The Sovini Group annual report 2024-25

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2 | ANNUAL REPORT - CONTENTS

CONTENTS 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09

Welcome Group Overview Our Contribution Counted Our People Our Communities Our Partnerships Our Impact Governance Get in Touch

If you need assistance understanding the information in this document, or require a different format, please contact us on 0333 733 1200 or email us at info@sovini.co.uk.

The information inside this report was correct at time of publication date.

For the most up-to-date information, please visit sovini.co.uk.

1 2 3 Welcome 4 5 As I reflect on another transformative year for The Sovini Group, 2024/25 will be remembered 6 not just for its significant achievements, but as a period that truly tested the housing sector.

7 8 9

01

This past year provided a range of sector challenges which placed immense pressure on households and businesses across the UK. The Group responded with resilience and an unwavering commitment to our mission creating opportunities and changing lives.

Throughout 2024/25, we delivered quality new homes, invested in existing properties, and positively impacted the communities we serve.

Our innovative Group model has provided stability in a challenging operating environment, allowing us to secure new development opportunities and implement innovative energysaving solutions that helped our customers.

This report is testament to the dedication of every colleague within the Group. Their passion, hard work, and customer-centric approach has been key to another successful year. It also reflects the partnerships we hold, from local authorities and funders to suppliers and community organisations.

Colin Marshall Chair of The Sovini Group Board

Throughout 2024/25, the Group has demonstrated resilience and strength. Our end-to-end social business solution has proven to be an asset, enabling us to adapt and innovate.

Our unique Group model has been instrumental in generating crucial reinvestment amidst multiple challenges. This past year, our focus remained on delivering a tangible impact for customers and the communities we serve.

We continued with our efforts in new home delivery, bringing much-needed high-quality, affordable housing to communities across the North West.

Additionally, our range of services have supported the wider housing sector, enabling further reinvestment into affordable housing.

Our community initiatives have also continued to flourish, providing vital support, training, and opportunities that empower our customers and strengthen their neighbourhoods. Looking ahead, we are committed to building upon these strong foundations. We will leverage the strength of our unique model to embrace new technologies, create even stronger partnerships, and consistently place our customers, colleagues and clients at the heart of everything we do.

Dr Roy Williams Group Chief Executive Officer

4 | ANNUAL REPORT - GROUP OVERVIEW

02

Group Overview A Year of Purpose and Impact 2024/25 was a year defined by an unwavering commitment to our mission of creating opportunities and changing lives. From helping to shape the future of social housing to making a tangible difference in our communities, this year truly showcased the power of collaboration and purpose.

Who We Are At The Sovini Group, our unique distinction lies in our end-to-end social housing sector solution and innovative Group model. This enables us to adapt, innovate, and deliver exceptional value, across the diverse communities of the North West and beyond.

As a Group we accelerate the provision of much-needed, high-quality homes, expanding access to affordable and quality housing for individuals and families. We also deliver a wide range of pioneering services that directly benefit our customers.

Our core mission is to create opportunities and change lives. We achieve this by reinvesting profits, a commitment that empowers us to make a profound impact on the customers and communities we serve.

Furthermore, we actively support the broader housing sector through a range of award-winning services, generating further reinvestment, whilst delivering a robust supply chain solution that mitigates risk and delivers social purpose.

We own, manage, and maintain more than 14,500 homes, with this number continually rising through our ambitious development and regeneration programme.

Collaboratively as a Group, we strive to build a better future for our colleagues, customers and the communities we serve.

What We Do All Roads Lead to Home At the core of our operations lies a simple purpose – to provide affordable, safe and high-quality homes to those who need them most. It’s the guiding principle that unites every individual and function within our Group. We truly believe that all roads lead to home, and that every decision, every role, no matter how distinct, ultimately contributes to this.

From our dedicated operatives who are the direct link to our customers and homes, to our back-office colleagues who provide the infrastructure and support our frontline teams need to operate effectively. Every contribution counts.

