Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Summary Report 2022/23

Criteria C1

Criteria/Requirements:

For properties that are subject to the rent regulation regime, report against one or more Affordability Metric:

1. Rent compared to Median private rental sector (PRS) rent across the Local Authority.
2. Rent compared to Local Housing Allowance (LHA).

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

Our average general needs rent is £119.39 and average LHA rate is £213.32. 

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 56%.

 

Criteria C2

Criteria/Requirements:

Share, and number, of existing homes (homes completed before the last financial year) allocated to: general needs (social rent), intermediate rent, affordable rent, supported housing, oousing for older people, low-cost home ownership, care homes, private rented sector.

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

At 31st March 2023, of the 4734 total properties we own and manage, the breakdown was as follows: 

• 2630 General needs (55.6%)
• 25 Intermediate rent (0.5%)
• 908 Affordable rent (19.2%)
• 110 Supported Living (2.3%)
• 78 Housing for older people (1.7%)
• 592 Low-cost home ownership (12.5%)
• 6 Care homes (0.1%)
• 223 Market rented (4.8%)
• 162 Other (3.4%)

 

Criteria C3

Criteria/Requirements:

Share, and number, of new homes (homes that were completed in 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
• Other 

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

In 2022/23 we invested in 40 new affordable homes, 4 new social homes and 21 new low-cost home ownership (LCHO) shared ownership (SO).

 

Criteria C4

Criteria/Requirements:

How is the housing provider trying to reduce the effect of fuel poverty on its residents?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

All new boiler and electrical installations are A rated for energy performance. This supports our customers to use energy efficiently.

We continue to commit to our One Estuary Fund, which is £20K in total for the year. This fund assists our customers who are struggling with payments and have unexpected expenditure which is causing them significant financial strain. 

We also have two Benefits Coaches who work closely with our Tenancy Coach to help sustain their tenancies. They work with customers to support them in securing financial grants and contributions including a number of benefits. 

Our Income Officers are on hand to provide helpful advice to our customers; this includes communicating in a variety of ways such as in writing, telephone, digitally and face to face.

 

Criteria C5

Criteria/Requirements:

What % of rental homes have a 3-year fixed tenancy agreement (or longer)? 

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

From 1st January 2023, we ceased using Fixed Term Tenancies as a tenancy type. We are currently in the process of phasing these out and changing these to Assured Tenancies. 

We now offer a 12-month Starter Tenancy to those new to social housing which automatically becomes an Assured Tenancy on successful completion of the starter tenancy. 

Criteria C6

Criteria/Requirements:

What % of homes with a gas appliance have an in-date, accredited gas safety check?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

100%

 

Criteria C7

Criteria/Requirements:

What % of buildings have an in-date and compliant Fire Risk Assessment?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

100%

 

Criteria C8

Criteria/Requirements:

What % of homes meet the Decent Homes Standard?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

At 31 March 2023 96.1% of our homes met the Decent Homes Standard. These properties have improvement works identified for completion during 2023-24 so they can be designated as Decent Homes once again and ensure 100% compliance.

 

Criteria C9

Criteria/Requirements:

What arrangements are in place to enable the residents to hold management to account for provision of services?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

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 also meets quarterly to discuss resident matters.

Formed at the end of 2022-23, 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. Some of the RVIP members are on the CEC. 

In March 2023 the RVIP approved a new Terms of Reference and Code of Conduct for our involved residents. We worked with our involved residents and the Tenants Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) to develop the new model and structure using customer feedback. The new structure builds on the strengths of the RVIP and creates more varied and rewarding opportunities for residents who want to get involved with monitoring our performance and shaping our services. 

We have subscribed to TPAS membership for our residents.

Our Customer Engagement Strategy also has an agreed action plan and the RVIP are integral to monitoring the targets set within the strategy. 

Details of the year’s performance are also published in our annual report.

 

Criteria C10

Criteria/Requirements:

How does the Housing Provider measure Resident Satisfaction and how has the Resident Satisfaction changed over the last three years?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) are a new process set up by the government, intended to make it easier for social housing customers to hold their landlords to account. 

We have started our Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) surveys and will survey 250 customers on a quarterly basis in line with the approved questions. This will be done through independent providers of TSM, Satisfaction Surveys and Customer Research, Benchmarking, Staff Engagement, Learning & Development and Consultancy to the social housing sector. We work in partnership with an independent provider to support the benchmarking activities of smaller housing providers. Details of this are shared on our website so we are fully transparent in our performance.

Our overall customer satisfaction at year end 2022/23 was 77.2% and 81.6% in the previous year.

