sustainability report - countryside properties · these guidelines. never adjust the ......
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1.4 BACKGROUNDS
Always ensure that you use the master artworks of the logos and only use them as in these guidelines. Never adjust the design or colours of the logo and only use the background in the colour iterations shown here.
It is vital that the logo is 100% legible at all times. The logo versions presented here are the acceptable uses and must be used accordingly.
Countryside Brand Identity Manual 2014© | February 2014 | 1.4 Backgrounds
Primary on white
Reversed out of the Countryside palette
Reversed out of the Countryside palette Black on white
Primary on a light photographic background
Reversed out of a dark photographic background
SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
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Our financial health
Our customers
Our products and services
HigHligHts
Our safeguards
Our people
Our sustainability
£25 million operating profit
£5.1 billion future development programme
1,560 private and affordable homes completed
81% of customers would recommend us to a friend
61% of our homes met lifetime Homes standards
294 awards received for design and sustainability practices since 2000
A1 NHBC Premium rating retained and rebate received
All management practices registered to recognised international standards since 2006
10 years running Accident incident Rate below industry average
Considerate Constructor Awards since 2004 with scores consistently above industry averages
2000 fully accredited to investors in People since 2000
24 years of local labour in Construction scheme experience
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homes to be developed that will achieve at least Code for sustainable Homes (CsH) level 3
sq ft of commercial space programmed to achieve a minimum BREEAM ‘Very good’ rating
13th year of sustainability reporting - the longest in our sector
gRi B global Reporting initiative (gRi) Compliance - g3.1
4.5 million 17,800
We believe that where we live matters.
We’re passionate about creating places people aspire to live, that deliver enduring value and where people feel a true sense of belonging.
We create places people love.
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BOARd STATEmENT ANd STRATEgYCountryside creates new homes and neighbourhoods of lasting quality.
this sustainability Report covers the reporting period 1st October 2012 to 30th september 2013
With sustainability being firmly at the heart of the planning system, it should reward developers who are a step ahead of new and emerging policies, legislation and reporting standards. Our exacting standards and sustainable credentials combine to not only create places that will stand the test of time, but also meet the increasing aspirations of our stakeholders and customers.
the group draws on exceptional design and placemaking skills and experience that encompass town planning, strategic land assembly, infrastructure delivery, construction, marketing and sales, and commercial development. it also has extensive experience of working with local authorities and housing associations, as well as using proven communication and consultation to engage with local communities and deliver sustainable development.
Countryside’s strategy focuses these skills on the creation of new homes and communities in london and the south East, together with major regeneration projects in london, the south East and North West of England.
During 2013 we made further good progress in implementing our growth strategy. We completed 1,560 private and affordable homes, with private completions increasing to 858 from 755, which together with an improved profit margin from our partnership businesses, underpinned a growth in operating profit to £25.0m.
the past year has seen a change of ownership of the Countryside group with the acquisition of its UK parent, Copthorn Holdings limited by certain investment funds managed and advised by Oaktree Capital Management l.P. this has brought welcome investment into the group at a time when the UK housing market is showing signs of sustained recovery.
the government backed Help to Buy scheme has instilled real confidence into the sector, not just to first time buyers, but to the wider house buying market. this has stimulated investment by house builders in general, but also at Countryside, where the investment has allowed an expansion of our activities.
the group continues to make a significant contribution to gDP and social prosperity. For example in the last 5 years we have provided in excess of £15m in section 106 community infrastructure contributions.
For every £1 of the group’s investment this has resulted in a wider £8 of economic prosperity to the local economies that we serve, with new jobs also being created.
Our sector is a key source of funding for Central government and local Authorities through the taxes that our value chain provides. Furthermore, the resulting stamp Duty land tax and Council tax from new homes and property generate much wider benefits.
We continue to make good progress in achieving our sustainability objectives and 88% have been accomplished. it is pleasing to note that during 2013 £2.43m of sustainability related savings have been secured.
We hope that you find this report helpful and welcome your feedback via [email protected]. We look forward to leveraging stakeholder feedback into the development of our longer-term vision which we will develop further in 2014-2015.
ian sutcliffe, Executive Chairman Richard Cherry, Deputy Chairman graham Cherry, Chief Executive Wendy Colgrave, Finance Director
25th July 2014
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1 Wickhurst green, Broadbridge Heath, near Horsham, West sussex
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RISK ANd OPPORTUNITYThe management of the business is underpinned by our risk management strategy, ensuring operational, financial and compliance matters are regularly assessed.
the assessment is undertaken by the Corporate Management and Risk Management Committees, the latter being reviewed by our Audit Committee. in addition, our Health and safety (H&s), and Environment and Quality (E&Q) Committees support the business to ensure that risks are mitigated and opportunities are optimised.
to ensure isO 14001 compliance we undertake with an independent specialist consultant, at least annually, a materiality review of our legal Aspects Register.
Our track record demonstrates our ability to maximise new opportunities and minimise risks. there follows the principal risks and uncertainties that affect the group, together with an insight of the control measures in place to manage them.
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1 Aura, great Kneighton, Cambridge
2 Priors green, takeley, Essex
3 Keir Hardie Primary school at East City Point, Canning town, london
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RisK DEsCRiPtiON MANAgEMENt REsPONsE
Adverse affects on the housing market as a result of economic uncertainty
Adverse changes in government policy, regulatory change and planning
lack of competent personnel in the group
Failure to consider the retention and succession of key management
insufficient internal controls resulting in risk of reputational damage and prosecution
A lack of adequate procedures to ensure the Health and safety of our people, contractors and members of the public.
Risk of fraud
Business incapacitation
the group has a reputation for high standards of design and quality of its product, if it fails to deliver against these standards it could be exposed to reputational standards.
Failure to address sustainability issues could affect the group’s ability to acquire land, gain planning permission, manage sites effectively and address the demand for sustainable homes.
the group’s principal objective is to deliver growth through responsible development. By creating sustainable communities we add value which in turn opens up new business opportunities.