Everything we do, from the smallest daily task to the development of our strategies is undertaken with the goal of creating opportunities and change lives.

6 | ANNUAL REPORT - GROUP OVERVIEW

Shaping the Future of Social Housing We joined key stakeholders, politicians, and sector professionals at The Housing Community Summit 2024 in Liverpool, where our debut exhibition proudly showcased our innovative supply chain.

Committed to Customers This provided the opportunity to highlight the seamless collaboration of our Group partners, demonstrating our sector solution which provides a compelling alternative to the private sector and guarantees community reinvestment.

We pride ourselves on providing quality and safe homes in communities that we invest in for our customers.

As a leading organisation in the sector, we actively monitor customer satisfaction using Tenant Satisfaction Measures and perception surveys.

• Over 95% of One Vision Housing customers said they are treated fairly and with respect

Empowering our Communities In 2024/25, Sovini Charities contributed over £66K to a range of charities, organisations and initiatives. These donations were instrumental in driving positive, lasting change within the communities we serve.

A highlight of our efforts was raising over £44,000 for Zoe’s Place Liverpool. This vital funding played a key role in helping

the baby hospice not only meet but exceed its urgent £5m fundraising goal. This achievement was critical in securing the hospice’s future and guaranteeing the ongoing provision of essential care for babies and infants with life-limiting conditions.

Our People Our Investors in People Platinum status reflects our people-centric culture. In 2024/25, we launched a new Code of Behaviour, which sits alongside our values of success, passion, authenticity, courage and enterprise to enhance customer service, strengthen culture and guide employees.

Due to a positive approach to employee experience and a robust people-focused strategy, engagement rates stand at 86.6%.

• Over 90% of Pine Court Housing Association customers are satisfied with the service they received

Every interaction we have with customers is important to us. Our Customer Voice groups and empowerment panels, provide an opportunity for customers to make a real difference, influencing decision-making and service delivery. By offering opportunities for different levels of involvement we ensure that a diverse range of voices are heard and that our services truly reflect the needs and aspirations of all our customers.

As we look ahead to 2025/26, we are committed to building upon these strong foundations, leveraging the lessons learned and successes achieved to support our vision of creating a better future.

Social Housing The Group’s Registered Providers of Social Housing, One Vision Housing and Pine Court Housing Association, manage more than 14,500 high-quality homes across the North West.

One Vision Housing and Pine Court Housing Associations provide a range of tenures, including:

• Social and Affordable Rent

• Shared Ownership

• Independent Living

• Market Rent

• Rent to Buy

• Leasehold

Sovini Commercial In 2024/25 we continued to provide quality construction, property and facilities services to the public, notfor-profit and private sectors.

The activities of our commercial Group partners continue to complement and support our not-for-profit businesses, providing investment to build new

Sovini Charities One Vision Housing Pine Court Housing Association

Sovini Charities

Sovini Property Services

IT

Sovini Trade Supplies

Governance

Sovini Construction

Policy

Sovini Waste

Procurement

Teal Scaffold

Finance

Amianto Services

Marketing & Communications

Sovini Land Acquisition

People & Learning Performance Health & Safety Quality & Environmental

Sovini Charities supports organisations by fostering meaningful partnerships to create lasting change.

From local grassroot organisations to national initiatives, we support a wide range of charities and projects that make a difference. By providing funding, resources or guidance, we transform communities.

In 2024/25, Sovini Charities contributed £66.1k to a range of charities, organisations and initiatives across the Liverpool City Region, including Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice and Brunswick Youth and Community Centre.

homes, improve service delivery and support the communities who remain central to our business.

Sovini Commercial is home to Sovini Construction, Sovini Property Services, Sovini Trade Supplies, Sovini Waste Solutions, Amianto Services, Teal Scaffold and Sovini Land Acquisition.

