ESG 2026

Welcome to our 2025/26 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report.

The ESG highlights from this year demonstrate how these priorities are not only aligned with our values but are actively delivering impact across all three ESG themes.

Ahead of launching our Sustainability Strategy in 2027, we've got some great examples of Environmental work in action across our Group:

• We began a three-year retrofit programme, supported by the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund and delivered in partnership with WPS, the property services arm of Wates Group. The £20 million programme is helping to reduce energy use and emissions, improve comfort and affordability, and support more sustainable communities
• We remain committed to delivering energy-efficient homes while balancing affordability: 100% of new homes achieved an EPC rating of B or above, while over 450 new homes included low-carbon technologies such as air source heat pumps and solar panels
• At Enham Resource Centre, we installed an 84-panel solar PV system, predicted to generate around 40MWh of green energy per year and expected to save around £6,000 per year in energy costs
• We’ve taken steps to prepare for new Heat Network regulations. These changes will strengthen customer protections, improve transparency, signpost customers to the Energy Ombudsman where needed, and support more efficient shared heating systems
• Through our Strategic Partnership with Homes England, we secured funding to deliver 39 homes using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) Category 2a. We have significantly exceeded this target, with 248 homes Category 2a homes completed and a further 125 compliant homes in construction
• We’ve formed a partnership with local residents and conservation action group North Wiltshire Swifts (NWS) to protect swift nesting sites in Wiltshire
• We began work on a biodiversity project to discover and protect and the wildlife in Enham Alamein and throughout the grounds of Enham Trust, providing more spaces for the local community to connect with nature. Wild About Enham will help us develop a five-year nature plan to increase biodiversity in the village, with changes co-designed with customers. The findings will help inform how we manage our spaces across other Aster estates
• We have strengthened how customers influence decisions at a strategic level, introducing a new Customer Engagement Framework and added a customer Chair and customer Member to the Customer Voice Committee (CVC), which forms part of our governance structure
• Our homes remain affordable compared to private rental markets and Local Housing Allowances, helping people stay in their communities, maintaining efficiency and reducing inequality
• We remain the UK’s leading housing association provider of community land trusts (CLT) partnerships. At the end of March 2026, nine schemes were on site, which will deliver 182 homes
• In response to financial pressures, regulatory change and rising expectations, we launched a refreshed People and Culture Plan focused on helping colleagues feel supported to do their best work. We strengthened our culture through the relaunch of The Aster Way and Culture Handbook, aligned with the CIH Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics
• Our progress in Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) was recognised in 2025 when we achieved a silver Talent Inclusion and Diversity Evaluation (TIDE) benchmark award, awarded by Onvero (formerly the Employers’ Network for Equality and Inclusion). We also maintain our Disability Confident Leader and received Pledge Pioneer accreditation status from the House-Proud pledge, demonstrating our commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ colleagues and customers.
  
  Together, these achievements reflect our deep-rooted social purpose and our drive to build a future where everyone has a home - and where that home contributes positively to society and the planet

For a further dive into our highlights please view our key themes download below.