Pages 10/11
My BenefitsBarratt
Promoting diversity and inclusion
Page 26Page 25Page 6 Issue 31 Summer 2022
After they joined the business in January, we find out more about Gladman and speak to their CEO and Group Strategic Land Director, Victoria Hesson
An update from the City
Hear from Group Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Gemma Webb, about our new strategy and how you can get involved
We hear about the challenges within the market in the past 12 months and how this is affecting the business
Meeting the team at Gladman
A reminder about your platformbenefitsand the offers available to employees
4/5
3 Zoe
FOUNDATIONS
Senior Communications Executive, GSC Hamid
25 An update from the City
Caption competition, prize crossword plus share your views
8
7
I want to thank you all for your hard work and dedication over the past twelve months. I am proud of how our colleagues have continued to deliver day in and day out, especially following the easing of COVID measures across the UK.
Head of Employee Communications, GSC Kenogbon graduate, Bristol Kinsey Buyer, South Wales Manager, Southampton Welcome
A focus on our people development programmes and we hear from a couple of colleagues about its importance
Urban Designer, GSC Evans Land Buyer, West Midlands Griffin
6 Abigail
12
21 Delighting our customers
13
16
Hear from some of our colleagues and see who has celebrated in the past six months
17 Meet the team
5 Tosin
7 Anna Nichols Finance
14/15
An update from the Barratt Foundation and reminders about our Group-wide charity initiatives
A look at our 5 Steps to Safety initiative and the new ways you can report incidents
An update from the Workforce Forum
We speak to members from the Building Safety Unit about the role they play in the business
Hear from Group Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Gemma Webb, about our new strategy and how you can get involved Keeping people safe
23
Investing in our people
David Thomas Chief Executive
Meeting the team at Gladman
Details of the range of support available for colleagues and how we can all improve our overall health and wellbeing
We have strong foundations for FY23 with total forward sales including JVs at £3.6bn. This positions us well for this year and will allow us to focus on our medium term targets, including delivering 20,000 homes a year. With the opening of our new Sheffield and Anglia divisions, alongside Gladman, the UK's leading land promoter joining the business, this will all play an important role in supporting our growth aspirations. In this issue, you’ll be able to find out more about Gladman and their expertise, as well as hear from their CEO and Group Strategic Land Director, Victoria Hesson.
2 Emma
What’s new?
Rob Chilton
We hear from a couple of our customers and find out how they’ve found their dream homes on our developments
Assistant
Find out more about enhancing the biodiversity of our sites and how you can make your own space a haven for wildlife
With resilience and flexibility, we’ve delivered some excellent operational and financial results. We have made brilliant progress this year on reaching prepandemic completion volumes, with 17,908 home completions delivered this year (including JVs).
26 My Barratt Benefits
Celebrating long service
News from around the business
4 Katy
Our people are our greatest asset, and key to our success, which is why we’re continually looking at ways we can better support our colleagues. You’ll be able to find out more about how we’re investing in our people with our development programmes, alongside details of our health and wellbeing commitment and the information and guidance that’s available plus the range of benefits for colleagues in My Barratt Benefits including the new My Green Car scheme. There is also information about our new menopause policy with details of the support available for our people.
As part of our commitment to being the leading national sustainable housebuilder, we find out about the steps our teams across the business are taking to ensure we achieve this in the Building Sustainably update. You can also find out more about how we’re delivering biodiversity net gain across our developments and creating habitats for nature.
Land
2
Editorial Contentsteam
After they joined the business in January, we find out more about Gladman and speak to their CEO and Group Strategic Land Director, Victoria Hesson Team Golden Bricks
You can hear from a number of colleagues in this issue of Foundations, including the Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Gemma Webb, about our new Diversity and Inclusion strategy and how you can get involved plus some of the team from the Building Safety Unit in Meet the team, as well as those who have recently celebrated long service milestones. There’s also an update of the Workforce Forum with details from their latest meeting and a reminder of how you can get in touch with members.
10/11
Technical
We hear about the challenges within the market in the past 12 months and how this is affecting the business
We find out about their latest meeting and include details of how you can get in touch with them
A reminder about your benefits platform and the offers available to employees
28 And finally
We share details of the business change projects taking place throughout Barratt
As we transition to the New Homes Quality Code, we look at some of the measures we’re introducing
Finally, I want to thank each and every one of you again for your continued support, dedication and commitment. We should all be very proud of our performance this year and I know this can continue during FY23.