Being a good corporate citizen benefits all our stakeholders and further enhances new business opportunities. Our collaborative expertise means we are well positioned to meet the challenges of the government’s localism policies.
Adoption and adherence to a coherent strategy which is regularly reviewed to ensure it remains appropriate throughout the economic cycle.
We constantly monitor emerging government legislation and policy through our strong contacts with policy makers. We are able to plan ahead accordingly by maintaining a balanced portfolio and using conditional purchase arrangements for our short, medium and long term land bank. it also enables us to up-skill our people and value chain.
We aim to keep and attract competent personnel, by being an employer of choice and an accredited investors in People (iiP) business.
We monitor compliance with our Equal Opportunities Policy and our approach has helped us to build a values based culture.
We maintain a succession plan for all key management colleagues.
Regular review of Board Committee and Advisory group effectiveness is undertaken. Management practices are certificated to internationally recognised standards and during the reporting period we maintained Bsi isO 9001:2008, isO 14001:2004 for Quality and Environmental Management system certifications, and no non-conformances were raised by Bsi with respect to the operation of the group based system. A strategic review is due to be undertaken by Bsi in November 2013.
the group has maintained its British standards Occupational Health safety Assessment specification Certification (Bs OHsAs) 18001:2007 and our Accident incident Rate continues to be below industry averages.
implementation of the group’s policies and codes of conduct, including business ethics and whistleblowing procedure, mitigate risks such as fraud.
Programmed reviews of each business function within the group’s Business Continuity Plan are implemented, and appropriate emergency response systems and procedures are in place to prevent business incapacitation. By way of example, utilisation of standard appointments for designers, consultants, contractors and suppliers which include professional indemnities, warranties, and effective collaboration with our value-chain, guarantees that our business plan is delivered, with minimal residual liabilities.
Each of our corporate policies are drafted and reviewed (at least annually) at operational level, via the appropriate Committee, the Board and a range of external stakeholders, including Non-Executive Directors, Bsi, BsC, iiP. in addition, the views of competent consultancies are sought. All policies are signed at Board level.
Consistent implementation of corporate strategies, policies and standards, ensures that we enhance our brand and protect our reputation.
structured project reviews and processes ensures compliance with planning policies, conditions and codes, building regulations (including appropriate warranties), the Consumer Code for Housebuilders, and importantly in meeting our customers’ expectations.
Our CEO chairs and is responsible for H&s and E&Q Committee matters. Each Committee includes three Board directors, divisional Managing Directors, and the H&s and sustainability Directors.
innovation is carefully implemented to minimise defects, protect the environment and deliver sustainable communities, thereby ensuring a positive customer legacy is safeguarded.
social and ethical considerations are an integral part of our Procurement Policy, which is applied to the selection of materials and suppliers goods and services. For example, all our timber suppliers have full chain of custody accreditation.
Our policies, procedures and practices are independently audited by third parties.
BUsiNEss stRAtEgY
gOVERNMENt POliCY AND REgUlAtORY CHANgE
PEOPlE
CORPORAtE gOVERNANCE
BRAND REPUtAtiON AND PRODUCt
ENViRONMENt AND sUstAiNABilitY
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OUR PEOPLE
1 Members of the Countryside team
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We encourage a climate of professionalism, teamwork, enjoyment and continuous development by empowering our people to achieve success.
Our workforce increased in size by 9% in 2013, with new staff joining a strong talent pool of skilled and enthusiastic people who are committed to our core values.
Our people are the foundation of our business which is why one of our key objectives is to attract, retain and develop the very best people from a variety of backgrounds. We monitor compliance with our Equal Opportunities Policy and our approach has helped us to build a values based culture.
We achieved re-accreditation to investors in People (iiP) in september 2013 having successfully maintained accreditation since 2000, which is longer than anyone within our sector. this long-term commitment has inspired us to conduct regular internal research. the results have improved the effectiveness of our management, strategy and support systems and underpinned regular communications to our people. We believe working with this people management standard helps to improve our culture, financial health and productivity, as well monitoring the health and wellbeing of our staff.
to help our people develop their full potential over the last year, we invested £152,361 in employee training. this equates to staff receiving an average of 1.35 days training, an increase over 2011-12 and which is comparable to our peers. Moreover, high levels of coaching and the mentoring of our people is not monetised, therefore our investment is, we believe, higher than our peers.
there continues to be a commitment to learning and development. Our learning and Development strategy has evolved to include everybody within Countryside. learning programmes encourage and support people to achieve their full potential. More recently development has been focused on feedback from staff reviews and business needs.
High levels of internal communication continue to be undertaken at both our offices and on site. We make considerable efforts to continuously inform our people and our supply chain of our values, emerging legislation and practices.
All staff and subcontractors receive induction training (including H&s and E&Q aspects) at the outset of their employment, also attending courses identified by training needs analysis undertaken by our Human Resources team. Employees also attend regular toolbox talks on site.
During 2013 the group maintained its adherence to its Policy statement and Code of Conduct on Business Ethics, which demonstrates our commitment to the highest standards of business ethics and professional conduct. Maintaining a culture of honesty, trust and integrity is vital to our success and all our people are expected to share in and contribute to this culture.
We believe that promoting a responsible and ethical working environment for our people and those acting on our behalf, will lead to professionalism in all aspects of our business. the group has controls in place to guide against unacceptable activities such as fraud, bribery, corruption and money laundering. these controls are aligned with the ‘guiding principles’ provided by the Ministry of Justice.
We do not make financial or in-kindcontributions to political parties, politicians or related constitutions.
‘the team within Countryside has created an environment where people matter. As a consequence people are involved in the decision making activities. this starts with the core values of Countryside.’
Feedback from the iiP assessors Report
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cASE STUdY: gREAT KNEIghTON
Novo at great Kneighton offers a mix of apartments, mews houses and family homes built to achieve Code level 3 and 4. Novo’s modern design concept is built on the foundation of ‘lifetime Homes’ – a significant factor for Mr Berthon, a local teacher and his family.
