We're pleased to say our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Summary Report 2023-24 is now available.
Please contact us if you would like this report in any other format, including large print or Braille.Welcome to our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report for 2023/24. Now in our second year of producing this report, not only are we proud of the continuing progress we are making on our ESG journey, but we are also excited and keen to share information on our governance and social and environmental impact to our stakeholders. These sit at the heart of what we do as a social landlord, forming the basis of our Corporate Strategy 2022-25 and our strategic objectives of Customer, People and Shaping Our Future.
We also reflect on the action to tackle issues such as improving the energy efficiency and affordability of our homes. We are keen to future-proof new homes and manage green spaces in a way that’s better for wildlife and the health and wellbeing of our customers.
The structure of this report follows the themes outlined in the Sustainability Reporting Standard for Social Housing, under the three broad environmental, social and governance headings. Each one has several criteria, which are individually addressed. The details of the report are summarised below.
Estuary Housing Association (Estuary or EHA), a not-for-profit registered provider of social housing based in Essex, owns and manages over 4,700 properties across Essex, the three outer East London Boroughs and the Suffolk Coastal District. The range of homes we provide, from rented to shared ownership and supported living services, deliver housing and support services to some of the most vulnerable members of society. We work with nineteen (19) Local Authorities and 92% of our homes/stock are in Essex.
We have adopted the National Housing Federation’s Code of Governance 2020 and report our compliance against this annually. We are passionate about making our homes more energy efficient and are committed to investing in our current properties in line with our purpose of providing housing our customers are proud to call home and this includes improving their energy performance. We remain committed to reducing the environmental impact of our business activities but accept that we are still at the beginning of our sustainability journey. We recognise the importance of being transparent about our ESG performance. Our Board’s decision to adopt the Sector Sustainability Reporting Standard led to us producing our first ESG report for 2022/23, covering the elements of the Standard. This is the most transparent way to report our performance with regard to ESG and we are pleased that the Association’s operations generated a total of c£3,850k in Social Value in 2023/24 (£2,406k in 2022/23).
We are still at the development stage of our Sustainability Strategy and will look to regularly report our progress against this Strategy to our stakeholders. The delivery of our Asset Management Strategy will continue to focus on investing in our existing homes, maintaining and improving their quality and sustainability.
We’re mindful of the impact building new homes can have on the environment, as well as the work needed to make our existing homes more energy efficient. We are also keen that our services are delivered in a way which is environmentally friendly and reduces cardon footprint where possible.
Estuary’s purpose is “by providing housing our customers are proud to call home we change lives for the better every day". The work Estuary Housing Association does delivers significant social impact.
We are keen to share examples of how we demonstrate our commitment to ESG. This ensures we report on our ESG performance in a transparent, consistent and comparable way, and also makes it easier for our lenders and investors to assess our ESG performance and identify our ESG risks and opportunities, so they can hold us to account over what we do and how we deliver.
We are excited by the potential of ESG. We see it as a force for good, and a way to measure and report our performance, progress and purpose against our long-term vision.
There are many shining examples of excellence among our social housing colleagues as well as in other sectors, and we can only improve by collaborating, sharing best practice and learning more about the steps we can take to protect people and planet. There is more work to do and we will continue to learn and develop our ESG approach in line with the sector standard and see how we can further enhance our ESG performance.
To work with us, comment on this report or to give us your views on any environmental, social or governance matters, please email info@estuary.co.uk
For properties that are subject to the rent regulation regime, report against one or more Affordability Metric:
Our average general needs rent is £127.17 and average LHA rate is £213.26.
Both are weighted averages, taking into account the number of properties in each category, so our rent as a percentage of the Local Housing Allowance is 59.6%.
Share, and number, of existing homes (owned and managed) completed before the last financial year. allocated to: general needs (social rent), intermediate rent, affordable rent, Supported Housing, Housing for older people, low-cost home ownership, care homes, private rented sector
At 31st March 2024, of the 4,738 total properties we own and manage, the breakdown was as follows:
The remaining 167 units are leasehold (3.5%)
The definitions are as per the Statistical Data Return (SDR)
Share, and number, of new homes (homes that were completed in the last financial year), allocated to:
In 2023/24 we invested in 1 new social home and 11 new low-cost home ownership (LCHO) shared ownership homes (SO)
Although our investment in new homes is low, we have been concentrating on maintaining current homes to ensure they deliver at a high standard.