 

Criteria C11

Criteria/Requirements:

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?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

In 2022-23, we received determinations on three cases from the Housing Ombudsman Service. The determinations included four findings of service failure, one finding of redress and one finding of no maladministration. 

During 2022-23, we changed the way we record complaints. We also reviewed our current Complaints and Customer Feedback Policy as well as our Compensation Policy and strengthened provisions to support a positive complaint handling culture. 

We set up a ‘learning from complaints’ subgroup to review the top complaint themes and trends. We use these themes to work towards improving services in these areas. We now also have a dedicated lessons learnt page on our website. 

Criteria C12

Criteria/Requirements:

What support services does the Housing Provider offer to its residents. How successful are these services in improving outcomes?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

We provide a range of support services to our customers, including tenancy support, welfare and benefits support and employment support. With the cost-of-living challenges affecting customers, we’ve developed a fund for hardship and customer support.

Our benefit advice has bought in £550,000 to assist customers sustain their tenancies. During 2022-23, our Benefits Officers have helped 150 customers to claim an additional £310,125 of benefits, universal credit and other payments and allowance. 

We issued 46 food bank vouchers and appointed a Tenancy Coach to help manage our complex cases more closely and provide timely support. 

We have assisted 15 managed move cases, where we move customers who are in danger or have specific medical needs.

We consider social value activity as important when looking at Value for Money and the impact our services have on customers. We want to make a difference, for the better, through our work with customers. Although we have not captured everything we do in financial value, we plan to expand and improve on this going forward. We set a target of £1m, but we’ve managed to record over £2.4m, which exceeds our target.

In line with our commitment to delivering social value, a Social Value Working Group has been set up and met for the first time in January 2023 to discuss an Estuary-wide approach to identifying the kinds of social value projects our customers actually want, working with our larger suppliers on delivery, and capturing and reporting on social value successes. The Group will meet several times a year to check progress in this area.

Social Value - Breakdown of Areas

Area	Spend (£)
Housing	1,139,006.31
Income and Allocations	602,628
Care & Support	446,538
People and Organisational Development	100,368
Customer Engagement	67,069
Estate Services	30,000
Built Environment	19,954
Total	2,405,563.31

We aim to deal with as many contacts at the first point to resolve and answer any questions customers may have. Our target for this is 66%; during the year we came just within target at 65%. 

In December 2022, we implemented a call back service to avoid customers waiting on the phones and the team handled 424 call backs. We’ll be reviewing our customer service standards in the coming year. 

We handled 32,794 phone calls (34,654 last year), with January being the busiest month, and December 2022 being the quietest. 

There were 2,336 (1,186) initial emails logged (we only record the initial email received (customer related). The Customer Services team processed 773 online forms (855 processed in the previous year). 

There were 415 social media posts logged (we only record the initial customer related social media post received). There were 166 logged last year.

Criteria C13

Criteria/Requirements:

Provide examples or case studies of where the Housing Provider has been engaged in placemaking or placeshaping activities

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

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. 

During the year, we consulted with customers on our fixed term tenancies at length to determine whether we would carry out with this type of tenure. 

Following consultation, the Board agreed that we would move away from this tenure type. 

We took the roadshows to Southend, Colchester, Uttlesford, Dunmow and Thurrock, where we consulted at length on the way in which customers wanted us to engage with them. This helped us shape our Customer Engagement Strategy. 

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. 

Our new builds and development also contribute to meeting housing needs. 

As part of our Value for Money Strategy, we’re hoping to deliver savings which will help us spend more money on planned works and major repairs by reducing our overhead costs. 

Our overall day-to-day maintenance budget, which includes repairing empty homes, was £2.7M. Due to the increase in the cost of materials and the volume of orders, we spent £4M. We anticipated spending just under £2.5M on Planned Works and ended up spending £2M. The overall net overspend for both these areas was £0.95M.

Criteria C14

Criteria/Requirements:

Distribution of EPC ratings of existing homes (those completed before the last financial year).

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

Below is the table of EPC ratings. Number of properties per band, include ‘No Data’ row at the bottom of the table for dwellings built before 1st April 2022.

EPC Ratings

EPC Band	2022/23 Count	2022/23 %
A	8	0.2%
B	552	15.1%
C	1,632	44.6%
D	1,181	32.2%
E	145	4.0%
F	5	0.1%
G	0	0.0%
No data	140	3.8%
Total	3,663

We are considering ways by which we can share this information with our customers under the performance page on our website.

 

Criteria C15

Criteria/Requirements:

Distribution of EPC ratings of new homes (those completed in the last financial year).