24
We remain committed to leading the future of housebuilding by putting our customers at the heart of everything we do, and this was demonstrated once again as we became the only major housebuilder to be awarded the HBF’s maximum 5 Star rating for customer satisfaction for the 13th year in a row. We are also incredibly proud of our site managers, who excelled again this year with 98 NHBC Pride in the Job Awards, more than any other housebuilder for the 18th consecutive year, and we celebrate our winners in this issue. You’ll be able to find out more about some of the measures we’re introducing to improve consumer rights as well as hearing from some happy customers.
Supporting our colleagues
3 6 75 421
An update from our 2021 graduates and their fundraising initiatives
31 FOUNDATIONS / 32 / CONTENTSWELCOME TO ISSUE 31 1
18/19 Projects roundup
20
Building Sustainably
Welcome to issue
How we’re trying to become the leading national sustainable housebuilder and the role you play
27 Health and Wellbeing
A tour of our latest developments and the new communities we’re creating
To Foundations issue 31
We share details of our new menopause policy and what this means for colleagues
Improving our ways of working
Promoting diversity and inclusion
9
6
Supporting communities and charities
22 Understanding biodiversity
In the past few months, we’ve seen some challenges within the market and you’ll be able to read about how some of these have impacted our share price in the update from the City. And while there are possible challenges ahead due to economic uncertainty, I want to reassure colleagues that we are in an excellent position, both operationally and financially and there is still a good level of underlying demand for sustainable, high-quality new housing.
Improving customers’ rights
This is why for the fifth year in a row we have granted employees below Managing Director level an award of shares worth £1,250, with part time employees receiving a pro-rata award.
5 Star HBF Status for the 13th year in a row
Eighteenth year of Pride in the Job success
It was a fantastic opportunity for colleagues to hear from our Chief Executive, David Thomas, and Chief Operating Officer, Steven Boyes, about our business and the operating environment, some of the challenges we're facing and our priorities going forward. We had nearly 1,000 colleagues register across the two events, and it was great to see so many questions submitted to David and Steven. If you weren't able to attend the meeting, we've recorded the sessions including the live Q&A so colleagues can now watch this back at a time that suits them. And as we had so many questions during the events, we've also created a full Q&A document, tackling colleagues questions. To view the recordings and access the Q&A document on the platform, register via the website using your email address
Town halls with David and Steven
Winning these awards underlines the high standard of work that our site managers and their teams deliver day in and day out, and it also helps highlight those high standards and quality to our customers. Congratulations to all of our site managers and their teams!
FOUNDATIONS WHAT'S NEW? / 54 / WHAT'S NEW?
We think Barratt is a great place to work – we have talented people, we put our customers at the heart of everything we do and we set ourselves high standards, every day, as we lead the industry forward.
Salary What’ssupplementnew?
Share award
We were excited to hold our first virtual town hall events at the end of May.
We were proud to announce that 98 of our site managers won 2022 Pride in the Job Quality Awards in June, picking up more awards than any other housebuilder for an incredible eighteen consecutive years.
The Pride in the Job Quality Awards recognises site managers who achieve the highest standards in housebuilding across the UK. This is a fantastic achievement, particularly considering that the winners are selected from more than 8,000 site managers working on sites registered with the NHBC, with just 443 individual winners recognised.
The two new divisions have opened in our Northern and East regions, with one in Sheffield and the Anglia division, based in Norwich. Our Sheffield division is led by Gary Chambers, who moved from his role as Regional Operations Director for Central, and Simon Wood, who moved from his role as Eastern Counties Managing Director to head up Anglia. Our new Sheffield and Anglia divisions are dual-branded, and are a fantastic opportunity for growth following strong land acquisition.
Growing the business with two new divisions
This follows the decision earlier this year, to bring forward our annual pay review from July to April 2022, with a 5% increase to all eligible employees. We are committed to supporting our teams who have worked hard to deliver industry-leading quality and service for our customers throughout the extraordinary challenges for the past few years.
The HBF Customer Satisfaction Survey was established in 2005 to encourage excellent levels of service and improve standards of housebuilding. The number of stars awarded is based on responses to the question "would you recommend your builder to a friend?" and to achieve the 5 Star rating, over 90% of our customers have answered 'yes' to this question. This high level of satisfaction comes from our focus on quality, design and customer service where we continue to be industry leading. Achieving this 5 Star rating is an incredible feat for the business, and is a testament to our colleagues’ dedication and hard work.
We were pleased to have been awarded the Home Builders Federation (HBF) 5 Star Home Builder status for the 13th year in a row in March, making us the only national housebuilder to have achieved this.