How is the housing provider trying to reduce the effect of fuel poverty on its residents?
We have a Board approved Asset Management Strategy which includes investment in the energy efficiency of our homes. We have put in place targets to ensure all of our homes meet the requirements for an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) at C rating by 2030. As at the end of 2023/24, circa 60% of our homes met EPCC. There is provision for this in our long term financial plans.
The energy provider for our void properties provides £10.00 credit for customers on relet. A total of 71 residents received a £10.00 credit in 2023/24.
We have helped customers who are struggling financially and have experienced unexpected expenditure via our One Estuary Fund. The fund has been increased to £25,000 for the year.
We have two Benefits Coaches and a Tenancy Coach who support and provide helpful advice to our customers. The Coaches support customers to apply to the Essential Living Fund (ELF) some of which has been reserved for fuel cost.
The Coaches also support customers by making referrals to other external support providers such as; LEAP who provide guidance specific to customers energy needs, Better Housing Better Health (BHBH) who provide tailored solutions including help with switching energy supplier, signing up to Priority Services Register & accessing funding, Money Helper to access savings, discounts & social tariff, National Energy Action who offer advice to support fuel poor households, Energy suppliers to access grants, Warm Home discount scheme advise and referral to Energy Saving Trust and Warm Hubs.
What % of rental homes have a 3-year fixed tenancy agreement (or longer)?
Of the 3,754 general needs and market rent tenancies, 3,549 are either permanent or longer than 3 years, which is 94.5%.
We are currently phasing out Fixed term tenancies to provide greater security to our customers and expect this to be complete by the end of 2029. Going forward any existing fixed term tenancies will move to assured upon their expiry.
What % of homes with a gas appliance have an in-date, accredited gas safety check?
99.9% (there was one outstanding gas certificate at year end due to us not being able to gain access to the property). We subsequently gained access and this property now has a compliant gas safety certificate.
What % of buildings have an in-date and compliant Fire Risk Assessment?
100%
What % of homes meet the Decent Homes Standard?
100%. As at 31st March 2024, all our homes met the Decent Homes Standards.
What arrangements are in place to enable the residents to hold management to account for provision of services?
The Customer Experience Committee (CEC) has oversight of customer services and focuses on resident priorities to ensure compliance with Consumer Regulation and the Charter for Social Housing. CEC meets quarterly to check our performance, benchmark against our peers and discuss resident matters.
The Resident Voice and Influence Panel (RVIP) is the independent, resident-led group who are supported to hold Estuary to account through performance monitoring, scrutiny and challenge to ensure continuous improvement. Two members from the panel also represent formally at CEC. Terms of reference and details of the Group’s work are publicised on social media and our website to raise awareness of their work and also encourage others to get involved.
Our Customer Engagement Strategy is available on our website in a number of formats including video. This clearly shares our approach to engagement and our aspirations within this area of the business.
During the year we have been working towards attaining the Tpas Accreditation to recognise the work taking place, and this was achieved in October 2024.
Our KPI’s and TSM are clearly shared on our website and as part of our Annual Customer Export to ensure transparency of performance.
We have a clear and accessible complaints process and actively promote this in a variety of ways to encourage feedback.
Our customers can communicate to us in a variety of ways and we log and monitor communication from customers to ensure they receive a response to their enquiry.
We have also developed 3 Standards to manage expectation for both staff and customers on Customer Service, Repairs and Estate Services. These measures are a further way in which our performance can be measured and we can be held to account by our customers.
How does the Housing Provider measure Resident Satisfaction and how has the Resident Satisfaction changed over the last three years?
Customer Satisfaction is monitored in a number of ways both through Transactional Surveys and also Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM’s), which are based on perception.
We carry out quarterly Surveys through an independent provider to ensure impartiality.
We also measure Satisfaction through Benchmarking, Staff Engagement, Complaints and other various feedback.