8 | ANNUAL REPORT - GROUP OVERVIEW

Our Vision, Mission and Values

Our Vision:

The Group has a clear vision, mission and set of values that are share by all of its companies and colleagues.

Our Mission:

Our Values:

Success We Will Be The Best

Authenticity We Do What We Say We Will Do

Passion

We Love What We Do

Courage We Dare To Be Different

Enterprise We Never Stand Still

03

Our Contribution Counted Our Group

Our Commitment

Over 790 talented colleagues 83 new meaningful employment

recycled/diverted 100% of waste from landfill two-thirds

Almost of our external spend was within the North West, minimising our carbon footprint and supporting the local economy

opportunities created

62 internal promotions secured 94 colleagues

Sovini Property Services’ and Sovini Construction

890 One Vision Housing customers received Financial Inclusion Support

Our Partnerships

Raised £44.6K for Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice

undertaking traditional and non-traditional apprenticeships

-2.75% mean gender pay gap in favour of women Welcomed two neurodiverse students onto our Supported Internship programme Retained Investors in People Platinum status, achieved by only 7% of companies nationally

Retained Investors in People Gold Status for ‘We Invest in Wellbeing’

Supported 8,000 people through Sovini’s Big Community Christmas

Sponsored

Brunswick Youth and Community Centre’s sports hall and eco-friendly community bus

Proudly supported

two Veterans HQ D-Day events honouring the armed forces community

10 | ANNUAL REPORT - OUR CONTRIBUTION COUNTED

Our Homes

Invested £34.5M into building 269 new homes Invested £39M in maintaining and improving our exisiting homes

130 homes reported improvements in

their energy performance, following implementation of Net-Zero Carbon solutions

85.5% of One Vision Housing customers satisfied with our services

90.1% of Pine Court Housing Association customers satisfied with our services

82.12% of One Vision Housing customers were satisfied with our repairs service

89.9% of Pine Court Housing Association

customers were satisfied with our repairs service

Our Registered Providers created over

£26M in social value

Our Commercial Companies

An environmental impact practices shaped by our of £35.2K with Net Zero Carbon commitment A social impact of local employment, training and educational commitments £17.7M including An economic impact of over £38M established through our local supply chain and workforce to provide goods and services

A charitable impact including volunteering, of over £31.1K achieved

community events and the donation of labour and services

This collaborative impact has created

£55.8M in social value overall, supporting our vision of a better future

04

Our People We believe that every single colleague plays a vital part in delivering our overall mission of creating opportunities and changing lives.

Developing our People The Group is dedicated to supporting professional growth and development.

We offer a wide range of resources, from crucial role-specific training to pathways for professional qualifications that support employees to reach their career aspirations. Our bespoke online learning platform allows individuals to

tailor their development journey, offering courses from core communication skills to advanced professional competencies.

We’ve solidified our commitment to facilitating career growth and enabling colleagues to discover their purpose within the Group, with 62 internal promotions secured throughout 2024/25.

Employee Health and Wellbeing As an organisation that never stands still, we recognise that investing in our employees’ wellbeing is crucial. Our comprehensive health and wellbeing programme provides colleagues with a wealth of initiatives to support their physical, mental, financial and emotional wellbeing, with 75 events hosted throughout the year, in addition to several fully funded family events.

Our Health and Wellbeing Ambassador programme, led by colleagues across the Group, is key to strengthening our employee offer and experience. This forum is central to our Health and Wellbeing Strategy, outlining our commitment to continuously improving our workplace culture to ensure a better future for our colleagues.

12 | ANNUAL REPORT - OUR PEOPLE

Leading the Way on Gender Pay While the UK’s mean gender pay gap was reported at 7% in favour of men in April 2024, highlighting the ongoing national challenge, our analysis for 2024/25 reveals a mean gender pay gap of -2.75% in favour of women.

it reflects our dedication to creating a positive workplace culture where everyone can thrive, regardless of gender or background.