As we continue to look for ways of growing the business to 20,000 completions per year, we were pleased to announce the opening of two new divisions in July, increasing the number of divisions across the country to 29.
We understand the importance of recognising colleagues’ efforts and hard work, and we want to share the success of the business with the people who make it possible.
Colleagues who were employed by Barratt on 1 July 2022 will have received an email from barratt@howells-associates.com with instructions on how to accept the award. Further details about the share award can be found on the Barratt Share Portal, with the deadline to accept the award 30 September 2022. If you have any further questions please speak to your manager, or email carol.wardle@barrattplc.co.uk and lauren.harding@barrattplc.co.uk
We’re ranked on Glassdoor as one of the UK’s best places to work
With the rising cost of living impacting our colleagues across the business, in July we announced a salary supplement for all employees below senior management level, with £1,000 to be paid in equal amounts over six months from July to December 2022.
One of the ways that we showcase what we do and attract the very best talent is through Glassdoor, one of the world’s largest recruitment and employer brand websites. We were proud to be named as one of the very best places to work in the UK in Glassdoor’s annual Employee Choice Awards, and ranked 11th on Glassdoor’s Top UK companies for Senior Leadership in 2022 list. If you want to have your say, you can leave a new review each year quickly and anonymously via this Glassdoor survey
Our management systems are accredited to the highest international standards, and our comprehensive Health and Safety Management system is reviewed by the British Assessment Bureau each year. While we have these industry-leading accreditations, we always look for new ways to improve our systems and processes. This is why we reviewed the 5 Steps to Safety initiative and identified new opportunities when reporting observations and suggestions.
Equally, diverse businesses in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have higher financial returns than their respective national industry medians.
To help us do that, we’ve created a new D&I strategy, which focuses on three main areas:
At Barratt, we’re committed to creating a great place to work as well as providing value to our shareholders. Given the majority of our employees are also shareholders thanks to our share awards, ensuring we are diverse and inclusive will help achieve both of these goals. We also want to better reflect the communities we serve, understanding our customers' needs and requirements.
Keeping People SCANESSENTIALSafeVIEWINGIT•VIEWIT•DOIT!2345 Keep People Safe Plan the Task Evaluate the Risk BDE144_QRCode_5_Steps_Poster_MASTER.qxp_BDE144_QRCode_5_Steps_Posters 01/12/2021 14:23 Page 1
Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) is a term that we’ve all heard many times before, but what does it really mean and how can we ensure we are doing our part? We sat down with Gemma Webb, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, to get her insight and hear about our new strategy.
By using the 5 Steps to Safety every day, we can help improve on areas like slips and trips, which remain one of our biggest causes of reportable injuries. It’s everyone’s responsibility to ensure that conditions are appropriate and that good housekeeping is maintained. Our employees are key to delivering the overall management of our operations and ensuring the wellbeing of everyone affected by what we do.
Talent: Ensure our people are able to reach their full potential and we have a diverse mix of talent across the organisation, at all levels. This includes reviewing our resourcing approach, extending our supporting programmes for underrepresented groups, and from next year, putting in place targets to help us focus.
Finally, look out for our courses designed to support colleagues such as Catalyst and Rising Stars, with the application process for both of these self-nomination so anyone who wishes to get involved can apply. We’ve also recently launched the EMC support programme, with self-nominations closing on 9 September 2022. Further details can be found on Our Place here
The first thing to note is that diversity and inclusion are not the same thing. Diversity can be thought of as what makes us different, be it gender, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation or disability – having the right mix of representation gives us the best range of skills and experience.
5 Steps to Safety
/ FOUNDATIONS7KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE
Shift attitudes: Support everyone’s understanding, through education and upskilling, give all employees a voice via surveys and employee support networks to openly discuss what’s needed.
Encouraging diversity and inclusion is the right thing to do, but there is also overwhelming evidence of commercial benefits too. In fact, research shows that businesses with inclusive cultures are three times as likely to be high performing and eight times more likely to achieve better business outcomes.
It can be very hard when you are in the minority to speak up against discrimination, especially if it is dressed up as “banter”. You can play your part by calling out and reporting inappropriate language or behaviour.
Ways YOU can get involved
The business takes a zero tolerance approach to discriminatory behaviour and language. You can report it anonymously via Safecall (with more details on page 26) or speak to your line manager.
PROMOTING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Leadership: Ensure leaders up and down the business demonstrate inclusive behaviour and that differences are heard and valued. From workshops on leading inclusively to reverse mentoring and gaining insight from external organisations such as the 30% Club Race Equity programme – where we are part of the pilot cross-company development scheme.
