Leading property group becomes first in UK to align ESG reporting with European sustainability certification
Places for People has become the first UK placemaking and property company to align its environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting with the Certified Sustainable Housing Label, an accreditation recognised by companies and investors across Europe.
David Cowans, CEO of Places for People is presented with the Certified Sustainability Housing Label by Austen Reid, the UK Director of Ritterwald Consulting at the COP26 Fringe Event in London.
Places for People – a national placemaking, affordable housing, development and property investment business, with around 220,000 homes in management – published its second annual ESG report this week, reflecting its continued commitment to becoming a wholly sustainable organisation.
Its ESG report is aligned with both the Certified Sustainable Housing Label, administered by pan-European business consultancy RITTERWALD, and the Sustainability Reporting Standard for Social Housing, which was designed in partnership with housing providers and investors and adopts RITTERWALD’s underlying methodologies.
By reporting against the Certified Sustainable Housing Label, Places for People is demonstrating its commitment to sustainability through a third-party verification, while also adopting a standard that is recognised by both existing and potential investors across Europe.
It becomes the fifth housing provider in the UK to adopt the label, joining London G15 housing associations including Clarion Housing Group, Catalyst and Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing, along with Link Group, based in Scotland.
The label scrutinises how sustainability is considered across the operations of an organisation, looking at over 40 different ESG criteria orientated on the United Nations´ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). The accreditation formalises this ESG commitment, and comes alongside an external verification by sustainability ratings agency, imug.
“Furthermore, Places for People is a leader in attracting new investment into housing and placemaking. Our label supports this work – helping to connect businesses with global investors that may not be familiar with the affordable housing sector.”
Austen Reid, UK Director at RITTERWALD, said: “We are delighted that Places for People have published their latest ESG report and aligned it both to the Sustainable Reporting Standard for Social Housing and our Certified Sustainable Housing Label.
“Reporting against our label offers an external verification to demonstrate Places for People’s progress as it continues to embed sustainability across its group of companies and registered providers.
“Furthermore, Places for People is a leader in attracting new investment into housing and placemaking. Our label supports this work – helping to connect businesses with global investors that may not be familiar with the affordable housing sector."
David Cowans, Places for People’s Group Chief Executive, said: “Places for People is an organisation that has for many years committed to creating efficient, attainable and affordable homes, whilst simultaneously investing in the communities around them, creating opportunities for local people and investing in new technologies and better building practices that will help us continue to reduce our impact on the environment.
“We have a responsibility to ensure our products and services make a positive impact on people, places and the planet. As such we take a commercial approach to delivering social outcomes – something which we have illustrated within this report. ESG is a key part of how we are futureproofing our businesses.”
The Certified Sustainable Housing Label is the first certified tool to measure the positive impact of affordable housing providers across Europe, promoting entire sectors to the capital markets.
While supporting strategic objectives around ESG, the Certified Sustainable Housing Label is also aligned with the market standards issued by the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) and Loan Market Association (LMA). It is applicable to housing companies of all sizes and legal forms across Europe.
For more information about the label please visit:
www.sustainable-housing.eu
