Corporate report

Homes England safety, health and environmental policy statement, accessible version

Updated 30 January 2021

Applies to England

Safety, Health and Environmental Policy Statement of Principles

Homes England is the national housing agency for England. Our mission is to intervene in the market to ensure more homes are built in areas of greatest need, to improve affordability. We will make this sustainable by creating a more resilient and diverse housing market. Our work with partners provides opportunities to disseminate safety, health and environmental good practice in the delivery of these objectives, supporting our statutory object of ‘contributing to the achievement of sustainable development and good design in England’.

As the national housing agency, we are responsible for the management, development and regeneration of substantial public assets and regard safety, health and the environment as an integral part of the proper management of all the undertakings over which we have control. We are also responsible for the health, safety and welfare of around 900 employees based across England.

We recognise and fully accept, our statutory and moral responsibility, to provide the highest safety, health and the environmental standards to protect our employees, other people affected by our activities and the environment. We are committed to the prevention of injury and ill health; the avoidance of adverse impacts on soil, water, air and biodiversity; and the continual improvement of our safety, health and environmental performance. In order to meet these aims we shall:

• establish, implement and maintain procedures for the on-going identification, evaluation and control of hazards and environmental aspects;
• keep up to date with best practice in relation to safety, health and the environment and comply with all relevant legislation, authoritative guidance and other relative requirements;
• ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, those who undertake work on our behalf, apply the highest safety, health and environmental protection standards;
• co-operate actively with local authorities, statutory bodies and public services in the interest of public safety and the safeguarding of the environment;
• set and achieve a programme of objectives and targets for our business, including targets set by Government for the environmental performance of our office estate;
• reduce our contribution to climate change by reducing energy, water and resource consumption within our operational estate;
• integrate the waste hierarchy into our business activities so that we minimise waste as a priority, recycle waste that cannot be re-used and use landfill as a last resort;
• consult with, and actively engage our staff in matters affecting their health and safety and the environment;
• provide safety, health and environmental awareness training for all staff and targeted training to those whose job is identified as having the potential for significant health, safety and environmental impacts; and
• operate robust systems for monitoring and publicly reporting on our safety, health and environmental performance, including through our Annual Report.

We require the full and active participation of all our employees in order that the principles outlined in this policy statement may be achieved. The statutory duties placed on Homes England and all its employees, and providers of services and construction works, are to be regarded as minimum standards. We aim to achieve best practice in terms of safety, health and the environment in all that we do.

Nick Walkley, Chief Executive Homes England