“Flexibility for the future is important to our family. Currently, our daughter has a big bedroom on the first floor, which opens out onto a balcony area – but this can easily become a great living room if we want to change things in time to come. We definitely like the idea of surrounding parkland. Having lived in places where the area in front of your home is usually another house, it’s nice to see green space when you open the front door – it makes a difference to your own sense of space. the location here is great – you can cycle everywhere.”
OUR cUSTOmERSWe ensure to the very best of our ability that we meet or exceed customer expectations.
Development has the potential to make positive and lasting changes to people’s lives, especially when it is supported by the communities it serves. in this respect, we welcome localism through the National Planning Policy Framework and proactively encourage community involvement.
At Countryside we place communities at the heart of our developments. By fostering communication between local people, groups and organisations we work with them to help meet their diverse cultural, spiritual, economic and sustainability aspirations.
We use a structured engagement framework to collaborate with our stakeholders, particularly local communities, throughout the development process to ensure our projects meet their needs. We have an enviable track record of working in partnership with informed organisations, combining skills, experience and shared resources to successfully develop sites.
At our regeneration schemes and increasingly at our projects outside of london, we achieve this through, for example:
l Funding the provision of new community facilities
l the Countryside Community Fund
l involving residents in the design and development process through exhibitions, workshops, surgeries and study tours
l Provision of site-based Resident liaison Managers
l A schools’ Programme promoting site safety, careers advice and learning opportunities.
the successful integration of existing residents with new ones is essential to the creation of a balanced and stable community that is able to control and influence its future. We help to secure more socially sustainable developments by:
l Providing new homes where the different tenures are integrated and ‘pepper-potted’ throughout the development
l Helping to establish estate management arrangements, including Resident Management trusts, which enable all residents to influence and control the quality of their community.
We also recognise the importance of improving the economic well-being of residents in deprived areas and are currently creating employment opportunities across all of our regeneration programmes including equal opportunities for all.
We have 24 years’ experience of undertaking local labour in Construction schemes on our major estate regeneration projects and currently have six in operation.
We consistently deliver 15-20% of total employment requirements are secured through local people, dependent largely upon the skills of the local workforce and the duration of the project.
As part of the group’s continuous improvement programme, in May 2013 we commissioned Campbell tickell to carry out a survey to determine current stakeholder perceptions, in particular regarding partnership working, communication, service delivery, community involvement, vision and strategy, leadership and other key areas.
the study identified areas of inherent strength as well as those which require improvement and most importantly perhaps, even though there were some negative responses and comments made, the vast majority of interviewees stated clearly that they wanted to work more closely with Countryside in the future.
As testament to this, during the reporting period we have secured significant new business with existing and new partners.
the group continues to make a significant contribution to gDP and social prosperity through section 106 contributions, broader investment in our supply chain and new jobs, together with stamp Duty land tax and Council tax from new homes and property. During the reporting year this equated to £439,000 for section 106 agreements and £874,000 contaminated land tax. We will in 2013/14 further monetise the broader benefits of social sustainability that our commitments provide to local people and economies.
We continually assess our customer satisfaction performance, and are pleased to report an increase compared with our last reporting year. specifically, we continue to monitor performance against the Customer Care Charter including satisfaction level 8 weeks after occupation, which we achieved 81% (79% in 2012) and 81.8% (76%) of our customers would recommend us to their friends.
Understanding our customers’ aspirations is key to our product development. During the course of 2012-13 we undertook an engagement exercise using focus groups to test the proposed design of our Beaulieu development in Chelmsford. Respondents were primarily those that had registered an interest in the new development and were a mix of ages and social profiles who had different requirements for their homes. their feedback was utilised in the design of the homes.
OUR PROdUcTS ANd SERVIcES
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We aim to provide quality, good value and lasting appeal which are consistently better than our competitors.
We have received 294 awards for our design and sustainability practices since 2000, which includes 165 awards for design.
Countryside has long been a leader in design, place making and sustainable development. We hold more Housing Design Awards than any other developer and we also have received more CABE Building for life standards than any other private developer. Despite the changes to the previous standard, it is pleasing to note that Building for life (Bfl)12 is in place to help raise the standards in new development via integrating them into the neighbourhood, creating a place, a street and a home.
1 Kings Park, Harold Wood, london Borough of Havering
2 NgV, liverpool
Our design-led approach acknowledges these principles and our track record helps us add value, enabling us to consistently create and deliver imaginative developments.
Historically we have performed well against the requirements of Bfl achieving 4 Bfl gold standards and 7 silvers and will continue to adhere to the principles of Bfl 2012.
Countryside has planned, promoted and delivered new and regenerated communities that are widely regarded as examples of best practice. We are adept at working at a local level with planning authorities and local people, creating homes and communities people really want to live and work in. We are experienced in managing the timing and implementation of social and community infrastructure, as well as landscaping, to add value and create a sense of place. We also understand the long-term management requirements of major schemes.
Lifetime Homes some 61% of all our private and affordable homes met the lifetime Homes standard in the reporting year (compared with 64% in 2012).
Although a slight decrease, this compares favourably with our peers and we are committed to deliver well designed homes for the long-term. We create visually stimulating, innovative mixed-tenure homes in urban and rural locations that place a strong emphasis on light, flexibility and internal space.
Safe and Secure Places in developing great places where people want to live, work and play, we use the principles of secure by Design to inform our master planning and increasingly, in our dwellings and non-domestic buildings.
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cASE STUdY: RUNWELL hOSPITAL
Countryside was selected by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to regenerate the 200 acre site of the former Runwell Hospital in Essex.
the redevelopment is expected to accommodate up to 575 homes, together with up to 2,800 sq m of non-residential space that will complement the existing mature landscape.
