Achieving Social Impact with Cross Keys Homes
Cross Keys Homes is one of the Eastern region’s leading providers of affordable homes for rent and sale. It is a commercial business with a social heart – and has a vision to create opportunities that change lives.
As an iiE member since 2011, Cross Keys Homes has adopted the One Planet Living framework to help combine environmental improvement and carbon reduction with projects to support, educate and empower people in communities across the region. Not only has this positive approach enabled the organisation to retain its iiE top-level Green Award accreditation for seven consecutive years, it has also enabled Cross Keys Homes to win the acclaimed Biggest Social Impact Award in 2020.
Cross Keys Homes recognises its responsibility to the environment and the people in its communities, and has set testing targets to reduce its carbon footprint and protect the planet for future generations. The organisation currently has several recycling streams in place: metal, wood, rubber, and plasterboard are all recycled through Cross Keys Homes’ waste facility. There is also a food compost heap on site which supports plants in their inner courtyard.
Cross Keys Homes has delivered the largest social housing PV panel installation project in the country – installing panels on over 5,400 homes. Through a combined effort of employee engagement in energy saving campaigns, building improvements and the installation of solar panels, Cross Keys Homes has reduced carbon emissions by 18%.
Multiple engagement campaigns have been run too, including Zero Waste Week, Earth Day and ‘Borrow a Bag’. Notable progress has been made in reducing vehicle emissions, and during the Covid-19 lockdown the reductions in commuter mileage were dramatic, something which Cross Keys Homes identified as an opportunity to maintain. Future travel plans will factor this objective in along with staff receiving further encouragement and support to achieve a good work-life balance.
Cross Keys Homes offer a range of support to residents including a wellbeing hub in Welland, various community hubs providing counselling services, fuel poverty awareness, social clubs for residents and providing support for the Covid-19 relief fund Be Kind. The organisation is also involved with pollinator friendly planting at WestRaven Community Garden and Kingfisher Court extra care scheme, and provides staff with paid volunteer days to increase engagement to give back to the community.
Cross Keys Homes’ Chief Executive Claire Higgins said, “Our position as a commercial organisation with a social heart gives us both a responsibility, but also a great opportunity, to make a huge difference to the environments in which we work. The whole team is as passionate as I am that we leave this world a better place for future generations, and I am determined that we will blaze a trail as a truly green company. From building bug hotels with fly-tipped rubbish to equipping tenants with solar panels to generate green, free, electricity, we will continue to seek new ways to make our communities vibrant, supportive, green places for all to live in. It’s a great aspect of our work, with tangible outcomes and exciting too.”