We remain committed to championing change and furthering gender equality.

For us, this figure is more than just numbers;

Best Purpose-Driven Organisation in 2024 We were proudly awarded the Best PurposeDriven People Community Award at the Investors in People Awards 2024. This event brings together like-minded organisations from across the UK to recognise excellence in HR and People practices.

The award itself reflected the impact of our Discover Your Purpose campaign, which aimed to highlight the contributions of our talented colleagues as they continue to improve the lives of our customers and communities in pursuit of a better future.

Our Code of Behaviour During 2024, we announced the launch of our Code of Behaviour. This code outlines five core principles designed to guide our colleagues in delivering exceptional service and upholding the highest standards of professionalism.

Developed in close collaboration with our customers, we wanted to understand the

behaviours they felt were most important to them and the service they receive.

This code represents our commitment to both our customers and colleagues.

By embracing behaviours inspired by principles that our customers value most, we aim to create a positive and productive workplace environment where colleagues feel valued and respected.

Investing in the Workforce of Tomorrow We’re passionate about providing meaningful employment opportunities and proudly supported 39 traditional apprentices across the Group in a diverse range of roles.

From housing management and business administration to trade apprenticeships, our apprentices demonstrated passion and

dedication throughout 2024/25, with some even scooping prestigious sector awards.

Our quality programme is delivered through a mix of on-the-job training and classroom learning and is designed to support ambitious and forward-thinking individuals into lasting careers.

An Inclusive, Equal and Diverse Workplace Our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion is paramount. Through embedding inclusive practices into the fabric of our organisation, promoting a positive culture that values and celebrates diversity and accepting people regardless of characteristics or circumstances, we strive towards a better future.

Our inclusive culture is maintained through:

• Policies and practices that promote fairness and equal opportunities

• Established equality, diversity and inclusion forums

• Commitment to the Navajo

LGBTQI+ Charter Mark and LGBTQ+ Housing Promise

• Forming a team of trained Mental Health Champions and Mental Health First Aiders, known as our ‘Mental Health Mates’

Hearing our Colleagues’ Voice approach to race equality and create a more inclusive workplace

We believe that our colleagues’ voices are instrumental in shaping our workplace culture, services, and employee offering. To ensure they are heard, we have established a wide range of internal colleague forums, including:

• Good Vibe Tribe: Employee ambassadors

• Diversity Leaders: A dedicated team

• Neurodiversity Network: A safe and

championing diversity and inclusion

• Race Equality Project: Inviting those

with lived experiences to improve our

from across the Group that shape our health and wellbeing offer

inclusive space for neurodivergent colleagues, those on the pathway to diagnosis, or those supporting someone who is impacted.

Investors in People Platinum For the sixth consecutive year, we are incredibly proud to have retained Investors in People Platinum status for ‘We Invest in People.’ This accolade highlights our commitment to continuous improvement in employee engagement, communication, work practices, and organisational culture.

The Investors in People judges noted: “The Sovini Group are continuing to demonstrate a leading-edge approach by proving exemplar practices in areas such as talent development, recognition & reward, evaluation, and social responsibility.”

Investors in People also recognised our commitment to employee wellbeing, awarding us Gold for ‘We Invest in Wellbeing.’

• Being an accredited Mindful

Employer and a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer

• Backing national campaigns, including Women in Construction Week, Black History Month, and Pride Month

• Delivering bespoke diversity

training courses to colleagues

• Encouraging colleagues to

display their chosen pronouns on emails and our employee app

An Award-Winning Supported Internship Programme In collaboration with Liverpool City Council, our Supported Internship Programme, aims to provide young people with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) the opportunity to gain experience in the workplace, whilst improving their confidence and developing essential skills.

We were delighted to be presented with the Best Partnership Working Award 2024 by Liverpool City Council for the programme.

“I never thought I would enjoy work. I’m looking forward to my future in the workplace. I am a lot happier with my life and feel more confident and independent.”