You can also support colleagues by joining one of our networks, either as a member or an ally. You can join in discussions, widen your own knowledge and share with your peers. For example, all are welcome to join the Under One Roof Teams channel which discusses various gender issues, and anyone is welcome to raise a topic for discussion. We also have LGBT+, Ethnic Minority Community and disability groups to get involved with, you can find details of these on the dedicated D&I page on Our Place
Health and safety is our number one priority and we are committed to delivering the highest industry standards – there can be nothing more important. We all play a key role in ensuring the people working with us in our offices and on our sites go home safely each day.
6 /
One of the ways we can all play our part is by using the 5 Steps to Safety, which promotes the importance of a safe working environment. The programme, which has been commended by the NHBC as a leading health and safety initiative in the industry, encourages positive behaviours and a culture of assessing risks prior to undertaking work activities.
Encouraging diversity and inclusion is equally important. Inclusion is about building a culture which actively encourages colleagues to contribute and participate, bringing their full self to work.
Promoting diversity and inclusion
Keeping people safe
For example, we've introduced a new reporting process on site, ‘Scan It, View It, Do It!’. A survey is available via the QR code which is completed anonymously to provide feedback of individuals' experiences whilst working on site. Data collected from results of the survey will be reviewed by the SHE department to identify trends in our performance whilst considering future health and safety initiatives. Scan it, View it, Do it posters have been displayed across communal office areas and toilets. We are also introducing an app to support inductions for those working on site, making the process more efficient.
Remember, we always want to hear from you so if you have any ideas to help us further improve and enhance our performance, please send them onto: ideas@barrattplc.co.uk
We're currently in the process of becoming a Registered Developer with the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB), an independent, not-for-profit body established by Government to improve the build quality of new homes and the customer service provided by developers. It has an essential role to play at the centre of the new framework and will not only provide support to our customers, but to the wider industry by reporting details on developer performance. There is certainly a magnifying glass on housebuilding, but we have the processes in place, and the right people in our business to help maintain our position as the UK's most recommended housebuilder.
Achieving the HBF 5 Star Home Builder Status for the 13th year in a row means that over 90% of our customers would recommend us to a friend and are happy with our service. However, we're always striving to do more and lead the industry, so we must continue to do the right thing for our customers.
/ 9
The new arrangements are great for providing customers with more confidence in new build homes, but goes even further in addressing the housing shortage across the UK. With Government looking to further increase the number of homes being built each year, they need the assurance that the main priority of the industry is delivering to a high standard of build quality as well as customer satisfaction.
It is essential for Barratt to encourage open conversations with employees regarding the challenges faced during this transition and to help break the stigma, especially as 32% of our workforce are women.
At the end of 2021 we saw the launch of the New Homes Quality Code (NHQC). The launch of the new Code, along with the New Homes Ombudsman Service (NHOS), which is due to launch this autumn, aims to improve build standards across the whole sector and ensure that customers receive the best service and care for the biggest purchases of their lives. As industry leaders in quality and customer service, we embrace anything that promises to provide protection and greater confidence to our customers.
Additionally, programmes and resources to support and promote positive awareness of menopause include:
In March, we launched our new Menopause Policy as part of our ongoing commitment to supporting colleagues’ health and wellbeing. Menopause is a natural part of life, but there's often a lack of understanding and discomfort when it comes to conversations surrounding this topic, which often leads to frustration and those experiencing symptoms suffering in silence.
customers’Improving rights
Support through our Employee Assistance Programme providers, Unum Lifeworks, which can be found on our My Barratt Benefits platform
As we prepare to become a Registered Developer, this means that we agree to follow the mandatory requirements of the new Code. This includes introducing a Statement of Fundamental Principles, such as treating customers fairly, completing our homes to a consistently high standard, providing accurate information at the point of reservation and beyond, and giving our customers the best possible service we can, which includes being mindful of and inclusive to vulnerable customers.
Symptoms and experiences of the menopause can include hot flushes, aches and pains, sleep problems, anxiety and a lack of concentration and memory, which can negatively impact daily activities and introduce new challenges. Whilst these symptoms won’t affect everyone, it’s important to support and facilitate our colleagues as
We encourage colleagues to use these resources to understand the challenges of menopause and help to break the stigma around this topic.
MyLearning provides a selection of short eLearning modules for further information on the menopause.
