Our mission is to deliver superior returns for our shareholders and investors, by operating in a sustainable and responsible manner. We define Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria as a set of operating standards across all our platforms.
To combat climate change and protect our planet, we have already taken significant measures that better our environmental legislative obligations. We are fully committed to meeting and exceeding, where possible, forthcoming regulatory changes for a sustainable future. We are actively implementing initiatives such as Air Source Heat Pumps, underfloor heating, the smartest electric vehicle fast-charging points available, and ultra-fast broadband to our upcoming private developments from 2021. These features, alongside our current build specification, ensures all our private new homes will exceed the 2023 Future Homes Standard.
We create legacy homes for current and future generations by delivering sustainable communities and places that enhance people’s wellbeing. We are committed to delivering meaningful facilities, such as village halls, sports facilities, parish meeting halls and community shops. We refurbish existing buildings and bring them back to use. Our developments include many biodiverse and ecological enhancements, such as tree planting, green infrastructure, nesting boxes, bat boxes and dark streets. We continually review our design code principles to positively influence and engage with the policy makers and local stakeholders.
We create a strong and positive work culture, guided by our vision and values, promoting high levels of personal and professional integrity. We value everyone and work as one team by fostering openness, sustainability, and respect. We encourage an inclusive and diverse working environment, utilising a broad range of perspectives, ideas and experiences to help shape and improve our decision making. Flexible and agile working helps to retain our talented people, increase employee engagement and wellbeing. We support our workforce to maintain good mental, physical, social and financial health.
We invest significantly in our working environments by creating and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace, where there is mutual trust and respect and where every person feels responsible for the performance and reputation of our business. We respect one another and each other’s individual rights and customs. We work towards achieving a diverse workforce, recruiting, employing and promoting people only on the basis of objective criteria and the qualifications and abilities needed for the job to be performed. We continuously engage with our people to convert our core values into action.
We uphold strong governance and a robust risk and compliance framework to ensure that we apply, at all times, high levels of personal and professional integrity. We have put in place the necessary policies and procedures and ongoing training throughout our employees’ careers to ensure that the highest standards of compliance are embedded across all our operations. We will not enter into or maintain relationships with individuals or organisations engaged in activities which go against our ethical standards.
We do not work with suppliers involved in money laundering, corruption or bribery, child labour, forced labour, or the destruction of high conservation value areas. Our Supply Chain Framework Agreements ensures our suppliers share our required standards for safety, quality, ethics, human rights and the environment. Priority is given to local suppliers and sub-contractors to help reduce our carbon footprint. We proactively work with a low-carbon supply chain and sub-contractors, who operate responsibly and resource efficiently.