and services to promote financial wellbeing and fraud awareness, but also support community organised events across Wales each year. Through Castell Ventures they run a registered care and support agency for residents.
Wales & West have fitted their corporate offices with geothermal and solar energy, but also many of their sites across Wales. In Bridgend new homes are being developed, partly through funding from the Welsh Government, that will produce their own energy using solar panels and air source heat pumps.
Read Wales & West’s 2019 Annual Report here.
Read Wales & West’s 2020-24 Business Plan here.