Additional information aiding the understanding of the menopause, the symptoms plus support and guidance from the NHS, national bodies and charities can be found on Our Place
IMPROVING CUSTOMERS’ RIGHTS
While there are a lot of changes taking place across the business to our policies and procedures, this step will strengthen our position as industry leaders in quality and customer service. Our vision at Barratt is to put the customer at the heart of everything we do, and this activation period is key as we continue to lead the way.
Supporting our colleagues
Our private medical cover provider, Vitality, has partnered with Peppy to create Vitality Menopause Support, details of which can be found on Our Place and through the Vitality app.
FOUNDATIONS / 98 / SUPPORTING OUR COLLEAGUES
Training around the new Code is being rolled out in various formats to everyone in the business, and there is also a module available right now on MyLearning, where you can access more information about the Code and what it means for your individual role and the wider business.
We encourage those going through the menopause to talk to their line manager about the resources available to support them, as well as potential changes that may be needed for working arrangements to help manage their symptoms. Further information about the new policy can be found in the Menopause Policy which can be accessed via Docushare
We hope this new policy and guidance will better support everyone affected in our business, whilst also ensuring that Barratt strives to value everyone in our workforce.
this could have a positive impact in their lives, and raising awareness of the impact of menopause at work.
Our expert team is focused on optimising the value of land by obtaining the best possible planning permission. The team is comprised of land buyers, planners, project managers, surveyors, engineers, and solicitors who all have years of professional experience and a wide range of industry contacts, from central government, local councils, professional consultants to major housebuilders.
Learning and growth for all colleagues is actively encouraged across the business, with our graduates and apprentices involved in meetings and discussions with our most senior team leads from the moment they start their career with us. Several Gladman employees are currently supported through apprenticeships, university degree and master’s courses in planning, urban design, and development surveying, which will allow those colleagues to be recognised by the RTPI and or RICS.
In January we were delighted to welcome Gladman, the UK's most successful strategic land promoter, to the Group.
• 227 planning permissions
This focused approach has enabled us to successfully secure planning permission for over 34,000 new homes across the UK.
Formed in 1987, Gladman has enjoyed significant and prolific success in a range of property sectors. With the business taking a speculative approach to development, using experience and market knowledge to deliver results.
We hear from Gladman’s CEO and Group Strategic Land Director, Victoria Hesson, about working with Barratt:
It’s not all about planning permissions and land sales though, Gladman recognise that employee wellbeing and morale is critical to business performance. There is a great team within the business who facilitate the organisation of events.
“We are very proud of Gladman’s expertise, track record and reputation. By continuing to focus on land and planning, we hope to maintain our position as the leading land promoter, whilst helping to realise the potential of Barratts active strategic land holdings. Together we can deliver more high-quality homes and sustainable developments across the country”.
Through rigorous research and an analytical understanding of a local authority’s planning position, we focus on optimising value by securing the best possible planning consent.
• 93 employees Established in
• 194 sites sold
Since 2010, Gladman has focused on the promotion of land though the planning system using rigorous research and an analytical understanding of a local authority’s planning position, we focus on optimising value by securing the best possible planning consent. Gladman is today’s market leader in the promotion of strategic land.
Our team have the skills and knowledge to quickly assess opportunities and develop the correct strategy to successfully promote schemes whether they be greenfield or brownfield sites of various sizes; from five acres to large scale sites for thousands of homes.
inGladmannumbers
•
Gladman is a collaborative organisation, our teams operate together to deliver results and work within an open plan office environment.. This creates a more reciprocal and friendly environment where employees are able to communicate easily with one another. Our team are dynamic, enthusiastic, and creative and we encourage the sharing of new ideas across all of our departments.
FOUNDATIONS
• Planning permission secured for over 34,000 homes
1987
Gladman will be a semi-autonomous business within the Group led by its experienced management team, including Victoria Hesson, Gladman CEO and Group Strategic Land Director. Gladman will continue to supply land to the wider market as well as provide an additional route for Barratt to source land. In addition they will also work with the existing Barratt team to provide help and assistance with Barratt’s existing strategic land portfolio.
Meeting the team at Gladman
/ 11MEETING THE TEAM AT GLADMANMEETING THE TEAM AT GLADMAN10 /
In every Foundations issue, we recognise those who have reached a 20, 25, 30, 25, 40, and 45 years’ long service milestone over the last six months. Congratulations and thank you to all of you for your continued commitment.
We also host an annual Long Service Celebration Dinner for those colleagues achieving more than 20 years. While this dinner has been on hold during COVID, we will be bringing this back for a long-overdue celebration of our amazing colleagues this autumn.
