A new national partnership has launched today to help the UK meet its net zero goals while unlocking skills, employment and economic growth opportunities for social housing communities.
The Housing, Growth and Green Jobs Alliance brings together leaders from the social housing, net zero homes and employment sectors to ensure that the UK is fully equipped to support the transition to sustainable, low-carbon homes.
Spearheaded by Communities that Work and supported by founding funders, including Fusion 21, Clarion, SNG, Torus and Newground Together, the Alliance’s mission is clear: to connect the delivery of net zero housing with the creation of meaningful green jobs and careers pathways, ensuring that social housing tenants are not left behind in the green transition. By fostering collaboration between housing providers, skills agencies and employers, the Alliance aims to generate more opportunities for people across communities to thrive in the growing green economy.
The UK faces a pressing challenge to retrofit millions of existing housing stock and deliver a host of decarbonisation measures to meet net zero commitments. This demand is driving an urgent need for skills in areas such energy efficiency, renewable energy installation, sustainable construction and waste reduction.
To address these challenges, the Alliance is commissioning new research to map the relationship between social housing communities and the green jobs market. This research will examine the barriers to building a skilled green workforce, explore successful regional initiatives, and make policy recommendations to Government and industry. Organisations operating across the social housing sector are being encouraged to take part in a short survey, which launched on 1 September, to share delivery plans, their unique perspective on employment and skills opportunities, and the challenges that may be holding back progress towards net zero goals.
Lynsey Sweeney, Managing Director of Communities that Work, said: "The drive to decarbonise our homes is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Social housing communities are at the heart of this mission. By bringing together expertise from housing, employment and sustainability, we can ensure that the green transition delivers both environmental benefits and economic opportunity for those who need it most".
Jo Hannan, Head of Foundation at Fusion 21 said: “As a founding funder, we’re proud to support the Housing, Growth and Green Jobs Alliance. This partnership unites the housing, skills, and employment sectors to tackle the green skills gap head-on - by shaping the conversation and opening doors for greater opportunities in social housing communities as the UK moves towards net zero.”
