ESG standard expands to include Scottish RSLs

Link Group, which was the first Scottish association to adopt the pan-European Certified Sustainable Housing Label accredited by German consultancy Ritterwald, now becomes the first to adopt the new SRS following the changes.

The standard aims to reduce the “ESG reporting burden”, and to work for organisations of all sizes, including through a reduced number of “core” criteria for smaller providers. Much of the data required is already captured in landlords’ annual return on the charter for the Scottish Housing Regulator, the SHB said.

Brendan Sarsfield, chair of the SHB, who recently stepped down as chief executive of major English association Peabody, said: “The board has welcomed the participation of Scottish associations in ensuring that the SRS is applicable throughout the UK, despite differences in regulation in the devolved nations.

“We will continue to engage with associations throughout the UK to obtain their feedback and to adapt the criteria to accommodate any additional, future changes in regulatory regimes.”

Mr Sarsfield also revealed that the board would soon be launching a “post implementation review” of the standard to better understand the user experience and how best to support organisations using it.

Sally Thomas, chief executive at the SFHA, said: “With the increased focus on ESG, it is critical that the reporting criteria for the standards are recognised by decision-makers in, and beyond, Scotland. So we are pleased the SHB has heard the voices of Scottish associations.”

Jon Turner, chief executive of Link Group, added: “We are absolutely delighted to adopt these standards. Our commitment to the sustainability of the communities we support, and our wider journey towards ‘net zero’ is embedded in how we work. It is important that we use high quality, independent, metrics to track our progress and the SRS will be a key tool for us moving forward.”