Dawn Mellors, PA to Sales Director, North Midlands
Paul Hogg East Midlands Andrew Dunstan Bristol
We take a look at their three key fundraising projects, and include details on how you can get involved and support our 2021 Golden Bricks and the fantastic work this charity does.
What has kept you with Barratt for so long? I’ve stayed with Barratt because they are the best. The company’s commitment to quality, design, innovation, sustainability and customer care is second to none. Why would anyone want to have to work for another housebuilder?
Keith Findlay North Scotland Graham Rowan Yorkshire East Neal Fairbrother Yorkshire West Derek Askew North Midlands Michael Watson North Midlands Paul Rhodes North Midlands Andrew Perks Manchester David Kay Manchester
Team Golden Bricks
A A OPM N 0YEA F RVCE 20 AR T LO M NT S 25YEARS F ERVICE BARRATT D V ELOPMENT S 30YEARS OF SERVICE 30
I’ve always enjoyed taking part in our various charity activities with cycling. In our most recent event ‘The Barratt Marathon’ I completed over 240 miles for our division.
Michael Finn, Group Design & Technical Director
Our long service awards celebrate and reward those who have shown loyalty and commitment to our business. We recognise colleagues service with cash rewards alongside certificates and personal letters to mark every five years you spend with the business.
Lyn Medcraft South Wales
This will be a great way to introduce sustainable building to children on a national scale through minimal resources. Further details about how your division can get involved will be shared shortly.
The Barratt Bonanza
Following the success of the 500K Challenge and Barratt Marathon in recent years, this year’s cohort is walking,activetoAberdeen.way,ourandaimeachThiswideinvolvedthecolleagueschallengingthroughoutbusinesstogetinthisGroup-eventinOctober.virtualracewillseedivisionandGSCtocoverthecountryvirtuallyvisitallofdivisionsalongthefromExetertoWith1,667kmcover,teamscangetthroughrunning,cyclingor
Our ASPIRE graduates have taken part in the challenge for seven years, collectively donating over £500,000 to The Prince’s Trust since 2013. The Trust provides 11-30 year olds facing difficulties and challenges in their lives with opportunities to create a better future through employment, education and enterprise. We are proud to continue our support of this great cause.
I also got involved in the famous Barratt TV commercials with the helicopter assisting in the filming. In recent years building up what I consider to be the strongest Design & Technical Department in the industry.
Jacqui Knowlton Bristol
Lynn Ball South Wales
As well as getting involved and helping to raise money for this fantastic event, you can also show your support for the Barratt Relay by grabbing your jersey and sharing pictures of your activity to help cover the distance.
The jigsaw will be supported by a range of online resources available via the dedicated website, which will include fun interactive activities, showcasing the Zed House’s features as well as videos and other multimedia content.
Robert Pocock North Thames
longCelebratingservice
I feel like Barratt is genuinely a great company to work for. There are plenty of opportunities if you want to go for them. I started with the business on a Youth Training Scheme for two years (so technically have worked for the business for 32 years now!). The benefits packages are good and most of all, I love the people I work with. I can’t imagine life not working for Barratt.
BARRATT D EL M T 3 YARS O SERVI E BARRATT D EL M T 4 YARS O SERVI E BARRATT D EL M T 3 YARS O SERVI E 30 CELEBRATING 25 YEARS SERVICE Frank Dainty Manchester Julie Parry Manchester Mark Robson Manchester Mark Thompson Manchester Darren Foster West Midlands Gary Tebbatt East Midlands Mark Summers East Midlands Tracey Dickens East Midlands Anthony Hensley East London Jackie Rogers East London Colin Quinn Southern Counties Phillip Draper Group Support Centre Gary Cartwright BD Living CELEBRATING 30 YEARS SERVICE Robert Robb North Scotland Anthony Monaghan North East Gavin Birch Yorkshire West Dawn Mellors North Midlands Ivan Towson East Midlands Louise Alder South Wales CELEBRATING 35 YEARS SERVICE Alan Henderson North Scotland Kevin Clark North Scotland David Kelland South Wales CELEBRATING 40 YEARS SERVICE Ian Mason East Midlands Michael Finn Group Support Centre CELEBRATING 45 YEARS SERVICE David Duncan North Scotland BARRATT D EL M T 4 YARS O SERVI E
Robert Meanwell Group Support Centre
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS SERVICE
Jeff Calder North Scotland Stuart Edwards North Scotland Anne Ross East Scotland
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS SERVICE
Robert Hutchings North Midlands Steven Williams North Midlands Ian Collinge Manchester David Wardle North West Robert Holbrook North West Dominique Garner West Midlands Samantha Pate West Midlands Stuart Stokes West Midlands Rebecca Luke Mercia Adrian Topliss East Midlands Catherine Hand East Midlands Kevin Topliss East Midlands Lee Redfern East Midlands
Barratt Zed House jigsaw
As the UK's leading national sustainable housebuilder, the team want to help school children learn more about how we’re driving change through our zero-carbon concept Zed House.