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

Below is the table of EPC ratings. Number of properties per band, include ‘No Data’ row at the bottom of the table for dwellings built before 1st April 2022 and before 31st March 2023.

EPC Ratings

EPC Band	2022/23 Count	2022/23 %
A	0	0%
B	43	97.7%%
C	1	2.3%
D	0	0%
E	0	0%
F	0	0%
G	0	0%
No data	0	0%
Total	44

EPC information is provided as a part of handover pack. New build properties are built to a minimum of EPC Rated B standard.

 

Criteria C16

Criteria/Requirements:

Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 green house gas emissions

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

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 2023-24 financial year.
 

Criteria C17

Criteria/Requirements:

What energy efficiency actions has the Housing Provider undertaken in the last 12 months?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

In 2022-23, we generated over 19K energy efficient interventions. Some of the actions undertaken to improve energy efficiency of our homes included:

• 18 Homes having replacement windows.
• 9 Homes having insulation improvement works.
• 172 Homes having more energy efficient heating systems installed.

The current EPC information for the housing stock is also detailed in our response to C14 above.
 

Criteria C18

Criteria/Requirements:

How is the Housing Provider mitigating the following climate risks: 

• Increased flood risk.
• Increased risk of homes overheating.

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

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 2023-24.

Some of the things we will be focusing on include:

1. Building homes that are energy efficient.
2. Investing in our homes.
3. Changing how we work.
4. Supporting our customers.

All our new homes are built to the latest building regulation requirements and standards.

 

Criteria C19

Criteria/Requirements:

Does the Housing Provider give residents information about correct ventilation, heating, recycling etc. Please describe how this is done.

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

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.

Criteria C20

Criteria/Requirements:

How is the Housing Provider increasing Green Space and promoting Biodiversity on or near homes?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

Over 15,000 services are provided annually to keep the environments around our customers’ homes clean, safe, and well-maintained. Our GEMS (Ground Estate and Maintenance Services) team are our in-house provider of cleaning, grounds maintenance, and environmental services across the Association’s stock. GEMS are also on-hand to deal with the day-to-day emergencies that arise which include dealing with fly-tipping, graffiti removal, and clearing broken glass.

During 2022-23, our GEMS team achieved the following:

• 98.6% of the 6,908 cleaning and grounds services provided were delivered on time, with a 5.8% increase in fly-tipping.
• GEMS responded to 7,429 incidents, including dealing with Fly Tipping, Waste and Anti-Social Behaviour.

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 2023-24.

Some of the things we want to focus on include: 

1. Protecting and enhancing natural habitats through the design and construction process and creating places that support local wildlife and maximising green spaces.
2. Encouraging biodiversity and natural habitats in our open spaces.
3. Maximising biomass at our facilities and seek to protect local wildlife from the impact of our operations.
4. Educating customers on ways to support local flora and fauna.

 

Criteria C21

Criteria/Requirements:

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?
 

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

In 2022-23, we cleared 80 separate incidents of fly tipping, totalling £30,000.

We take environmental impacts such as 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 2023-24. 

Criteria C22

Criteria/Requirements:

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?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

We currently do not have any strategy. However, these requirements will be developed as part of our new Sustainability Strategy to be published in 2023-24.

Some of the things we want to focus on include:

i) Recycling of construction waste. Our strategy will recognise that products and materials typically make up most of the embodied carbon (80%) with transport, construction, maintenance and replacement and disposal making up the remaining 20%.

Contracts in place with development and maintenance partner contractors will also be checked for relevant clauses.

 

Criteria C23

Criteria/Requirements:

Does the Housing Provider have a strategy for waste management incorporating building materials?

If so, how does the Housing Provider target and measure performance?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

We currently do not have a strategy for waste management. In 2022-23, however, we cleared 80 separate incidents of fly tipping, totalling £30,000.

We will continue to develop these requirements as part of the new Sustainability Strategy which will be published in 2024-25.

Some of the things we want to focus on include:

1. Reduce, reuse, and recycle in the construction process, use sustainable materials, work with partners committed to ethical building practices and use sustainable procurement principles,
2. Reduce, reuse, and recycle when maintaining and improving homes, use sustainable materials, work with partners committed to ethical building practices and use sustainable procurement principles,
3. Work in a way that minimises waste that cannot be recycled, focussing on sustainable procurement,
4. Support customers to run their homes efficiently and to maximise recycling opportunities.

We take environmental impacts such as waste, reuse and recycling into account when procuring goods and services. We’ll 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.

 

Criteria C24

Criteria/Requirements:

Does the Housing Provider have a strategy for good water management?