Mike goulding, senior Area Manager at the HCA for Essex and Kent says: “i’m very pleased that Countryside is on board to push this development forward. throughout the process we have kept residents as involved as possible as possible and we’ll be looking to get more valuable input from the local community through significant further consultation that will really help shape the final place that is built.”
in addition, we have been working with the Cambridge University Programme for sustainability leadership, sustainable Water stewardship Collaboratory and specifically the ‘Finance, Regulation and Planning Working group’. We explored possible options for financing efficient water use in the housing sector, by using an ‘allowable solution’ mechanism.
in the reporting period some 89% of our dwellings formally achieved secured by Design verification. through improved data collation,this represents a significant improvement on previous year’s reporting and demonstratesour commitment to providing our customers with a safe living space.
Climate proofed developments Our master planning takes into account the unique characteristics of each site and its surroundings. We incorporate existing natural landscape features and habitat, enhancing them wherever possible to create a sense of place.
We have learnt lessons from the innovative technology strategy Board’s funded work on the ‘Design for Future Climate: Adapting Building’ study at Acton gardens, london and we are actively integrating this knowledge into ournew and emerging schemes. By doing so, we are developing an evidence-based design response to maintaining long-term comfort in homes for a range of future climate scenarios, as well as evolving an integrated approach to green infrastructure and water sensitive urban design.
3 st irvyne’s, Wickhurst green, near Horsham, West sussex
these ideas were multi-faceted as they aligned with the place making agendas, the development of green infrastructure and ecosystems services, together with adaptation and climate change resilience strategies. Furthermore, this knowledge helped supplement our prior intelligence, the work of CABE and the Prince’s Foundation findings with regard to the uplift in sales values for homes and property near green space.
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OUR SUSTAINABILITYWe contribute to the creation and improvement of residential communities and work places in an environmentally and socially responsible, sensitive and sustainable manner.
StrategyOur Climate Change, Environmental, sustainability and Quality Policies are implemented throughout the business at all stages of the development process, ensuring we continue to ‘future-proof ’ our strategy and operational practices.
During 2013 there has been a notable shift in the direction of sustainable homes in the UK. the volume of legislation and policy developed this past year relating to sustainable home building shows that it is at the forefront of the government’s agenda. this has included the Housing standards Review, consultations on allowable solutions and biodiversity offsettingand the taylor Review. the Farrell Review on Architecture and the Built Environment is also expected to contribute to how we envisage designing sustainable communities. Against this is the winding down of the Code for sustainable Homes, although there is still the expectation of progressing towards zero carbon homes in 2016.
given the significant emerging policy and regulatory changes that we are encountering, and as they increase leading up to 2020, we continue to revise our processes to minimise risk. these involve all members of the project team, including key suppliers (and small and medium-sized enterprises), in the planning, design and construction stages.
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Contextsustainable development is about creating exceptional places for people to live, work and play – not just for today but for the future. Whether we are regenerating existing neighbourhoods or creating new communities, we develop places that are socially inclusive, low carbon and make reduced environmental impacts.
it is pleasing therefore that we have received 129 awards for our sustainability practices since 2000.
At Countryside our approach is measuredagainst clearly defined sustainability objectives that are informed by our objectives andstakeholder feedback. they apply to all aspects of our business, which demonstrates a fully integrated commitment to sustainable development and continuous improvement models.
in addition, our performance is measured (twice yearly) against a set of defined key performance indicators, and annually we review, via the H&s and E&Q Committees, all of the group’s objectives, to ensure they are fit for purpose for the duration of the five year business plan.
Corporate requirements including our systems, procedures, risk assessments and toolbox talks are communicated throughout the group. this is achieved through our Board, committees and working parties, new starter inductions, as well as our intranet, through training, and in contracts agreed with professional service providers, principal contractors and sub-contractors – ensuring that we live our values.
We have again self-assessed ourselves against (gRi) and this year we have improved our compliance tests and we have achieved a level ‘B’.
to ensure that our business model and practices are fit for purpose, we hold a range of corporate memberships and participate in a range of Committees, and Fora including:
l Bury st Edmunds’ District Heat Network task group
l DClg local Housing Delivery standards Working group
l Ealing Housing Commission
l greening the gateway Kent and Medway strategy group
l Natural England Developers’ group
l sustainability East
l Zero Carbon Hub - with their work on defining the Zero Carbon Definition through the: - Carbon Compliance task group - Allowable solutions task groups- timeline group
these collaborations provide us with the opportunity to influence good practice and in return add value to our business.
Furthermore, we have rejoined the Nextgeneration Partnership which has assisted in our review of various corporate benchmarks and disclosure requirements.
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Non-operationalWe cut our office based CO2 emissions by 22% during the reporting period, and our overall fleet CO2 emissions decreased by 16% from 765 tonnes (2012) to 642 tonnes (2013). this meant the overall carbon footprint per person decreased 26% from 3.34 to 2.47 tonnes per person. We can attribute these significant improvements to installation of more efficient air conditioning chillers at the Brentwood office, a reduction of office space at Warrington and the application of a new fleet policy.
We have benchmarked our water usage and achieved another a year-on-year reduction with the amount used per person falling from 5.66m3 to 4.7m3 (a decrease of 16.9%). We have sustainability champions throughout the business who are responsible for strategy and operational matters, and ensuring that objectives are being achieved. in the reporting period £2.43m sustainability related savings have been secured and 88% of our objectives have been accomplished, with the inclusion of additional targets, demonstrating an overall year on year improvement.
For the first time in 2012-13, we reviewed the sustainable transport considerations included within our schemes and are pleased to report an increase of our schemes that are within 1km of a public transport node to 96%. in addition, we encourage the use of more sustainable transport modes by providing an increasing number of cycling facilities at the majority of our schemes and at our offices.
to increase staff awareness of environmental matters, the group operates a company-wide intranet which provides all employees with information on internal sustainability initiatives, such as our carbon, water and waste and recycling footprints, as well as how they can incorporate sustainable choices within their home lives through the use of a monthly sustainable living factsheet.