swimming and we can’t wait to see the rivalry throughout the business. There will be weekly updates to track every team’s progress across the country, as well as their fundraising, and if you make it up to Aberdeen before the end of the month, you can keep going and start to make the return trip!
Colleagues will be hearing more about these three initiatives to help raise money for The Prince's Trust over the coming months.
Our 2021 graduates have been putting together their plans to fundraise for The Prince’s Trust as part of the nationwide Million Makers Challenge, which sees companies from across the country competing to raise the most money for this incredible charity.
FOUNDATIONS / 13CELEBRATING LONG SERVICETEAM GOLDEN BRICKS12 / BARRATT D EL M T 2 YARS O SERVI E BARRATT D E V ELOPMENT S 40YEARS OF SERVICE
The Barratt Relay
What has kept you in Barratt all these years?
William Graham Bristol
What have been your most memorable moments? There have been many but to name a few; Working for Sir Lawrie Barratt in my early years with the company and seeing him retire then come back to save the company. Being heavily involved in new product innovation: the Studio Solo, the Barratt ‘I’ Pad, the Premier Collection and integrating David Wilson products into the portfolio.
Speaking with some of our colleagues who have hit long service milestones between January and June 2022, it’s great to see what has kept them with the business for so long.
And in the run up to Christmas, the team will be running the Barratt Bonanza, giving colleagues an opportunity to win fantastic prizes across four weeks. As well as buying entry into each week’s draw, you’ll be able to play games to boost your chances of winning each week. With a range of prizes on offer, you’ll want to get involved so you could win yourself a fantastic prize, or perhaps get some Christmas shopping sorted for loved ones.
What have been your highlights?
Natalie Perry Kent Jane Hiller Southampton Andrew Sparrow Group Support Centre
Roll honourof
Across FY23 the Barratt Foundation aims to re-ignite employee fundraising across divisions and we have made a number of changes for FY23 to encourage more employee fundraising:
FOUNDATIONS SUPPORTING CHARITIES AND COMMUNITIES / 15
At Barratt we have always recognised our responsibility to support the communities in which we operate and we strive to be industry leading in our approach to charitable giving.
The Children's Trust received a combined donation of £30,000 from our Kent and Southern Counties divisions, to help support its services provided in and around Tadworth, Surrey.
The Barratt Foundation is an umbrella body for all the good work that we do as a whole in supporting local and national charities across the country. The Foundation has a general charitable purpose, which means that it is able to donate to a wide variety of charities within the UK. We find out more about some of the recent changes to two of our initiatives, new charity partnerships and how you can get involved.
14 / SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES AND CHARITIES
2) We have reduced the limit to £100 (down from £500).
Every day I get to see and hear the difference we are making in communities across the UK –through the fundraising and volunteering activities of Barratt employees and the incredible work of the Foundation’s national and local charity partners.
5. Become
“I have the pleasure of leading The Barratt Foundation and supporting Barratt’s approach to grant making, charity partnerships, fundraising and volunteering.
The Barratt Foundation is in an exciting start-up phase so we’re developing the organisation’s vision, purpose and strategy, whilst also launching some impressive new charity partners.
Our North East division donated £1,000 out of the Community Fund to visually impaired children's charity Useful Vision.
2. Fundraise
There is an exciting opportunity to understand, support and grow all of the charitable activity that is going on across the divisions – I look forward to visiting your division to see and support your fundraising and volunteering efforts.”
3. Organise
A team from our West SpecialistatvolunteerspentdivisionLondonrecentlyoneoftheirdaysOakBridgeSchool.
1) The Foundation will now DOUBLE (not just match) individual employee fundraising up to £1,000 per year.
Visit https://barrattfoundation.org.uk/ for more information about the Barratt Foundation and our charity partners.
