Orbit, one of the UK’s foremost not-for-profit housing groups, has published its progress against its Sustainability commitments in its 2023/24 Sustainability Report.
The Report details how the social housing provider is working to maximise its positive social and environmental impacts as set out by its 2030 Strategy and supporting Sustainability Strategy. These include building on its commitment to deliver £100m worth of social value by 2025, becoming net zero carbon, and delivering on its 30by30 biodiversity target, along with improving energy affordability for its customers today, whilst also providing energy efficient homes that meet the needs of the future.
Over the past 12 months, Orbit has made positive progress in several key areas including delivering £61.5m of social value since its baseline in 2021/22, securing its second sustainability-linked finance facility worth £115m and achieving a 39.7% reduction against its 2018/19 carbon footprint baseline.
Other achievements from Orbit’s latest report include:
- Generating over £1m in energy savings for its customers
- Supporting over 1,500 customers into employment related training or volunteering
- Delivering over 10,400 customer support interventions via its Better Days programme
- Progressing against its commitment to ensure 100% of existing homes are EPC band C or above by 2030, with 85.6% now rated EPC C or above
- Completing work to upgrade the energy efficiency of 141 properties as part of SHDF’s Wave 1 with work underway to upgrade a further 212 properties as part of SHDF’s wave 2.1
- Progressing towards its 30by30 commitment to enable nature’s recovery in 30% of the outdoor green spaces it manages by 2030, including planting 5,000m2 wildflowers and 3,000 hedgerow whips in five estates across the London Borough of Bexley
- Maintaining the RoSPA Gold Health and Safety standard for the sixth consecutive year
- Contributing 1,788 volunteering hours
Phil Andrew, Chief Executive for Orbit Group, commented: “As a socially-driven organisation, we are committed to ensuring everything we do maximises our positive social and environmental impacts, and I am proud of the progress we continue to make in this space for our customers and society.
“I am also incredibly excited for the year ahead, as the launch of our 2030 Strategy, which is underpinned by our Sustainability Strategy, has given us a unique opportunity from which to sharpen our focus on delivering our services and homes through the lens of our customers, to enable us to help affect the change that’s needed to address both the impact of climate change and the housing crisis.”