Environment & Sustainability

During 2021/22 we reduced our carbon footprint 8.2% compared to before COVID-19. That means we’ve saved the same amount of carbon as around 330 cars being used on our roads for a year. We also saw 11.5% less fuel used by our fleet of vans, and a 13.9% reduction in carbon released.   

We’re committed to reaching net zero in our homes by 2050 or before. We’re continuing to look at our environmental impact to reduce how much carbon we use while maintaining your homes every year. Our goal is to make a real difference by lowering carbon, reducing how much it costs you to run your homes and doing what we can to adapt to a constantly changing climate.

Improving our biodiversity, as well as providing services that are ethical and sustainable, will help transform the way we work over the next few years and decades. In the short term, we’ve reduced how much energy we use in our offices by 27% since 2019, beaten our waste targets and achieved zero waste to landfill* with all our waste recycled or recovered.  

*Except small amounts of asbestos waste.

We’re committed to ensuring all our homes, where possible, are rated at an energy efficiency of Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) C and above before 2030 but aim to have as many as we can completed before 2025. Currently 85% of our homes meet this target and our EPC data is being updated as part of a project we’re doing to survey every one of our homes during 2022. We’ll then be able to find the extra energy efficiency measures needed for us to meet our target.

Additionally, we started a solar panel pilot scheme for around 20 homes in Dorset. If the pilot goes well, we’ll apply for more funding to install more solar panels in the future.

We’ve set up a project to work with customers who are most likely to be affected by fuel poverty, by making changes to their homes which will keep them warmer and lessen the impact. From autumn 2022, we’ll provide a range of support for our customers most affected by these issues which we hope will be invaluable to those who may be struggling the most with rising energy bills.

We’re always looking for ways we can be more sustainable and reduce the impact we have on the environment. We’ve got lots more to do, and we’re currently in the process of updating our wider sustainability plans, but we’re already making great progress.