A full first step towards
sustainability certification

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.

Building knowledge about corporate sustainability performance
Establishing a new lender base
Developing ESG reporting to stakeholders
Establishing review processes in your organisation

Certification Process

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.

assessment

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.

Current Assessment holders

To this day, RITTERWALD registers the following assessment holders: 

2022
2021
2020
“At Melin, we are committed to continuous improvement and we are now using the MORhomes SHA to set same goals for the future.”
Elizabeth Howard, Director of Finance, Melin Homes
“Our latest accreditation was a useful exercise and gives us assurance that we are on the right track to achieve our sustainability ambitions.”
Iain Grieve, Chief Executive Officer, Broadland
“This is more than just a certificate to us, it’s about placing sustainability at the centre of everything we do.”
Marcia Sinfield, Chief Executive Officer, Caredig Ltd

Assessment example

Melin Homes

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)