Details of our TSM performance is shared on our website to maintain full transparency.
Our overall customer satisfaction at the end of the year 2023/24 was 63%, a decrease from 77.2% in the previous year. The decline highlights areas for improvement and we are committed to addressing the feedback from our residents to improve and enhance our services.
In the last 12 months, how many complaints have been upheld by the Ombudsman.
How have these complaints (or others) resulted in change of practice within the Housing Provider?
In 2023/24, we received determinations on eleven cases from the Housing Ombudsman Service. The determinations included 1 severe maladministration, six findings of maladministration, twelve findings of service failure and five findings of no maladministration.
The severe maladministration case highlighted areas for improvement, particularly concerning damp and mould. In response, we implemented several key measures; conducted staff training to enhance awareness and expertise in handling damp and mould issues.
We actively contacted properties with a history of damp and mould concerns and developed guidance and advice for residents, which is now available on our dedicated Condensation, Damp and Mould page
During 2023/24, we made vast improvements to our complaints handling process and policy. Staff training was provided across the entire business to ensure all staff were aware of their responsibilities in complaint handling and understood the requirements of the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code. We also reviewed and introduced a new compensation policy, which offers a more consistent and fair approach when awarding compensation.
Our responsive repairs service was the most common area for complaints. In partnership with the repairs service team, we developed a recovery service plan to address reoccurring issues.
We have continued to engage with residents through our ‘learning from complaints’ subgroup. This group reviews complaint themes and trends.
Our dedicated lessons learnt page on our website.
What support services does the Housing Provider offer to its residents. How successful are these services in improving outcomes?
provide a range of support services to our customers. Our Benefit and Tenancy Coaches provide specialist help and advice to support and sustain tenancies.
With Benefit Coach support, £437,033.68 additional income was generated for our customers. This has included support to apply for Universal Credit, Council Tax reduction, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Carers Allowance and Pension Credits.
Officers have also supported customers to claim £283,540.30 in additional rent payments via Housing Benefit and Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) which has helped sustain their tenancies.
We assisted 73 customers via our One Estuary Fund during 2023/2024 and a further 18 customers in December 2023 by providing shopping vouchers to assist with additional Xmas expenditure. We work closely with food banks and food clubs who provide good quality food at a reduced price in order to reduce food waste. We issued 98 food vouchers.
Our Tenancy Coach helps manage our complex cases more closely and provides extensive timely support. During 23/24 the Tenancy Coach supported 39 customers with a variety of needs including accessing mental health services, support for drug and alcohol dependency, registering with GP / local health services, hoarding, domestic abuse victim/survivors & perpetrators.
We have assisted with 16 urgent rehousing moves, where we move customers who are in danger or have specific medical needs. We have supported 6 households from temporary into secure accommodation and 2 to downsize.
We have worked with our contracting partner to provide handyman services to our Care and Support customers. We have also negotiated contributions to local charities and groups which may provide support for our customers.
During the reporting year we achieved £3,850,397.84 in Social Value. This is nearly a £1.5m increase on the previous year.
Social Value breakdown of areas:
We also capture details of projects and initiatives which do not have a financial calculation where the impact is measured via monitoring and recognised improvement. We are able to demonstrate the difference to our customers lives in receiving our support to access social groups, exercise, be free from debt & able to save, alleviated from ASB and having increased confidence.
Provide examples or case studies of where the Housing Provider has been engaged in placemaking or place shaping activities
We have worked with our partners at Southend Council to provide a nursery facility and Family Centre from our main office which is located on our largest estate.
The Family Centre is a community resource providing parental support services from pregnancy. A total of 49% of the Nursery attendees live in an Estuary property and one child attends as their parent works for us. This is a direct benefit to our customers and also our people.
We invest in our communities by identifying opportunities to add value to existing activities and look to develop new initiatives with key partners, that will empower and benefit local people.
We took the roadshows to four locations during the year to specifically talk to customers regarding Building Safety, which has helped to shape our strategies. We want to do more to improve our relationship with our customers by building trust and rapport and provide customers with opportunities to co-regulate and deliver impact. We’re also made large investments over the last 3 years to ensure the safety of our homes, particularly the fire safety of our blocks. Safety is our first consideration and so it’s right that we invested the money the way we did.