Paper usage slightly increased in the reporting year to 34.24 tonnes (2012: 26.6 tonnes) a reflection of increased business activity during the year. improved E-systems and new multi-functional devices across the business offer improved copying/scanning and storage facilities to ultimately reduce the need for paper. Used paper continues to be recycled, as are batteries and printer cartridges. PCs and mobile phones that we no longer require are provided to charities to ensure a secondary economic, social and environmental value is attained.
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Nonetheless, we support the principles of the NPPF to minimise impacts on biodiversity and provide net gains where possible, to help establish coherent ecological networks that are more resilient to current and future pressures.
At 93% of our sites, qualified ecologists undertook a full ecological survey as part of the site evaluation process, while ecological protection and design features are both incorporated within our developments where possible. For this reporting year, we recorded a commitment to show ecological enhancement on 50% of sites under construction.
We planted more than 79,200 (2012: 176,000) new trees and shrubs to complement existing habitats and create new landscaped spaces on our developments.
During 2012-13 we started to record thequantum of open space, green and brown roofs and sites where other ecological enhancements such as the inclusion of bird nesting boxes and bat boxes have been implemented, and intend to expand further on this going forward into 2014. in this reporting year11% of our developments included a green or brown roof.
A key target is to improve construction waste management on our sites. We are pleased to report a decrease in the amount of waste generated of 13.5m3/100m2 (2012: 16.8m3/100m2) of development in 2012-13 exceeding our target of a 5% annual reduction. given that there is not a consistent industry EPi we will undertake a peer review during 2013/14 to establish a more comparable metric.
More than 90% of our construction waste was diverted from landfill.
1 the Country Park at great Kneighton, Cambridge
2 Abode, great Kneighton, Cambridge
During 2013/14 we will consider the materiality requirements of the following cross sectorial organisations, and where required, upgrade our commitments to enable the best return on investment for our shareholders.
l Business in the Community - the Corporate Responsibility index
l Carbon Disclosure Project
l Dow Jones sustainability index
l FstE4good index
Operational 84% (2012: 86%) of the affordable and private homes we built achieved at least a ‘Very good’ or better EcoHomes and CsH level 3 or level 4 rating.
in addition, the group has a commercial development programme of over 4.5 million sq. ft., targeting a minimum BREEAM ‘Very good’ rating. this is consistent with previous years reflecting the current relatively static nature of the commercial market.
the energy efficiency of our properties – as measured by the standard Assessment Procedure (sAP) – continued to be high at an average rating of 84.6/100 (83.5 in 2012). this outperformed the average sAP rating for new homes in England which was 81.3 according to the latest government statistics (covering July to september 2013).
One of the core goals within our sustainable Development Policy is to build on sites with a previous use and thereby protect biodiversity. During 2013, 56% of our sites were on ‘brownfield’ sites, consistent with previous years reflecting the make-up of our land bank.
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OUR SAFEgUARdSWe recognise the value of promoting high standards in all health, safety and welfare matters, for the benefit of everyone who comes into contact with our operations.
Countryside is committed to developing, maintaining and continually improving safe systems and places of work, in order to ensure the continuing health, safety and welfare of the group’s employees, its value chain and stakeholders.
We comply with health and safety legislation and are dedicated to keeping the group’s Accident incident Rates (AiR) below the National incident Rates (NiR) benchmark. During the reporting period the group’s performance was again below this level and our practices were also re-certified to the Bs OHsAs 18001:2007 Health and safety Management standard.
the group’s AiR averaged at 450 (2012: 260; 2011: 517) reportable incidents per 100,000 persons employed, compared with the NiR of 589 (2012: 536; 2011: 736). For the tenth consecutive year our AiR has been belowthe national benchmark. We intend to maintain this performance.
During the reporting period there were no Prohibition or improvement Notices issued to us by the Health and safety Executive. We have maintained our record of zero prosecutions and fines for health and safety performance since 2004, and we have an unblemished environmental record since we began public disclosure in 2001.
the purpose of our Health and safety Policy is to promote a proactive approach to the prevention of accidents in the workplace. this is achieved by identifying hazards and eliminating risk, whilst providing safe working systems and legal compliance.
the responsibility and management of Health, safety and Environment (Hs&E) aspects and our corporate objectives are incorporated into divisional business plans and central service department requirements. these responsibilities are assigned to project teams and individuals to ensure their delivery.
For example, site teams are set Hs&E targets against which they are monitored every month. Performance is measured and remuneration is set in key areas to encourage improvements.
twice-monthly Hs&E inspections and advisory visits are undertaken at operational sites. As part of the audits, divisional performance is benchmarked against specific legislative and best practice environmental criteria.
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cASE STUdY:
three site managers, with the support of their teams, achieved NHBC Pride in the Job Quality Awards.
the accolade this year was conferred to John Bryant at Horsted Park, Chatham, Jim McNab at New Broughton, salford and Denis steventon at Acton gardens, london.
1 Abode, great Kneighton, Cambridge
2 East City Point, Canning town, london
3 Horsted Park, Chatham, Kent
4 New Broughton Village, salford, greater Manchester
Audits are undertaken at least twice yearly by Director-level staff at every site, while external audits are carried out by independent consultants against H&s and E&Q requirements. Additionally, Bsi also conducts audits.
to promote continuous improvement in working practices we require staff and key members of our supply chain to attend, wherever relevant, our health, safety and environmental specific training courses. We also provide mandatory site specific health, safety and environmental induction, training and toolbox talks for all site based workers.
the group has fully endorsed the Construction skills Certification scheme and is committed to 100% compliance for all staff and sub-contractors visiting or working on the group’s sites (within six months of commencing employment).
to date 94% (97%) of the group’s employees that require a CsCs card have obtained them. the remaining 6% are new employees who are in the process of obtaining certification.
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Positively, the group’s Platinum level status was again renewed in the reporting period. to raise awareness amongst communities of the dangers of construction sites, we continue to engage wherever possible with schools and colleges to pass on health, safety and environmental messages. in addition, as part of our citizenship commitments we attend the HBF Health and safety group, to help raise industry standards and awareness.
