Sustainability and doing our bit

We are committed to doing our bit for the planet - for our team, our residents, communities, and our partners who we work with. We all must do our bit to protect what we love from the climate and nature emergencies.

Here's a few of the ways in which we're trying to make positive change:

Sustainable communities

• We are part of a consortium of housing association who will be working alongside Housing Justice Cymru to transform former church land into new affordable rented housing.
• We deliver our free FACE program with partnership schools focusing on pupils; their future, keeping them active, helping with their career opportunities and the environment.
• We invest money from our Sustainable Communities Fund in our Local Authority areas enabling our residents, and schools to do their bit for climate change.
• Our dedicated employment team helps our residents upskill and get back into employment.
• We support gardening projects for residents, helping create a haven for bees and pollinators and give nature a helping hand.
• We support Wales’ First Climate Change Assembly with Blaenau Gwent Council.
• We are a member of Carbon Literacy Cartrefi Cymru (CLCC), a consortium of 27 Welsh registered social landlords, who have pooled their money and resources to increase carbon literacy within their organisations.
• We provide our residents with free energy advice and support.
• Our Jump2 fund means local community groups can apply for grants for projects and activities which benefit residents, their families and communities.
• We have a dedicated charity of the year who we actively fundraise for and support. Our charity for 2021/22 is Wales Air Ambulance.
• We support and promote active travel plans within our communities.

Sustainable homes

• We are decarbonizing our existing housing stock; starting with surveys and installation of Intelligent energy systems.
• We are committed to building sustainable, low carbon, affordable homes that meet the needs of the current and future generations within our existing local communities, with an ambition to achieve zero carbon by 2030.
• We meet local housing need although not adding to the climate change emergency, whilst being flexible and adaptable to the changing needs of our residents. This will incorporate Modern Methods of Construction in our drive to develop attractive, low carbon and efficient to run homes.
• We are part of the Welsh Government Optimised Retrofit Programme.

Sustainable Melin

• We have a three-year plan (2021–2023) to decarbonise our fleet of 60 vehicles by replacing them with electric.
• We’ve installed electric charging points for staff and partners to use at our offices.
• We use renewable energy for our offices and Independent Living schemes, coupled with solar panels at our head office.
• We recycle all leavers’ uniforms which get shredded and made into insulation for houses.
• We support local charity Stump Up for Trees as part of our organisation’s monthly ‘Diolch’ initiative for staff to thank others who have gone over and above. As part of a prize staff can choose to have trees planted in their name.
• We have our milk delivered locally and in glass bottles which are reused time after time.
• We do like our crisps at Melin, so we make sure all the empty packets get recycled, as well as our plastic and tins.
• We have a flexible agile working policy – meaning staff can work from where they want saving on CO2 emissions.
• We promote Zest – our health and wellbeing initiative for staff.
• We issue all our staff with reusable water bottles and travel mugs.
• We are a Living Wage employer.
• Our Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking statement is revised each year to reflect the ongoing work that is being carried out and our commitment to preventing slavery and human trafficking amongst all business activities and within our supply chains.
• We are a member of Cynnal Cymru, a leading charity that enables action towards a fair and just society, a low carbon economy and a thriving natural environment.
• We’ve added our voice to Climate Cymru.
• We’ve signed up to the Welsh Government’s Ethical Employment in Supply Chains: Code of Practice.

Case studies

Below are some case studies of the work we have done.