Distribution of EPC ratings of existing homes (those completed before the last financial year).
Below is the table of EPC ratings. Number of General Needs properties per band, include ‘No Data’ row at the bottom of the table for dwellings built before 1st April 2023. We have a target to ensure all of our homes have EPCs at level C or better by 2030.
| EPC Band | 2022/23 Count | 2023/24 % |
|---|---|---|
| A | 8 | 0.2% |
| B | 203 | 16.8% |
| C | 1,564 | 43.7% |
| D | 1,133 | 31.7% |
| E | 146 | 4.1% |
| F | 7 | 0.2% |
| G | 0 | 0.0% |
| No data | 118 | 3.3% |
| Total | 3,579 |
We are considering ways by which we can share this information with our customers under the performance page on our website.
Distribution of EPC ratings of new homes (those completed in the last financial year).
There were no General Needs properties built in the year.
EPC information is provided as a part of handover pack. New build properties are built to a minimum of EPC Rated B standard.
Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 green house gas emissions
We are currently not able to report on this criterion; we will consider commissioning a supplier to produce a carbon audit. An independent company would assess this criterion, including giving scenarios on improvement. We will consider the viability of this in the 2024-25 financial year.
What energy efficiency actions has the Housing Provider undertaken in the last 12 months?
In 2023-24, some of the many actions undertaken to improve energy efficiency of our homes included:
The current EPC information for the housing stock is also detailed in our response to C14 above.
How is the Housing Provider mitigating the following climate risks:
We currently do not have mitigations in place to meet this criterion. Requirements will be developed as part of our new Sustainability Strategy which will be published in 2024-25.
All our new homes are built to the latest building regulation requirements and standards.
Does the Housing Provider give residents information about correct ventilation, heating, recycling etc. Please describe how this is done.
Yes, we provide our customers with a range of sustainability information and a number of helpful resources via the dedicated page on our website.
We have also prepared a ventilation leaflet for residents, which is on our website.
Our design brief includes Part F, which means that new homes have improved ventilation, so have reduced risk of overheating. Our new homes meet Part F of the building standard.
How is the Housing Provider increasing Green Space and promoting Biodiversity on or near homes?
Over 15,000 services are provided annually to keep the environments around our customers’ homes clean and safe, and well maintained. Our GEMS (Grounds Estates, Maintenance, and environmental services across the Associations stock. GEMS are also on hand to deal with the day-to-day emergencies that arise include dealing with fly-tipping and the impact of anti-social behaviour.
During 2023/2024 our GEMS team achieved the following:
We’ll continue to improve green space and promote biodiversity on our new developments and existing estates.
These requirements will be developed as part of our new Sustainability Strategy which will be published in 2023/2024.
Some of the things we want to focus on include:
Does the Housing Provider have a strategy to actively manage and reduce all pollutants?
If so, how does the Housing Provider target and measure performance?
In 2023/24, we cleared 1,829 separate incidents of fly-tipping, totalling £327,000.
We take the environmental impacts of waste, reuse and recycling into account when procuring goods and services. We also expect our suppliers to have robust waste management policies in place and to participate in enhanced reporting.
We will continue to develop these requirements as part of our new Sustainability Strategy, which will be published in 2024/2025.
Does the Housing Provider have a strategy to use or increase the use of responsibly sourced materials for all building works?
If so, how does the Housing Provider target and measure performance?
A provision for responsible sourcing of materials is included within procurement documents for individual contracts.
Sustainability is included as part of Contract Management Meetings.
Does the Housing Provider have a strategy for waste management incorporating building materials?
If so, how does the Housing Provider target and measure performance?
We currently do not have a strategy for waste management. In 2023/24, however, we cleared 1,829 separate incidents of fly-tipping totalling £327,000.
We will continue to develop these requirements as part of the sustainability strategy which will be published in 2024/25
Some of the things we want to focus on include:
We take the environmental impacts of waste, reuse and recycling into account when procuring goods and services. We also expect our suppliers to have robust waste management policies in place and to participate in enhanced reporting.