Furthermore, all our sites are registered under the Considerate Constructor’s scheme (CCs) and at 34.3/40, for those schemes assessed under the old methodology we continue to surpass the industry average. However, under the new methodology introduced in 2013, the average site score was 34.7/50 which is consistent with the average industry score (35/50). We expect an improvement in the forthcoming year as the changes in the methodology are addressed within our management systems. We have also won 24 CCs awards since 2004.
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OUR PERFORmANcE
* Denotes national industry average comparableNote - Quantitative metrics are included wherever they are available. Where a qualitative measure is reported this is indicated by compliance 3
5 YEAR tRACK RECORD AND COMMENtARY - 2009 tO 2013
MANAgEMENt strategic objective - to apply sound social, environmental and quality management systems across the group’s operations.
since 2005, we have been fully accredited to the standard which is a testament to our commitment to continuous improvement.
COMMENtARYACtiON/tARgEts
Annually maintain certification to isO 14001:2004.
2009 2010 2011 2012
Annually maintain certification to isO 9001: 2008.
Additionally the group continues to be fully accredited to the Environmental Management standard since 2006.
2013
Annually maintain certification to Bs OHsAs 18001:2007.
100% 100% 100% 100% 100% Arguably we have been a sector leader with regard to maintaining this standard, which we have held since 2002.
100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Report cost and benefits analysis of EsE reporting.
£3.25m £1.27m £3.8m £1.9m £2.4m in total we saved £2.4m through sustainability and related supply chain improvements.
increase the awareness of employees and sub-contractors of sustainability issues.
3 3 3 3 3 Considerable efforts are continuously employed to inform our people and supply chain of emerging legislation and practices of emerging legislation.
All new employees to hold a relevant CsCs Card within 6 months of joining.
96% 100% 100% 97% 94% group continues to hold the Platinum Certificate until 2015.6% are new employees in the process of obtaining certification.
sOCiAl AND EtHiCAl
strategic objective - to strive for continuous health & safety improvement and promote social and ethical “best practice”.
We have been fully accredited to the standard since 2000. We were re-accredited in 2013.
Achieve “investor in People” certification and continue staff training.
COMMENtARYACtiON/tARgEts 2009 2010 2011 2012
100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
2013
target Health & safety incident rates to be below national average year-on-year.
669 (904*)
581(781*)
517 (736*)
260 (536*)
450 (589*)
For the tenth consecutive year our AiR continues to be much lower than the industry’s.
Continually measure performance against training and Development Policy including average training days per person.
2.6 2.5 1.7 1.1 1.35 the group invested £152,361 in people development andtraining, which averaged £297 or 1.35 days per employee.
Continue induction training and internal communication.
n/a / 3 n/a / 3 3/ 3 3/ 3 3/ 3 induction training and high levels of internal communication continue to be undertaken.
to encourage PersonalDevelopment Reviews (PDR’s) on an annual basis.
0% 42% 24% 0% 0% Process on hold following review, a new PDR process being implemented in the first quarter of 2013, this is currently being bedded in.
Monitor compliance with Equal Opportunities Policy.
3 3 3 3 3 We are compliant with our own Equal Opportunities policyand the requirements of the Equality Act.
Monitor staff absence rates (average days per person).
3.8 1.5 1.2 4.8 2.4 Positively absence rates have halved since 2012.
1
1 Priors green, takeley, Essex
15
sUstAiNABilitYstrategic objective - to strive for continual environmental performance improvement, thereby reducing the Company’s environmental impacts.
in this reporting period some 84% of the homes we built, both affordable (30%) and for sale (54%), achieved at least a very good or better EcoHomes rating and CsH level 3 (61%), and CsH level 4 (12%) ratings. Whilst our performance has reduced slightly it is still amongst the highest in the sector. the group has a commercial development programme of over 4.5 million sq. ft., targeting a minimum ‘Very good’ BREEAM rating.
Where possible design and construct more sustainable buildings in accordance with BRE green guide, BREEAM / EcoHomes and the Code for sustainable Homes (CsH).Monitor percentage of homes built that achieved at least a ‘Very good’ EcoHomes and CsH level 3 rating.
COMMENtARYACtiON/tARgEts 2009 2010 2011 2012
93% 94.7% 86% 86.79% 84%
2013
Monitor application and achievement of: l secure by Design l lifetime Homes standards
64%
10%
61%
89%
Although a slight decrease this component favourably with our peers. this improvement is as a result of better data collection.
Reduce site construction waste by 5% annually based on sample data.
15m³/100m²
20m³/100m²
14m³/100m²
16.8m³/100 m²
13.5m³/100m²
Our waste ratio of 13.5m3/100m2 has improved by 19.6% upon the 2012 figure of 16.8m3/100m2.
Construction waste sent to landfill (%) and recycled (%).
- - - - 90% recycled
the average recycling rate across our sites was 90% with residential waste being landfilled.
Monitor carbon profiling of group’s headquarters and car fleet and reduce CO² emissions by 5% annually.
-4.5% -10.8%
- 41%car fleet
+6.5%
-27%car fleet
-3.4%
+16% car fleet
-21.5%
-16%
Overall gas and electricity CO2 emissions down 21.5% from 800 (2012) to 628 (2013) tonnes.
Overall fleet CO2 emissions decreased by 16% from 765 tonnes (2012) to 642 tonnes (2013) CO2 tonnes per person decreased 23% from 1.624 (2012) to 1.25 (2013).
Measure standard Assessment Procedure (sAP) ratings and maintain performance.
83.4 /100
83.4 /100
84 /100
83.5 /100
84.6/100
We achieved our highest ever average sAP rating and once again we out-performed the average sAP rating for new homes in England (79.2 according to the government statistics Jan to March 2013).
Carry out Health, safety and Environmental (Hs&E) site Audits.
3 3 3 3 3 twice monthly Hs&E audits are undertaken independently of the operational teams. improved performance benchmarked against specific legislative and best practice is noted. We did not receive any form of prosecution.
Benchmark paper/waste recycling: improve recycling by 5% annually.