If so, how does the Housing Provider target and measure performance?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

We are currently not in a position to be able to report on this criterion. We are however looking at developing these requirements as part of our new Sustainability Strategy which will be published in 2023-24.

Some of the things we want to focus on include:

1. Build homes with water use reducing technologies and provide water recycling measures,
2. Reduce water use in our existing homes,
3. Minimise the use of water at our sites and maximise re-use,
4. Share approaches to minimising water usage.

Contracts in place with development and maintenance partner contractors will also be checked for relevant clauses.

Criteria C25

Criteria/Requirements:

Is the Housing Provider registered with a regulator of social housing?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

Estuary Housing Association is registered with the Regulator of Social Housing. Our registration number is L3535.

 

Criteria C26

Criteria/Requirements:

What is the most recent viability and governance regulatory grading?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

The most recent governance and viability regulatory grading for Estuary is G2/ V2.

 

Criteria C27

Criteria/Requirements:

Which Code of Governance does the Housing Provider follow, if any?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

Estuary follows the National Housing Federation’s Code of Governance published in 2020.

 

Criteria C28

Criteria/Requirements:

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?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

Yes, Estuary is a not-for-profit housing provider.

 

Criteria C29

Criteria/Requirements:

Explain how the Housing Provider’s board manages organisational risks

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

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 continuously monitor a variety of operational risks which feed into our strategic risk register. The Board and Executive Team have identified 11 strategic risks that are reviewed by the Board with support from our Audit and Risk Committee:

Risks

Risk Name / ID	Risk Category / Description
Governance & Regulation (RR-01 & RR-09)	Data Governance and Information Management – In secure processing of personal and corporate data, inaccurate data, not meeting high standards of data integrity. Non-compliance with statutory & regulatory requirements Ineffective governance and oversight lead to non-compliance with regulation or law.
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)	Contractor failure. Low customer satisfaction driven by poor service delivery - Not providing quality services that lead to improved resident satisfaction.
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 (RR-08 & RR-10)	Inefficient use of assets and resources (VfM). Financial Resilience -Breach of loan covenants/ failure to maintain financial viability.
Development – new supply (RR-11)	Growth – ability to grow the business sustainably (incl. stock rationalisation) in line with "Shaping the Future" objectives.

This year, our internal auditors provided a substantial assurance audit report regarding our approach to managing risks. 

 

Criteria C30

Criteria/Requirements:

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?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

No, Estuary has not been subject to any adverse regulatory findings in the last 12 months. 

Criteria C31

Criteria/Requirements:

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.

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

The demographics of the Board as at 31st March 2023 were as follows:

Board Demographics

Female members	4 (36%)
Male members	7 (64%)
BAME	9%
Average age	56 years
Average tenure	2.6 years

The demographics of EHA’s Board currently do not mirror those of our residents; however, we are now engaging and consulting with customers who are affected by decisions when they are made, to ensure decision making is better targeted and more inclusive. This in turn will lead to better outcomes.

Examples of where we have done this are the development of our Customer Engagement Strategy and the review of fixed term tenancies. 

 

Criteria C32

Criteria/Requirements:

What % of the board AND management team have turned over in the last two years?

Add commentary if useful.

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

45% of the Board have turned over in the last two years.

At the end of 2022-23 there were 11 members of the Board. 4 members left and were replaced in the 2021-22 financial year and 1 member – the Chair of the Board – left and was replaced in the 2022-23 financial year. 

At the end of 2022-23, there are 5 members of the Executive Team. 1 Director joined in the 2021-22 financial year and another member joined in the 2022-23 financial year.

 

Criteria C33

Criteria/Requirements:

Is there a maximum tenure for a board member? If so, what is it?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

Yes, there is. We limit Board member terms to a maximum of six consecutive years, normally comprising two terms of three years in line with the adopted Code of Governance (NHF 2020 edition).

The rules allow this to be extended to nine years where doing so is in the interests of good governance. We will always explain our reasoning, in our annual report, when we extend a Board Member’s term beyond 6 years. 
 

Criteria C34

Criteria/Requirements:

What % of the board are non-executive directors?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

82% (9 out of 11) of our Board are non-executive directors as at 31 March 2023.

 

Criteria C35

Criteria/Requirements:

Number of board members on the Audit Committee with recent and relevant financial experience.

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

Our Audit and Risk Committee has four members from the Board, all of whom have relevant financial experience and strong skills in finance management.

 

Criteria C36

Criteria/Requirements:

Are there any current executives on the Remuneration Committee?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

There are no current executives on the Governance and Remuneration Committee.

 

Criteria C37

Criteria/Requirements:

Has a succession plan been provided to the board in the last 12 months?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

Yes, a succession plan was approved on 4th July 2022 as part of the process for filling vacancies within the Board and Committee structure and reviewing succession planning.

 

Criteria C38

Criteria/Requirements:

For how many years has the Housing Provider’s current external audit partner been responsible for auditing the accounts?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

We have had our current audit partner for 3 years. 

 

Criteria C39

Criteria/Requirements:

When was the last independently run board effectiveness review?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

The last independently run board effectiveness review was completed in November 2022

 

Criteria C40

Criteria/Requirements:

Are the roles of the chair of the board and CEO held by two different people?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

Yes, our Board Chair is Ian Green, and our CEO is Ian Martin. 

 

Criteria C41

Criteria/Requirements:

How does the Housing Provider handle conflicts of interest at the board?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

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. 

Criteria C42

Criteria/Requirements:

Does the Housing Provider pay the Real Living Wage?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

At 31st March 2023, Estuary paid the national minimum wage to only four (4) employees; all other staff are above the real living wage. A review of these salaries is taking place as part of a restructure in our GEMS team. We only have one apprentice in the organisation who is paid in accordance with the national apprenticeship scheme.

We want to attract and retain the best people to work at Estuary, so we offer a great package of benefits and commit to paying all colleagues fairly for the job they do. 

 

Criteria C43

Criteria/Requirements:

What is the gender pay gap?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

At 31st March 2023, our gender pay gap was 23%. This was published in April 2022 and the report is available on the Estuary website for public view at Gender Pay Gap Report

 

Criteria C44

Criteria/Requirements:

What is the CEO work pay ratio?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

In 2022-23 the median CEO-worker pay ratio was 21.1%.

 

Criteria C45

Criteria/Requirements:

How does the Housing Provider support the physical and mental health of their staff?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

Estuary has a range of support mechanisms in place to support our staff. We have an external occupational health provider who assesses staff for any physical and mental health requirements and makes recommendations where appropriate. Staff also have access to counselling via this service. We also have our employee assistance line which is available 24/7 for staff to call confidentially, if they have any concerns or queries. 

We also provide employees with a cash health plan.

In 2022 we procured the mental health and wellbeing global platform, which enables staff to talk online with trainer counsellors about their mental health but also provides tools such as meditation and breathing tutorials for anxiety. In 2021-22, we trained over 35 mental health first aiders who now form a wellbeing network to support colleagues throughout the year. The support they undertake is published in a mental health and wellbeing newsletter by the team once a month to update staff on new initiatives or national issues which may be relevant to them.

We also provide other rewards and benefits platform which support employees with financial wellbeing.

We support our employees through training and development, which is beneficial for both their physical and mental health. In 2022-23, we invested £92K in non-mandatory training for employees.

Estuary is a level 2 Disability Confident Employer as well as being a mindful employer. We continue to offer a flexible and hybrid way of working for staff, where possible.

 

Criteria C46

Criteria/Requirements:

Average number of sick days taken per employee.

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

On average, sick days taken equates to 7.9 days per year. This figure is skewed however by a number of long term absences which have been over 6 months. For 2022-23 (as at April 2022), our overall reported sickness absence was 4.1%. 

Criteria C47

Criteria/Requirements:

How is Social Value creation considered when procuring goods and services?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

We are committed to including Social Value as part of tender evaluations in all contracts procured in accordance with Public Contract Regulations 2015. 
Suitable tenders include delivering Social Value as one of the evaluation criteria.

The inclusion of the following questions is mandatory for all tenders:

Have you breached:

• Environmental obligations?
• Social obligations?
• Labour law obligations?
• Compliance with Modern Slavery Act reporting?

Additional questions for works tenders include:

• Have you breached:
  • Section 15 of 21 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006?
  • The National Minimum Wage Act 1998?

• Have you committed unlawful discrimination?

Our spend with individual suppliers is quite low (Estuary’s spend above £100k p.a. was with only 24 suppliers in 2022-23), but there will be opportunities. 

 

Criteria C48

Criteria/Requirements:

How is environmental impact considered when procuring goods and services?

Evidence/Responses/Actions Proposed:

This measure awaits us fully understanding our CO2 emission output. Once known, we will know what to ask of our suppliers.

Sustainability and the environment are included in all contracts procured in accordance with Public Contract Regulations 2015 and are part of our tender evaluation forms.

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:

• Have you breached environmental obligations?
• Do you hold ISO 14004 or equivalent? 

Other questions tailored to the specific works, goods or services required include:

• Do you know/report your carbon footprint?
• How do you intend to reduce this in the life of the contract?