Contracts in place with development and maintenance partner contractors will also be checked for relevant clauses.
Does the Housing Provider have a strategy for good water management?
If so, how does the Housing Provider target and measure performance?
Currently, water hygiene checks on our buildings with communal supply is 100%. These checks are in relation to 177 blocks.
We are looking at developing these requirements as part of our new Sustainability Strategy.
Some of the things we want to focus on include:
We will also check contracts in place with development and maintenance partner contractors for relevant clauses.
Is the Housing Provider registered with a regulator of social housing?
Estuary Housing Association is registered with the Regulator of Social Housing. Our registration number is L3535.
What is the most recent viability and governance regulatory grading?
The most recent governance and viability regulatory grading for Estuary is G2/ V2. We are committed to making any necessary improvements to return us to G1 at the earliest opportunity.
Which Code of Governance does the Housing Provider follow, if any?
Estuary follows the National Housing Federation’s Code of Governance published in 2020.
Is the Housing Provider Not-For-Profit?
If not, who is the largest shareholder, what is their % of economic ownership and what % of voting rights do they control?
Yes, Estuary is a not-for-profit housing provider.
Explain how the Housing Provider’s board manages organisational risks
Our approach to risk management is detailed in our Risk Management Policy approved by the Board. Risk appetite is reviewed annually or following a material event. Risks are identified through regular top-down and bottom-up reviews. Our approach is cascaded through the organisation and is embedded in our culture, assurance framework and performance reporting. Senior management regularly monitor a variety of operational risks which feed into our strategic risk register. The Board and Executive Team have identified 12 strategic risks that are reviewed by the Board with support from our Audit and Risk Committee:
| Risk Name / ID | Risk Category / Description |
|---|---|
|
Governance & Regulation |
|
| People & Culture (RR2-02) |
Not embedding the One Estuary culture; inability to recruit and retain the right People that are motivated, professional and dedicated to our values. |
| Asset Management (RR-03) |
Not achieving good asset performance/ meeting sustainability targets (includes having adequate data to respond to any future government requirements around property condition and sustainability e.g. net zero carbon). |
| Governance and Regulation. (RR-04) |
Significant changes in the external environment adversely affecting Estuary – Appropriately responding to changes in government policy or the external / economic environment and meeting all regulatory and legal requirements. |
| Housing management & maintenance / Operational and policy delivery (RR-05 & RR-06) |
|
| Health and Safety Compliance (RR-07) |
Major Health and Safety Incident – Appropriately responding to a major health and safety disaster or safeguarding incident which has implications for Estuary’s properties, customers and/or employees. |
|
Financial viability and treasury management |
|
| Development – new supply (RR-11) |
Growth – ability to grow the business sustainably (incl. stock rationalisation) in line with "Shaping the Future" objectives. |
| Construction Quality (RR-47) | Significant financial, reputational and/or safety issues arising from currently unknown construction defects. |
Has the Housing Provider been subject to any adverse regulatory findings in the last 12 months (e.g. data protection breaches, bribery, money laundering, HSE breaches or notices) – that resulted in enforcement or other equivalent action?
No, Estuary has not been subject to any adverse regulatory findings in the last 12 months. Currently Estuary has a compliant G2 rating from the Regulator of Social Housing. We have done extensive reviews of our governance over the last 2 years in order to support us in attaining a G1 rating. No, Estuary has not been subject to any adverse regulatory findings in the last 12 months.
What are the demographics of the board? And how does this compare to the demographics of the Housing Provider’s residents, and the area that they operate in?
Add commentary if useful.
As at 31st March 2024 the Board comprised of nine non-executive members and two executive members, the Chief Executive and the Chief Financial Officer. The demographics of the Board as at 31st March 2024 were as follows:
| Female members | 7 (64%) |
| Male members | 4 (36%) |
| BAME | 9% |
| Average age | 58 years |
| Average tenure | 2.6 years |
The demographics of EHA’s Board currently do not mirror those of our residents; however, there are some gaps in the information we hold for various reasons such as non-disclosure. We are progressing with a project to update our data which will enable us to segment customers appropriately and align services better to the need of customers. We are also actively delivering our Customer Engagement Strategy which focuses on inclusivity and communicating effectively with various customer groups, such as consultation and updates on Building Safety.