- Ryan, Supported Intern

14 | ANNUAL REPORT - OUR COMMUNITIES

05

Our Communities As a key contributor to the social and economic development of the North West, we create vibrant communities.

Through our end-to-end integrated supply chain, we build affordable, highquality and sustainable homes and invest in our communities through a variety of initiatives and programmes that support our customers to thrive.

Celebrating the Year of the Snake To celebrate Chinese New Year, Group partner Pine Court Housing Association hosted an event at at Liverpool’s renowned Pagoda Arts Centre for customers and strategic partners to enjoy.

With traditional Chinese cuisine and entertainment provided by The Hung Gar Kung Fu School, who treated attendees

to a traditional lion dance, along with Chinese dances and songs the event celebrated our diverse communities.

The event was proudly made possible

by Pine Court Housing Association’s Community Development Fund, which helps to combat social isolation, celebrate cultures and unite communities.

Honouring the Legacy of Mill Spring Court Pedalling towards A Better Future In support of the Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice fundraising mission, the Group established a partnership with the life-changing charity, committing to raising £38.5K through the Cycle India Challenge. The gruelling challenge would see a team of Sovini cyclists spend ten days tackling a 450km cycle through the landscapes of India.

Hosting a variety of events, from The Sovini Group Charity Golf Day to ‘An Evening in India,’ an event that combined the best of employee engagement with social value, the Group exceeded their original target, raising an incredible £44.6K for Zoe’s Place, supporting them to continue delivering their life-saving work.

Mayor of Sefton, June Burns, and local veterans joined Group partner One Vision Housing for a plaque unveiling honouring Mill Spring Court’s rich history.

The now retirement housing scheme was once Park Street Barracks, home to The Kings Regiment, The Royal Tank Regiment and The Royal Corps of Transport between 1913 and 1982.

At the outbreak of World War I, the Royal Corps of Transport (RCT) were responsible for transport whilst the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) managed military supplies.

The RASC & RCT Association remain active with more than 50 branches across the UK.

Creating Dream Bedrooms for Children

A Swing for Social Value The Sovini Group Golf Day brought colleagues, customers and suppliers together at Childwall Golf Club to compete in the sold-out charity event.

Collectively raising £19k for Zoe’s Place.

“We are so grateful for the generous donations and we look forward to more partnership opportunities with The Sovini Group in future.”

– Gina Earnshaw, Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice

Developing our Communities Our Community Development Fund supports voluntary and community groups to deliver projects or services that benefit our customers and the communities we serve.

In a heartwarming display of community spirit, we partnered with local charity An Hour for Others to provide local children with a safe space to call their own.

Conceillia’s dream a reality. Removing all previous furnishings, painting the rooms and providing new furniture, including beds, wardrobes and soft furnishings.

The single mother of three, always dreamed of creating the perfect home for her children. The family, who have been challenged by social and financial barriers, received the welcomed news that her home would be transformed.

Over the course of three days, a collaborative effort between Group partners Sovini Construction, Sovini Property Services and Sovini Waste Solutions made

The fund supports projects that fit the below criteria:

“I remember years ago when I used to watch house makeover programmes, I would always wish I could get my kids bedrooms done but I knew it was something I couldn’t afford.

When I found out we would get help, I cried from joy – it’s truly like a dream come true.”

– Conceillia

• Vulnerable persons • Health and wellbeing • Support for local veterans • Improved community safety • Community environmental initiatives In 2024/25 The Sovini Group generated over £81.8m* in social value, directly contributing to our vision of a better future.

*We use the Housing Association Charitable Trust (HACT) social value toolkit to measure as well as independently verifying and certifying the social value impacts for our Registered Providers. We also use an alternative methodology to measure the social value impacts for our commercial companies.

Offering a Pathway into Construction Our annual ‘Pathway into Construction’ initiative made its return, aiming to encourage young women to explore a career in construction, a traditionally male-dominated industry.