3 Achieved 3%
3 3 Achieved -8%
it is disappointing to report our recycling (74.7 tonnes) was down by 8% on the previous year. Paper used was 34.24 tonnes.
Monitor water usage of group’s headquarters and target a year upon year reduction (relative to headcount) on an annual basis.
- - 2746m3 based on 429 staff
2667m3 based upon
471 staff
2813m3 based upon
513 staff
Usage per person reduced from 5.66m3 to 4.7m3 (a reduction of 17%).
COMMUNitY
strategic objective - to promote and build sustainable communities.
We now subscribe to the NHBC web reporting system, with the NHBC independently collating data from our customers. As a result survey response rates have improved providing us with more accurate data.
Monitor performance against Customer Care Charter including satisfaction level 8 weeks after occupation and percentage prepared to recommend us to a friend.
COMMENtARYACtiON/tARgEts 2009 2010 2011 2012
78% / 84%
89% / 85%
89% / 86%
79% / 76%
82% / 82%
2013
introduce Considerate Constructors scheme [CCs] at all sites and maintain average scores.
33 (32*) 33.5 (32*) 33.7 (32*) 34.1 (32*) Old 34.3 (32*)
New 34.7 (35*)
the CCs scheme methodology changed part way through the reporting period, the old scheme was based on 40 points and it is now out of 50 points with a broader scoring range.
Encourage charitable and community giving.
£47,061 / £9,902
£6,535 / £92,350
£5,306 / £10,771
£10,418 / £12,625
£10,440 / £13,222
Our giving is broadly in line with expectations. the group does not make donations to political parties, organisations or their representatives.
Monetise section 106 Contributions.
- - - - £439,000 For the first time we are publishing s106 payments. Over the last 5 years we have provided in excess of £15m s106 & Cil contributions which helps support local social prosperity.
Report Job Creation of: directly employed people & indirectly contracted subcontractors (on an average month).
- - - 471
2306
513
2224
Directly employed staff increased by 9%, whereas monthly indirect sub-contractors averaged slightly less. in 2014, we forecast a rise in both areas. in addition, to every £1 of the group’s investment this has and will continue to result in £8 of economic benefit to the economy.
gRI INFORmATION1. stRAtEgY AND ANAlYsis
1.1
DescriptionProfile Disclosure
statement from the most senior decision-maker of the organisation
Reported
2.1 Name of the organisation Compliant
2.2 Primary brands, products, and/or services Compliant
2.3 Operational structure of the organisation, including main divisions, operating companies, subsidiaries, and joint ventures
Compliant
2.4 location of organisation’s headquarters Compliant
2.5 Number of countries where the organisation operates, and names of countries with either major operations or that are specifically relevant to the sustainability issues covered in the report
Compliant
2.6 Nature of ownership and legal form Compliant
2.7 Markets served (including geographic breakdown, sectors served, and types of customers/beneficiaries)
Compliant
2.8 scale of the reporting organisation Compliant
2.9 significant changes during the reporting period regarding size, structure, or ownership
Compliant
2.10 Awards received in the reporting period Compliant
3.2 Date of most recent previous report (if any) Compliant
3.3 Reporting cycle (annual, biennial, etc.) Compliant
3.4 Contact point for questions regarding the report or its contents Compliant
3.5 Process for defining report content Compliant
3.6 Boundary of the report (e.g., countries, divisions, subsidiaries, leased facilities, joint ventures, suppliers). see gRi Boundary Protocol for further guidance
Compliant
3.7 state any specific limitations on the scope or boundary of the report (see completeness principle for explanation of scope)
Cross-reference/Direct answer
Annual Report and Accounts (AR&A) page 4 & sustainability Report page 3
AR&A front cover and sustainability Report front cover
AR&A pages 6 & 7
AR&A pages 6, 7 & 31
AR&A and sustainability Report back covers Countryside Website - contact us
sustainability Report page 3
AR&A page 3
sustainability Report page 3
AR&A pages 26 to 45
AR&A page 4
sustainability Report pages 8, 11, 13 Countryside Website - media centre
3.1 Reporting period (e.g. fiscal/calendar year) for information provided Compliant AR&A page 12 and sustainability Report page 3
AR&A front cover and page 4. sustainability Report page 18
AR&A page 12
Via Countryside Website and sustainability Report page 3
sustainability Report page 10 and AR&A page 3
sustainability Report page 3 AR&A pages 28 to 31
None
3.8 Basis for reporting on joint ventures, subsidiaries, leased facilities, outsourced operations, and other entities that can significantly affect comparability from period to period and/or between organisations
AR&A page 31Compliant
3.10 Explanation of the effect of any re-statements of information provided in earlier reports, and the reasons for such re-statement (e.g.,mergers/acquisitions, change of base years/periods, nature of business, measurement methods)
AR&A page 6Compliant
3.11 significant changes from previous reporting periods in the scope, boundary, or measurement methods applied in the report
AR&A page 12Compliant
3.12 table identifying the location of the standard Disclosures in the report this table satisfies this point.
2. ORgANisAtiONAl PROFilE
3. REPORt PARAMEtERs
4.1 governance structure of the organisation, including committees under the highest governance body responsible for specific tasks, such as setting strategy or organisational oversight.