What % of the board AND management team have turned over in the last two years?
Add commentary if useful.
55% of the Board have turned over in the last two years. At the end of 2023-24 there were 11 members of the Board – nine non-executive members and two executive members, the Chief Executive and the Chief Financial Officer.
1 member – the Chair of the Board – left and was replaced in the 2022-23 financial year and 5 members, including the Senior Independent Director, left and were replaced in the 2023-24 financial year. At the end of 2023-24, there are 5 members of the Executive Team, with 1 Director joining in the 2022-23 financial year.
Is there a maximum tenure for a board member? If so, what is it?
We limit Board member tenure to a maximum of six consecutive years, normally comprising two terms of 3 years in line with the adopted Code of Governance.
Single year extensions may be permitted past the 6-year maximum at the Board’s discretion – to the constitutional maximum of 9 years. Where any such extension applies, it is reported in our Annual Financial Statements.
What % of the board are non-executive directors?
82% (9 out of 11) of our Board are non-executive directors as at 31 March 2024.
Number of board members on the Audit Committee with recent and relevant financial experience.
Our Audit and Risk Committee has four members from the Board, including members who have relevant financial experience and strong skills in finance management.
Are there any current executives on the Remuneration Committee?
There are no current executives on the Governance and Remuneration Committee.
Has a succession plan been provided to the board in the last 12 months?
Yes. Our Code of Governance requires that we have a formal succession plan and a Board development plan. We report compliance against our adopted Code every May. As part of the process for filling vacancies within the Board and Committee structure, our Governance and Remuneration Committee discussed Board succession and reviewed the Skills Matrices regarding Boards and Committees in December 2003, which they then recommended to the Board at their December 2023 meeting for approval.
For how many years has the Housing Provider’s current external audit partner been responsible for auditing the accounts?
We have had our current audit partner for 4 years.
When was the last independently run board effectiveness review?
The last independently run Board effectiveness review was completed in November 2022. Our next review is planned for 2025.
Are the roles of the chair of the board and CEO held by two different people?
Yes, our Board Chair is Ian Green, and our CEO is Ian Martin.
How does the Housing Provider handle conflicts of interest at the board?
Board members are required to complete an annual disclosure of interests form and inform the Association of any changes to their interests during the year in line with the Code of Conduct for Board and Committee Members.
Declarations of interest are presented at every Board and Committee meeting to ensure openness and transparency should a conflict arise. Board members are required at every meeting to raise any potential conflicts of interest for the business being discussed. Where a conflict is identified, there is a clear process and legal advice is sought, if required.
Requirements are documented within the Board/ Committee Service Agreements and within supporting policies. Board members are also encouraged to resolve any issues or concerns that they may have at the earliest opportunity by discussing issues informally at an early stage to find a solution and/or applying its Board and Committee Dispute & Grievance Procedure.
Does the Housing Provider pay the Real Living Wage?
In the face of unprecedented economic challenges, including a significant rise in the national minimum wage in 2024, Estuary remains committed to fair compensation for our dedicated workforce. Due to constraints imposed by funding received from our local authority commissioners, we were unable to adjust base wages to align with the current Real Living Wage of £12 per hour for a portion of our staff. As a result, 47% of our employees (128 out of 272) are currently earning below this threshold.
Despite these challenges, Estuary continues to prioritise the wellbeing of our employees by offering a comprehensive package of benefits, and we continually review our pay structures to ensure we remain competitive and fair.
Our commitment to our people is unwavering, and we will continue to seek ways to reward the exceptional work they do, even in this challenging financial climate.
What is the gender pay gap?
As detailed in our 2024 pay gap report, Estuary’s gender pay gap has reduced to 12.2%, marking a significant improvement for the third consecutive year—down from 16% in 2022 and 23% in 2021.
This consistent decrease underscores our dedication to closing the gender pay gap, a commitment we take seriously in the face of sector-specific challenges, particularly in the Care and Support and Built Environment sectors, where gender imbalances traditionally persist.
