EIP Launches Regenerative Sustainability Report
Are we healing the future or stealing from it? What does regenerative social housing look and feel like?
These are some of the questions that are explored in our new Regenerative Sustainability report From Surviving to Thriving, which was written in conjunction with consultants Martin Brown and Anna Williamson, based on materials gathered through the Echelon Improvement Partnerships’ Regenerative Sustainability Programme.
The report was officially launched at our most recent AMIP meeting, with a presentation from Anna and Martin and some amazing insights from some of the programme’s participants, who talked about what they had learnt and how they had put that into practice in both their personal and professional lives.
Martin Brown was a guest speaker at the Echelon Group’s annual conference in 2021 and his presentation highlighting the importance of adopting regenerative sustainability principles in every aspect of our lives was a game-changer.
Positive feedback from delegates convinced Echelon to bring together a group of like-minded clients, contractors, and suppliers, to define what regenerative sustainability means within the context of social housing, and to us as individuals.
The programme ran for eight months, with 10 interactive workshop modules including two in-nature days, and was devised and led by Martin and Anna, with Luke Driscoll, Director of Asset Management & Sustainability at the Hyde Group, chairing the working group.
Based upon regenerative ‘principles’ from the Regenerative Playbook, it covered what these principles can mean to our regenerative self, a regenerative organisation and a regenerative social housing sector, interactively exploring topics such as carbon, resources, materials, project management, wellbeing and supply chain management, through a regenerative lens.
Ben Williams from Wates said that from a contractor’s perspective there was the potential to think differently about the procurement process and the materials used, moving towards a focus on value. “We all want to do the right thing but how do we do that in a competitive environment landscape?” he asked.
Joseph Hayes from Axis said that the course, was a “breath of fresh air” had enabled him to get a different perspective and to connect with others. He outlined how the company has started to conduct some meetings on foot, giving people the opportunity to get out of the office.
Peter Sharman of Mulalley described the programme as a “thought-provoking” journey. Since participating Mulalley has implemented lunchtime walks and an environmental newsletter.
You can download the full report here: Echelon Regen Report:Layout 1 (echelonip.co.uk)
