The Sustainable Housing Assessment is primarily developed as an ESG assessment tool for bond aggregators, enabling housing providers, in their initial stages, to demonstrate their ESG credentials to internal and external stakeholders.
Furthermore, the Sustainable Housing Assessment can serve as a first step in gearing up to the Certified Sustainable Housing Label at a later stage, supporting housing providers that raise capital via bank loans, private placements or bond issuances.
The assessment process is a joint effort between the housing provider and RITTERWALD. The process can be seperated in 6 clear steps and requires approximately 4 to 6 weeks.
The Assessment entails various criteria to measure ESG credentials. The Assessment is customised to the national regulatory environment and applied metrics in national/regional markets. An annual review is undertaken to ensure the housing provider has complied with the implementation and fulfilment of the goals set out at the time the Assessment was awarded.
South-East Wales based Melin Homes owns and manages more than 4,000 homes in Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire, Torfaen, Newport and Powys. True to its social purpose, Melin strives to make a positive impact on the environment and the communities in which it operates.
In the framework of MORhomes’ Sustainability Bond, Welsh housing association Melin has undergone RITTERWALD’s SHA.
“From a sustainability perspective, there is real commitment from housing associations to safeguard the future of the planet and we are urging all our borrowers and shareholders to adopt the Sector Reporting Standards and show us how they are meeting the requirements through the Sustainability Assessment.”
Patrick Symington, CEO of MORhomes
MorHomes’ Case Study (PDF), Press Release (PDF)