The notable reduction in our pay gap this year is largely attributed to the increased representation of women in our lower middle and upper middle quartile pay bands.
While we acknowledge that more work lies ahead, we are proud of the progress we have made and remain focused on fostering an equitable workplace where all employees are valued and rewarded fairly.
Furthermore, our gender pay gap report and its associated actions are aligned and incorporated into both our EDI Policy & Action Plan, further helping to ensure a culture of pay equity is embedded across the organisation.
What is the CEO work pay ratio?
This year the median CEO-worker pay ratio at Estuary has improved, decreasing to 20.4% from 21.1% in 2022-23. This reduction is reflective of our ongoing efforts to ensure equitable compensation across all levels of our organisation.
When viewed alongside our decreasing gender pay gap and our proactive review of wage structures, this shift highlights our commitment to fairness and transparency in our pay practices.
We understand the importance of maintaining a balanced and just compensation system, and this year’s improvement is a testament to our dedication to continuing to build an inclusive and supportive workplace for all our people.
How does the Housing Provider support the physical and mental health of their staff?
At Estuary, the physical and mental wellbeing of our staff remains a top priority.
Building on the robust support mechanisms already in place, including our external occupational health provider, 24/7 employee assistance line, and comprehensive health and wellness platforms, we have taken additional steps to further enhance our commitment to our team’s wellbeing.
In the past year, we have developed our dedicated groups of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and Wellbeing Champions, drawn from across the organisation and led by two HR managers.
These groups are instrumental in driving meaningful change and fostering a culture of inclusivity, safety, and wellbeing for everyone.
Through ongoing consultation with employees, these champions ensure that our training, support, and reward practices align with the overarching aims of our People Strategy, with the ultimate goal of creating a happier and more inclusive workforce.
Beyond this, we strive to create a great place to work for our people, ensuring we support both positive physical and mental wellbeing. We have numerous initiatives and benefits in place to ensure our staff feel supported and inspired throughout their employee journey with us.
Furthermore, our extensive offering of enhanced family-friendly policies, including enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption leave and pay, and paid time off for fertility treatment, carer’s leave, volunteering and key life milestones.
Our commitment to employee wellbeing aims to be holistic, recognising the importance of mental, physical, and emotional health in building a resilient and engaged team.
This creates a happy workforce in a happy, vibrant workplace, enabling them to offer excellent customer service and ensure we have a thriving business.
Average number of sick days taken per employee.
The average number of sick days taken by Estuary employees has decreased to 7.12 days per year, down from 7.9 days last year.
This reduction is a strong indicator that our ongoing efforts to support employee wellbeing and inclusion, and enhance our rewards and benefits packages are having a positive impact.
By fostering a healthy and supportive work environment, we are seeing tangible results in reduced absenteeism, which benefits both our employees and the organisation as a whole.
This trend reinforces our commitment to continuous improvement in employee health and wellbeing.
How is Social Value creation considered when procuring goods and services?
We are committed to considering Social Value as part of tender evaluations in all contracts procured over £100k as a way to create additional value for our customers. This varies with the nature of the goods/services/works being procured.
The inclusion of the following questions is also mandatory for all tenders:
Have you breached:
Additional questions for works tenders include:
Have you breached:
All suppliers awarded contracts over £100k are asked to provide their EDI policies to ensure they align to Estuaries values.
We also take the opportunity as part of contract management activities to approach larger existing suppliers to consider how they can deliver social value for us.
How is environmental impact considered when procuring goods and services?
We will be able to measure against this criterion once we fully understand our CO2 emission output, as this will determine what to ask of our suppliers.
In accordance with the Public Contract Regulations 2015, we include sustainability and environmental criteria on a case by case basis as part of our tender evaluations.
There are requirements suppliers must meet in reporting on waste and fleet.
We want to work with suppliers who are using new innovations to improve more sustainable services. In light of this, we currently conduct basic due diligence in respect of our procurement. We therefore include the following questions in all works tenders:
Other questions tailored to the specific works, goods or services required include: