FEATURE
Working together – Jessica Jones , Angela Corner and Jill Fidan , of Thirteen ’ s community resilience team .
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
Why linking businesses with local people makes sense
PICTURES : TOM BANKS
Housing association Thirteen Group has been working across the region to help connect organisations with grassroots communities and encourage a more ethical way of doing business – all part of an approach to the environmental , social and governance ( ESG ) framework .
With more than 72,000 customers , Thirteen Group is one of the largest housing associations in the region and nationally , owning and managing more than 35,000 homes across the North-East , North Yorkshire and the Humber .
With the rising cost of living and the impact this is having on households , it ’ s more important than ever for businesses to operate in a way that supports communities and helps them thrive .
It ’ s not only about the good work a business is doing in society , but also how an organisation operates and conducts itself , which can have a big social impact on local communities .
Thirteen believes that by looking at the bigger picture and striving to improve a business ’ s impact in the three key areas of the ESG framework , organisations can operate more ethically , which can have longterm reputational , financial and operational benefits .
Being an environmentally proactive business The demand for businesses to be environmentally conscious isn ’ t new . However , how people view the current environmental situation is changing .
In a recent study , leading change organisation Futerra and market researchers Ipsos found that 66 per cent of younger people are now fatalistic in their views on climate change and more people are holding businesses to account based on how their operations impact the environment .
Environmental sustainability goes beyond face value and encompasses a business ’ s entire operations and supply chain . It ’ s not just how you do business , but how your suppliers do business too .
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