This innovative programme saw us welcome our 35th student, offering female higher education students meaningful work placements and providing them with the opportunity to learn more about the careers available in the construction industry.

With support from Group partners Sovini Trade Supplies, Sovini Property Services, Sovini Construction and Teal Scaffold, the week-long work experience programme culminated in an interview skills and CV writing workshop, supporting the participants to secure future employment.

16 | ANNUAL REPORT - OUR COMMUNITIES

Delivering Community Cheer Sovini’s Big Community Christmas saw over 8,000 people receive crucial support throughout the festive season, with community partners collaborating to deliver a range of community-focused initiatives.

From the delivery of Christmas support packages, each containing a mixture of food, care and household items, to community events that supported

those who need it most, we ensured everyone felt the spirit of Christmas.

In addition, the Group supported Cash for Kid’s Mission Christmas thanks to its colleague fundraiser, raising £1.7k with all proceeds supporting the charities mission of ensuring each child wakes up to a present under their tree at Christmas.

From Care to Careers An estimated 106 children enter the care system in the UK every day, with only 14% of care leavers under 19 progressing to higher education.

These stark figures highlight the urgent need to support care experienced young people in preparing for their future and offering them the opportunities they deserve.

The Care Leavers into Careers (CLIC) initiative supports young people between the ages of 18 and 30 across the Liverpool City Region to become ready for work.

Through comprehensive employability support, this initiative has positively impacted the lives of more than 160,000 people.

Through our partnership with CLIC, we received vital training and advice on how to adapt our recruitment processes to prioritise individuals that face barriers to work and how to support them in their roles, as well as optional trauma training to understand what participants have been through.

Initiatives like these are vital in bridging the gap and we look forward to supporting more care leavers into meaningful careers.

Sponsoring Brunswick Youth and Community Centre August 2024 marked the sponsorship launch of the Brunswick Youth and Community Centre’s sports hall, of which we were proud sponsors.

The sponsorship marked a significant investment in our communities, providing a hub for young people to take part in sporting activities, youth programmes and community events. This supports their personal growth and development, whilst fostering a sense of belonging and community spirit.

Furthermore, our sponsorship extended to the community centre’s new eco-friendly community vehicle. This will be used to transport individuals to community events, including under-privileged children, ensuring ‘the Brunny’ is accessible to all.

Shaping the Future of Social Housing As a key contributor to the social and economic development of the North West, the Group joined the housing sector’s biggest stakeholders, politicians and housing professionals at The Housing Community Summit to shape the future of social housing.

The collaboration between the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and the National Housing Federation (NHF) provided

an opportunity to amplify the voices of our customers and advocate for the changes they seek in the sector.

Our exhibition stand showcased our innovative end-to-end supply chain, offering a comprehensive sector solution to deliver high-quality, affordable homes across the region.

Amplifying our Customers Voice Our Registered Providers of Social Housing actively engage with dedicated customer groups, empowering residents to shape, influence, and improve the services they receive.

Their feedback is vital in informing our operational and service decisions, ensuring our services are tailored to meet our customers needs.

In 2024/25, our customers made an impact by:

• Providing lived-experience feedback to improve services through the Service Review Group

• Actioned improvements following

feedback from the High-Rise Living and Building Safety Group

• Examined complaints, void (empty)

property processes and our new customer sign-up scheme through the Tenant Scrutiny Team

• Visited void properties and investment

work projects to gain valuable insights through the Tenant Inspectors Group

• Reviewed communications and strategies to help shape the way we inform customers on matters important to them

18 | ANNUAL REPORT - OUR PARTNERSHIPS

06

Our Partnerships We’re on a mission to create opportunities and change lives, but we can’t do it alone. Through a dynamic range of partnerships with like-minded organisations, we deliver exceptional services to the people who need it most.