AR&A pages 7 to 10 and sustainability Report page 3Compliant
4.2 indicate whether the Chair of the highest governance body is also an executive officer
AR&A page 4 Countryside Website - about us/directors
Compliant
4.3 For organisations that have a unitary board structure, state the number and gender of members of the highest governance body that are independent and/or non-executive members
www.countryside-properties.com/about-us/who-we-are/directorsCompliant
4.4 Mechanisms for shareholders and employees to provide recommendations or direction to the highest governance body
sustainability Report page 3Compliant
4.14 list of stakeholder groups engaged by the organisation sustainability Report pages 3 & 5Compliant
4.15 Basis for identification and selection of stakeholders with whom to engage www.countryside-properties.com/about-us/what-we-do/sustainability/
Compliant
Compliant
Compliant
4. gOVERNANCE, COMMitMENts, AND ENgAgEMENt
16
stANDARD DisClOsUREs PARt iii: PERFORMANCE iNDiCAtORs
REPORt FUllY ON 10 CORE OR ADDitiONAl PERFORMANCE iNDiCAtORs - At lEAst 1 FROM EACH DiMENsiON (ECONOMiC, ENViRONMENtAl AND sOCiAl)
EC1 Direct economic value generated and distributed, including revenues, operating costs, employee compensation, donations and other community investments, retained earnings, and payments to capital providers and governments
AR&A pages 14 to 45 Compliant
ECONOMiC
Description Cross-reference/Direct answerPerformance Indicator Reported
ENViRONMENtAl
EN5 Energy saved due to conservation and efficiency improvements sustainability Report pages 11 & 15Compliant
EN6 initiatives to provide energy-efficient or renewable energy based products and services, and reductions in energy requirements as a result of these initiatives
sustainability Report page 11Compliant
EN8 total water withdrawal by source sustainability Report page 11Compliant
CRE1 Building energy intensity sustainability Report page 11Compliant
Economic performance
EN3 Direct energy consumption by primary energy source sustainability Report page 15Compliant
Energy
sO1 Percentage of operations with implemented local community engagement, impact assessments, and development programs
sustainability Report page 6, 9, 10 & 11Compliant
Corruption
sO2 Percentage and total number of business units analysed for risks related to corruption
www.countryside-properties.com/about-us/who-we-are/policies/business-ethics and sustainability Report page 6
Compliant
CRE8 type and number of sustainability certification, rating and labelling schemes for new construction, management, occupation, and redevelopment
sustainability Report pages 2, 8, 14 & 15 Compliant
sOCiAl: PRODUCt REsPONsiBilitY
Emissions, effluents and waste
EN16 total direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by weight sustainability Report page 15(Partial compliance)
EN23 total number and volume of significant spills None in reporting periodCompliant
EN26 initiatives to mitigate environmental impacts of products and services, and extent of mitigation
sustainability Report pages 5, 8, 9, 10 & 11Compliant
lA7 Rates of injury, occupational diseases, lost days, and absenteeism, and number of work-related fatalities by region and by gender
sustainability Report page 14(Partial compliance)
Products and Services
EN28 Monetary value of significant fines and total number of non-monetary sanctions for non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations
None in reporting period, see sustainability Report page 12Compliant
Compliance
sOCiAl: lABOUR PRACtiCEs AND DECENt WORK
Occupational health and safety
lA10 Average hours of training per year per employee by gender, and by employee category
sustainability Report pages 6 & 14(Partial compliance)
Training and education
sOCiAl: sOCiEtY
Local communities
Product and service labelling
EN12 Description of significant impacts of activities, products, and services on biodiversity in protected areas and areas of high biodiversity value outside protected areas
sustainability Report page 5Compliant
Biodiversity
EN13 Habitats protected or restored sustainability Report page 11Compliant
EN14 strategies, current actions, and future plans for managing impacts on biodiversity
sustainability Report page 5Compliant
17
18
The aim of the verification statement is to provide assurance to all stakeholders that the information provided is accurate and reliable.
the terms of reference for RPs’s verification were to assess the appropriateness, credibility and soundness of the claims and commitments made in the report. in addition, RPs wished to judge the extent to which sustainability is being embedded into Countryside’s overall business and operational activities. this is the thirteenth year that Countryside has had its report externally verified. For the second year the company has self assessed itself against the global Reporting initiative achieving a B.
the published report similar to the previous year has been structured to reflect the company’s vision and supporting objectives.
Ongoing systematic management of its sustainability issues is maintained, with the use of management systems for quality, health and safety and the environment. As a differential to its peer group, all the management systems are externally certified for all parts of the business including continued certification to investors in People achieved during the reporting period.
Countryside has made good progress against its core set of objectives and quantitative key performance indicators (KPis), particularly with regard to its continued solid performance against the recognised industry standards of BREEAM, EcoHomes and Code for sustainable Homes (CsH); 84% of homes built during the reporting period, both affordable and for private sale, achieved at least a ‘Very good’ EcoHomes or CsH level 3 rating. Another noteworthy performance measure is that the Company’s Accident incident Rate has remained below national benchmarks for the tenth consecutive year. Countryside has extended the parameters that are reported this year to reflect feedback from stakeholder engagement.
VERIFIcATION STATEmENTRPs conducted an independent verification of Countryside’s sustainability Report (covering the period October 2012 - september 2013).
Following an interrogation of the data through data sampling, interviews with key staff and site audits of selected active sites, RPs is confident that the published report is a fair reflection of the progress Countryside has made against its sustainability objectives during 2012-13.
Tanya Lloyd Jonestechnical DirectorRPs Planning and Development6th August 2014
1 Cliveden Village, taplow, Buckinghamshire
1
19
2
3
2 Wickhurst green, near Horsham, West sussex
3 Acton gardens, london
Brentwood
Countryside Housethe DriveBrentwoodEssex CM13 3At
t: 01277 260000 E: [email protected]
thames Valley
Millgate HouseRuscombe laneRuscombetwyfordBerkshire Rg10 9Jt
t: 0118 934 3344 E: [email protected]
OFFIcES
www.countryside-properties.com
Warrington
600 lakeside DriveCentre ParkWarringtonWA1 1 RW
t: 01925 248900 E: [email protected]
1.4 BACKGROUNDS
Always ensure that you use the master artworks of the logos and only use them as in these guidelines. Never adjust the design or colours of the logo and only use the background in the colour iterations shown here.
It is vital that the logo is 100% legible at all times. The logo versions presented here are the acceptable uses and must be used accordingly.
Countryside Brand Identity Manual 2014© | February 2014 | 1.4 Backgrounds
Primary on white
Reversed out of the Countryside palette
Reversed out of the Countryside palette Black on white
Primary on a light photographic background
Reversed out of a dark photographic background