ESG Round-up October

Social's?round-up of key developments in the ESG world – and why it matters to people across housing, placemaking and the built environment.?

Welcome to our latest ESG and sustainability round up.?

This bulletin is your one-stop-shop update for the most significant news in the world of ESG and sustainability across the UK built environment and beyond.?

We hope you enjoy the read!?

Best regards,?

Team Social ?

Social’s Impact Chat??

In the latest Impact Chat, Luke Cross was joined by Rachael Orr, CEO of Climate Outreach, the first British charity to focus exclusively on public engagement with climate change.?

During the session they discussed ways to evolve the climate change conversation to include everyone, how to rise climate change up the political agenda, the need for companies to be transparent in their ESG practices and engaging local communities in retrofitting solution. The key takeaways from the session were:?

• The climate story we need to tell?

• Becoming a leader in global climate change?

• Hope for the new Government?

• Embracing imperfect environmentalism?

• The importance of delivering retrofit solutions on a community level?

To rewatch this session, click here.

ESG: built environment focus – our top 8?

Here’s our must-read pick of the top stories from the last few weeks in the built environment.?

1. Low-carbon homes can save ￡1,341 in bills and should be compulsory: Low-carbon homes could reduce household bills by ￡1,341 annually. Experts recommend making them mandatory to enhance sustainability efforts. Read more here.?
2. CPD module: how social landlords should assess and report performance on ESG: The module guides social landlords on assessing and reporting ESG performance, improving transparency and accountability in housing. View the module here.?
3. New chair for Sustainability for Housing: Piers Williamson is appointed chair of Sustainability for Housing, bringing leadership focused on promoting sustainability within the housing sector. Find out more here.?
4. Ed Miliband pledges to reinstate energy efficiency mandate for rented homes: Ed Miliband promises to restore energy efficiency requirements for rental properties, aiming to reduce emissions and lower tenant costs. Learn more here.?
5. Making sustainable infrastructure a unique asset class is key to the net zero transition: Classifying sustainable infrastructure as a unique asset class is essential for driving investments toward the global net zero transition. Read more here.?
6. Last government’s retrofit programmes to stay as minister says no time for ‘hiatus’: The UK government confirms the?continuation of existing retrofit programmes, ensuring progress on decarbonisation without unnecessary delays. Find out more here.?
7. Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund: how is the roll-out going?: The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund is progressing steadily, supporting the upgrade of homes to meet energy efficiency and decarbonisation goals. Learn more here.?
8. We need a 20-year national retrofit plan, Labour peer tells AJ Retrofit Live: A Labour peer advocates for a 20-year national retrofit plan to ensure long-term, scalable solutions for housing sustainability. Find out more here.??

ESG: the bigger picture – our top 8?

1. Who killed the ESG party?: Insights into ESG-focused corporate strategies, challenges in financial markets, and shifting business models towards sustainable practices. Watch here.?
2. Survival of the Fittest: From ESG to Competitive Sustainability: This paper discusses and explores the?transition from ESG compliance to competitive sustainability, emphasising long-term value creation and stakeholder engagement for businesses. Read more here.?
3. UK becomes first G7 nation to phase out coal power: The UK leads the G7 in eliminating coal power by 2024, reinforcing its commitment to decarbonisation and clean energy. Find out more here.?
4. David Lammy vows to put climate action at centre of UK foreign policy: Lammy examines growing scrutiny of ESG investment, including greenwashing concerns, regulatory pressures, and evolving investor expectations globally. Read more here.?
5. ESG is dead. Long live ESG: This article analyses the debate around ESG investments and the financial sector's readiness to address sustainability without sacrificing returns. Read more here.?
6. Green is the New Gold: ESG’s Impact on Investor Relations: Read how ESG's rising influence on investor relations, highlighting how sustainability metrics drive financial and reputational outcomes. Find out more.?
7. Anti-ESG backlash in US is overstated, JPMorgan exec says: JPMorgan executive downplays the anti-ESG sentiment in the US, emphasising resilience of sustainable investment strategies. Learn more here.
8. Greenwashing cases fall for first time in six years as regulatory scrutiny builds, RepRisk report finds: Companies linked to greenwashing dropped for the first time in six years, but severe cases and regional disparities persist. Learn more here.

Social 'Out and About'?

London Sustainable Development Commission (LSDC) Creating a Social Value Legacy in London’s Built Environment: Last month, our London team attended the LSDC event which explored its report on embedding social value within London’s planning and development. The panel discussion covered key recommendations, the challenges and benefits of delivering social values as well as advice on the best practices from stakeholders across the built environment.?

NHF Treasury in Housing Conference:?Luke?chaired?a session on where finance meets purpose, exploring how housing providers communicate their financial performance, funding and decision-making with residents.?Luke was pleased to provide reflections from the day to the NHF newsletter - but for more,?click here. Event Attendance?

Our director, Luke Cross, will be chairing and speaking at various events in the coming weeks. They include:?

European Federation for Living Autumn Conference 2024, Leeds - 7th?November - Luke will be chairing a session on housing decarbonisation across the UK and Europe. Find out?more?about the EfL here. Social Housing Annual Conference, London, - 20th?November - the Social team will be out in force at the popular one-day housing business and finance event. Please do drop by our stand on the day to talk ESG and sustainability reporting, investor communications, sector influencing and stakeholder engagement.

A track record of helping housing providers on their ESG journey...?

Social and?Newbridge have been supporting some of the most forward-thinking housing providers in the sector for several years on their ESG journey, providing an end-to-end service across ESG strategy management, stakeholder communication and engagement, frameworks and financing integration, and reporting.?

We can support you with:?

• insights on key trends and issues both in the sector and out of the sector?
• embedding ESG thinking and process across the organisation and its culture??
• running ESG workshops and engagement for all levels across the business, and external stakeholders?
• benchmarking disclosures versus best practices in the sector?
• supporting or leading on the delivery of your ESG reporting??
• offering guidance on reporting standards, frameworks, sustainability labels and rating services?
• providing insights and views from the funder community?

For more information about how our partnership could benefit you, contact Luke Cross at [email protected]?

Thank you for reading!??

If you would like to speak with us about our work in the ESG and sustainability space – from strategic communications and stakeholder engagement to reporting and disclosure – and our wider work in helping purpose-driven businesses to tell their story in credible and engaging ways, please get in touch.? ?

Email us: [email protected]? ?

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