REDROW Homes has been rewarded for its efforts to become more sustainable with an independent award. The Flintshire-based homebuilder received a silver award from NextGeneration, an independent organisation which benchmarks the UK’s top 25 housebuilders on their sustainability performance. Launched in 2006, to drive greener development and highlight best-in-class performance within the industry, this year’s NextGeneration benchmark saw Redrow moving up into fifth place in the rankings. The company’s above-average score of 71% is up 8% on last year and was calculated by assessing the impact its operations and the products it builds have on the environment, society and the economy. A membership based organisation, NextGeneration delivers benchmarking scores in partnership with the Homes and Communities Agency and UK-Green Building Council.
John Tutte, Group Chief Executive for Redrow Homes, said: “We’re proud of the strides we have made in improving our score and are delighted to move up the rankings and receive the silver award, particularly as changes to the scoring system this year have made the criteria tougher than ever. We’re committed to being a sustainable business. We will continue to build on this as we work towards achieving our 2018 targets.”
Redrow has also appointed Robert MacDiarmid as Group sustainability director.
John said: “Robert has many years of experience working in the sustainability field and joins us from Atkins where he was global head of corporate sustainability. He will be leading the Group’s sustainability agenda and raising our profile in this important area.”
Last year Redrow won the Green Award at the Daily Post Business Awards for its efforts in reducing its carbon footprint and energy costs, as well as minimising waste generated from its sites and offices. Among its other achievements over the last 12 months, the FTSE 250 housebuilder received independent accreditation for its environmental management system; reduced its carbon emissions; improved heat loss its homes; increased the amount of waste diverted from landfill to 93.6%; and increased the amount of timber that is responsibly sourced to 99.55%. The latter achievement helped Redrow to be named the first UK major homebuilder to score a coveted ‘Three Trees’ from WWF for its commitment to using sustainable timber.
In 2014 Redrow also became the first UK homebuilder to partner with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BBCT) to create onsite pollinator friendly planting and agreed a 12-month partnership with RSPB to support its ‘Homes for Nature’ campaign.
John added: “We have a company-wide culture of sustainability and we’ve developed a comprehensive training programme for all staff. We also have green teams located in our divisional offices, who each report regularly to the Board and work to ensure environmental improvements are implemented across the business.”
For more on Redrow’s approach to sustainability and 2015 highlights go to: www.redrowplc.co.uk/sustainability.