From working with authorities and agencies addressing pressing community needs to our unique integrated supply chain that supports us to deliver high-quality, affordable homes across the region, a collaborative approach is vital in achieving our ambitions.

Local Collaboration We want our vibrant communities to be a safe, clean space where our customers can thrive. Over the last year, we have continued to develop our partnerships with local authorities across the region, and, crucially, with Merseyside Police. By adopting a multi-agency approach, we can tackle pressing community issues with efficiency, leveraging shared resources and expertise to achieve positive outcomes.

Our partnerships are built on a foundation of mutual respect and a shared vision for community wellbeing.

A key example of this is our partnership with Sefton Council, which enables us to build more homes, improve children services and address key issues in our communities.

From our regularly distributed Councillor newsletter, tailored to councillors across Sefton, to the wide range of initiatives we have developed to ensure our communities

remain safe, clean and sustainable, our work with the council is instrumental in driving the development of Sefton.

A cornerstone of this strategy has been the successful execution of numerous ‘Days of Action.’ These bring together volunteers, community members, local authorities and police officers to support our communities. Activities include community clean-ups and resident engagement, educating and supporting our customers with issues, including AntiSocial Behaviour (ASB) awareness.

Additionally, the Group works with a range of housing providers to deliver services to support their customers and communities, including; trade supplies, waste management, and repairs and maintenance.

Our Supply Chain Our commercial companies exist to deliver a social solution to building and maintaining affordable homes, spanning every aspect of the housing process. Our compelling alternative to the private sector, benefits clients in mitigating risk, avoiding construction and material delays and providing reinvestment into communities.

Our supply chain allows profits to be reinvested directly into communities.

This empowers us to support local initiatives, expand our housing provision and deliver first-class services.

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Our partnership with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is fundamental to our shared goal of creating a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable future for the City Region.

We engage with the Combined Authority on critical areas, including economic growth, housing provision, skills development and environmental sustainability.

Furthermore, we play an active role in

supporting the delivery of the Liverpool City Region’s strategic targets.

Whether through the development of new affordable homes, the provision of employment and training opportunities for local residents, or our contributions to community regeneration initiatives, our activities are designed to complement and accelerate the Combined Authority’s ambitious agenda.

Educating and Empowering In line with our commitment to creating a better future for the communities we proudly serve, we partner with a variety of education providers across the region.

From the Learning Foundry, who support us with upskilling and apprenticeships, to Elevate Education Business Partnership, who we work closely with to provide opportunities to the next generation.

We were delighted to once again be awarded Patron Status by Elevate Education Business Partnership (EBP) for our work in delivering quality careers support to young people across the Liverpool City Region in 2024.

Patron Status is awarded to organisations that play a valuable role in raising aspirations, providing career guidance and preparing the workforce of the future.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have The Sovini Group as a dedicated corporate partner, committed to making a positive impact in our local community.

Their unwavering support throughout the year demonstrates their commitment to transforming lives and creating growth across the Liverpool City Region.”

— Gill Ditchburn, CEO, Elevate EBP

20 | ANNUAL REPORT - OUR IMPACT

05

Our Impact

Tenant Satisfaction Measures

Sustainable housing and the wellbeing of our customers and the communities we serve are directly linked.

From building and maintaining our homes, to supporting customers and colleagues with their physical, mental, financial and social wellbeing, our commitment to creating a better future remains unwavering.

The Local Economy Our commitment to nurturing local talent is evident through our wide range of employment programmes, from apprenticeships that provide on-the-job training to supported internships.

Additionally, our robust procurement strategy maximises local economic growth. We source local products and services where possible, partnering with like-minded businesses who share our approach to sustainability and innovation.

By prioritising local businesses, we actively support their growth, helping them to sustain and create jobs and contribute to a resilient local economy.

In line with requirements from the Regulator of Social Housing, we report on Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM’s) to accurately assess how well we’re doing at providing good quality homes and services.

