Our purpose is to work with a co-operative ethos to help people & their communities to flourish
Co-op Homes – Anti-racism Statement
Co-op Homes’ believes that society is ready for a change and that the housing sector and Co-op Homes have important roles to play in tackling major racial injustices in society.
The tragic deaths of George Floyd at the hands of the police in the US and the Awaab Ishak in the social housing sector in the UK both emphasised the systemic racism in society.
In September 2022 the Better Social Housing Review (BSHR) was published, commissioned by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and the National Housing Federation (NHF). In the review an independent panel made recommendations to housing associations to drive improvements in the quality of social housing and residents’ experience. The document talked directly about structural inequalities in society and supporting housing organisations to become anti-racist and actively promote race equality.
The panel said that while there are nine protected characteristics, its focus was on race and ethnicity because the housing sector needs to tackle racial inequality in both the quality of homes and service provision. This is evidenced by the major inequalities in society brought the fore by the coronavirus pandemic. Good housing is a determinant of health, so inequalities in housing contribute to societal inequalities suffered by minority communities.
This leads us at Co-op Homes to challenge ourselves to think about how we tackle systemic and institutional practices and policies in the housing system that perpetuate racial disparities. This informs the action points to deliver our part in RHP’s inclusion, diversity and equality strategy.
This anti-racism statement informs our action planning to help build a housing system that is fair to everyone; addresses the needs and aspirations of minority communities; and improves housing and service provision that impacts disproportionately on those from a minority background.
Our actions are informed by the urgency to address:
