Morro Partnerships is a leading partnerships developer with a purpose. Providing high-quality, sustainable and affordable housing within the Midlands region, Morro works with local authorities, Homes England and registered providers, to drive regeneration in under-invested areas and disused brownfield sites. The company also operates an effective recycling and segregation scheme on all developments to minimise the impact they have on the environment.
CEO Matthew Moore explained more, in an exclusive interview with Inside Sustainability. Report by Imogen Ward.
Morro Partnerships underwent a rebrand in late 2023, after being named Jessup Partnerships for more than 30 years. Created on the solid foundations of its new purpose to be better tomorrow makers, the company is proactive in driving regeneration, and introducing new technologies to build efficient developments that are sustainable, modern, accessible and affordable, whilst utilising the highest-quality materials.
“We embarked on the process of creating a new name and a new brand, and with that came a new purpose: we are helping to make tomorrow better than it is today,” explained CEO Matthew Moore. “We are providing people that need it most with a roof over their heads, whilst also working hard to better ourselves and the industry. That’s where the name Morro Partnerships evolved from.”
With a current pipeline of 2,500 plots, Morro will help to meet the growing demand for affordable housing in the Midlands region. The company is developing a mix of one-, two-, three- and four- bedroom properties across two- and three- storeys, as well as apartment blocks and care homes, which will contribute hugely to the housing shortage that the nation now faces.
Improving the service
Morro is always searching for new ways to improve the experience of future homeowners. With its client base ranging from tenants and user groups to wider
communities, the company ensures that everyone is equipped with the right tools.
“There is pressure on our clients to provide optimal tenant management, whilst remaining environmentally conscious,” explained Mr Moore. “We are committed to helping them accomplish that.”
As a demonstration of this, Morro has developed a new initiative that highlights its conscientious efforts to minimise paper waste and be a better environment maker. All of Morro’s clients are given access to an exclusive QR code which they can share with their customers. By simply scanning the QR code, users gain access to a short, convenient, virtual home user guide, which explains every aspect of their new home from operating appliances to maximising energy effi ciency.
“The QR code is great because it gives homeowners access to visual, step-by-step guides for different aspects of the house,”
Mr Moore continued. “This removes the need for printed manuals – which, from an ESG perspective is great – but it has also had a positive impact on our clients as well. There has been a 20 per cent decrease in defect calls since we first implemented these digital guides.”
Not only is Morro Partnerships striving towards a more sustainable future, but it has also underlined a commitment to social value and early careers across the region, by appointing Abdul Mozzamdar as Head of Social Value, bringing over 20 years of experience to Morro.
Working with several clients and key stakeholder partners, Morro has
devel oped strategic social responsibility targets and is delivering meaningful employment and training opportunities including apprenticeships, staff volunteering, mentoring and so much more.
Zero to landfill
Now, more than ever, there is a large focus on environmentalism and carbon reduction.
In addition to building a sustainable future for future generations, Morro Partnerships is focused on the overall environmental impact of the construction industry and how it can help reduce carbon emissions and recycling effectively on all its sites.
“We were inspired to test ourselves both in terms of construction methods, but also ESG credentials,” said Mr Moore. “Most of our work involves brownfield sites in need of regeneration, and we aim to deliver all our homes with 100 per cent timber frames.”
The company has also implemented zeroto-landfill and site segregation policies to encourage recycling within the workplace. In partnership with a Midlands-based environmental solutions provider, Morro has dedicated waste streams at its construction sites where all waste is correctly sorted, ready for recycling.
Meeting Morro:
Keen to get as involved as possible, Morro recently held a ‘Meeting Morro’ event for its supply chain, providing the companies with an opportunity to get to know Morro better and understand what it stands for. As part of this event, ESG was a hot topic of discussion.
The team is equally as passionate about improving the environment and reducing waste, with several team members proactively exploring different initiatives they can implement on their sites, and others within the region.
“We fully believe in giving our teams a voice and allowing them to have a say in what we do, especially when it comes to improving our environmental commitments,” explained Mr Moore. “Following on from the implementation of our green policies, one of our site managers was inspired to start the Greenkeeper’s Guide. We now have dedicated Greenkeepers stationed at each site who assist in locating new and creative ways to manage waste.”
One recent idea saw Morro create planters out of old pallets, giving the
wood a new lease of life and preventing it from being thrown away. The company also releases monthly internal reports which highlight how many different waste streams a site has utilised, how much waste they have recycled and whether they are on target.
Pioneering projects
In an exciting development, Morro recently embarked on a collaboration project with Birmingham City Council that could affect the future of council-developed properties in the area.
“We just recently completed a 36-unit project for Birmingham City Council as part of the council’s greener energy pilot scheme,” explained Mr Moore. “All of the units were constructed with different
heating technologies, including air source, ground source, electric, infrared and solar. The council is now going to monitor these occupied properties over a 12-month period to assess the viability of each energy source. From there, the council will start looking at their future build designs and adapting them accordingly.
“We have been able to support them during the initial design process, and we even brought consultants on board to ensure everything ran smoothly. This has been a great project to be involved with, because it is quite rare to have a client willing to try multiple different technologies on one site to locate the most economic and environmentally friendly solution.”
With Morro set on a path of innovation, the company recently brought David Thacker on board as Head of Innovation. Taking a holistic approach to the company’s operations, Mr Thacker intends to drive
innovation in every aspect of the business whilst continuing to push the envelope of what it means to be better tomorrow makers.
“We believe that Mr Thacker is a fantastic addition to what is already a very dynamic team,” Mr Moore said. “The addition of this ne w role is fitting for what is a very fresh yet well-established business, and it is great to have an additional team member on board who really gets involved with making a positive impact in the industry.”
“Our job isn’t just about the homes, it’s about the community and the people within our business,” added Mr Moore, in conclusion. “We got deeply involved, and we love making a difference. As we head into tomorrow, we will continue placing ourselves at the forefront of the market whilst also providing affordable housing solutions that make a positive difference to people’s lives.” n