The measures aim to improve the standards of customers living in social housing by enhancing transparency.

There are five key themes:

• Keeping properties in a good state of repair

The substantial economic impact generated by our commercial companies further underscores our contribution, with over £38M generated in 2024/25.

This is a direct result of our focused investment in the local supply chain and employment of a regional workforce.

• Maintaining building safety • Respectful and helpful engagement • Effective complaint handling • Responsible neighbourhood management Pine Court Housing Association’s customers reported a 90.1% satisfaction with their overall services, and One Vision Housing’s customers 85.5% satisfaction.

08

Governance Governance encompasses the internal system of practices, controls and procedures we adopt to measure our impact.

It facilitates strategic decision-making, legal compliance and meeting external stakeholder expectations.

Efficient governance is vital in underpinning the work we do. It empowers us to effectively manage risks and make evidence-based decisions. We are dedicated to fostering a culture of good governance by promoting environmental and social accountability and transparency across all levels of the organisation.

Our organisational structure enables leadership to instil a culture of transparency

and accountability, leveraging the core values of social responsibility when making business decisions. This enables us to grow and develop responsibly and sustainably.

Our Registered Providers of Social Housing are governed by the National Housing Federation’s 2020 Code of Governance and the Board has certified compliance for 2024/25.

The Board: The Sovini Limited Board is composed of Group partners and independent board members. This collective effort helps to secure the Group’s long-term viability and success.

Guided by an independent Chair, the Board ensures that the Group adheres to the highest standards of governance, accountability and risk management. This enhances stakeholder confidence and secures the Group’s long-term sustainability.

Board member

Category

Colin Marshall

Non-Executive Director (Chair)

Mike Ponting

Non-Executive Director

Andy Armstrong

Non-Executive Director

Jim Currie

Non-Executive Director

Roy Williams

Executive Director (Group Chief Executive Officer)

Tracey Liggett

Executive Director (Chief Finance Officer)

22 | ANNUAL REPORT - GOVERNANCE

Our Approach to Risk Management As a responsible business, we assess and monitor threats (risks). If threats are not managed effectively, this could have a negative impact on the services that we provide including; changes in government policy and legislation, in addition to economical challenges which all businesses face.

Also, changes in the economy and / or threats that are faced by all businesses e.g. higher interest costs and inflation etc and the potential of a cyber-attack.

This requires us to make choices in the short to medium term, whilst planning for the future. These choices could include deciding how much we should spend investing in new homes, whilst ensuring that we continue to repair, improve and increase the energy efficiency of our existing homes.

The Regulator of Social Housing In December 2024, One Vision Housing secured Viability 1 (V1) and Governance (G1) regulatory gradings, following an annual assessment by the Regulator of Social Housing.

G1 signifies a top rating for governance, affirming our adherence to the Regulator’s standards. Meanwhile, V1 is the highest rating for financial viability, highlighting our ability to navigate through a variety of challenging financial scenarios.

“Our Group model significantly enhances our financial capacity, enabling us to effectively navigate a wide range of adverse scenarios. Ultimately, this means we can continue our vital work of providing quality affordable homes and improved services for our customers and communities.”

- Ian Mitchell, Managing Director (Housing)

Driving Change for the Social Housing Sector We’re dedicated to elevating the social housing sector, driving impactful changes to ensure a better future for everyone.

That’s why we lead regular forums with other Registered Providers of Social Housing, focusing on vital topics including

Equality, Diversity, & Inclusion, Health & Wellbeing, and Employee Engagement.

We exchange best practices, engage in crucial discussions, and collectively explore the most beneficial way to progress as a united sector.

Get in Touch sovini.co.uk

The Sovini Group

info@sovini.co.uk

Sovini Group

The information inside this report was correct at time of publication.

For the most up-to-date information, please visit sovini.co.uk.

09.25

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sovini.co.uk info@sovini.co.uk 03337 331 200