For more information and ideas, or to connect with your local team of Charity Champions, please enquiries@barratt-foundation.co.ukcontact
Supporting communities and CommunitycharitiesFund
4. Sign up
the yearlong partnership with a £50,000 donation to Lighthouse, a construction industry charity on a mission to reduce construction industry suicides and improve workforce mental health and wellbeing. Together we aim to increase awareness and reduce stigma through four “Help inside the hard hat” tours to over 2,400 workers across constructions sites in the UK.
Meet the new charity partners
Alongside longstanding partnerships with The Outward Bound Trust and Whizz-Kidz, the Barratt Foundation is proud to introduce two new charity partners for FY23.
Meet FoundationBarrattHeadStephens,Button-Andyofthe
Five ways to get involved in charitable activity this year: 1. Nominate
So £200 raised by your team in a charity bake sale or sponsored event, unlocks £400 in matched funding from the Foundation, meaning £600 goes to support the charity of your choice.
With a cost of living crisis biting and charities facing an increased demand for services, the Barratt Foundation Trustees are proud to be increasing the monthly Community Fund donations by 50%, to £1,500 per division each month. This is an investment of over £500,000 to local charities in the communities where Barratt operate. a local charity for the Community Fund for a charity and support a cause you care about a volunteer day to payroll giving a charity champion
We are teaming up with Refuge to help fund a range of lifesaving and lifechanging services for women and children experiencing domestic abuse across the UK. Our donation of £100,000 will help Refuge empower women and children to rebuild their lives and live free from fear and violence.
Refuge CEO, Ruth Davison said:
A team from our West Midlands division volunteered to renovate the sandpit at Dodford Farm.
Site manager's Chrissie and Michelle from our Cambridgeshire division ran 27 miles to raise money for Action ME.
We are so grateful to The Barratt Foundation for their generous donation. Support from The Barratt Foundation helps Refuge ensure no woman or child is turned away from accessing the support that they need and deserve”Wearekick-starting
3) Employees can claim multiple times in the year up to a maximum of £2,000 in matched funding per employee in FY23. (This is subject to the total matched funding budget cap, which we will monitor closely and is for UK registered charities only).
Calling all runners, bakers, skydivers, hikers, organisers, sponsors and donors!
16 / AN UPDATE FROM THE WORKFORCE FORUM MEET THE TEAM: BUILDING SAFETY UNIT / 17
What do you do on a daily basis?
Lizzie Harris (Project Manager): I engage with the divisions to keep them up to date with developments they had previously worked on and work with them to locate design, technical and legal information on legacy buildings. I communicate information on policies, legislation and construction to stakeholders and managing agents, while working with consultants and contractors to carry out anything from external wall reviews to investigation works.
The Building Safety Unit (BSU) was created last year to focus on resolving issues at legacy developments, which has allowed the affected divisions and operational teams to focus on delivering the high quality sustainable homes the country needs. The team is made up of 40 colleagues who handle incoming enquiries about fire and structural safety, primarily relating to multi-occupancy buildings. They also engage with divisions where required to seek early resolution of issues and support residents, while mitigating costs, as well as helping to manage Barratt’s reputation and preserve shareholder value. We hear from a couple of members in the team about the BSU and their roles.
FOUNDATIONS
What do you want to achieve over the next year?
An update from the Workforce Forum
One of our priorities is investing in our people to create a great place to work. To help us achieve this, in 2018 we launched the Workforce Forum to improve the ways in which we engage with our employees and ensure that colleagues remain well informed.
At their most recent meeting in May, many of the members kicked off the day by visiting West London’s flagship development, Hendon Waterside. The site visit, which was hosted by Southern Regional Director Nick Moore and his site team, saw members learn about the history and impact of this important regeneration scheme in North London that will deliver more than 2,000 homes.
Brian Lochead (Programme Director): The BSU was set up to recognise the importance of building safety to Barratt and to make sure our efforts would be driven by a focused and dedicated team. Our public commitment that leaseholders should not pay for issues in their buildings, and that we should remediate past issues, was made long before the Building Safety Pledge in April, and we have always recognised that there would be much to do. The BSU now manages over 250 buildings which are subject to the pledge – assessing potential issues, communicating with key stakeholders, evaluating potential options and ultimately delivering proportionate and appropriate remedial solutions.
What are some of the day-to-day challenges the BSU face?
Why was the BSU set up and what does it do?
During the meeting, held at the Group’s corporate office in London, members received a business update from Jeremy Hipkiss, Group Customer and Change Director, who was co-chair for the meeting, together with the latest Health and Safety initiatives around the business. As a follow up action from a previous meeting, Group Sales and Marketing Director, Steve Mariner updated members on the changes which have now been issued to the business about working patterns for Sales teams.
Meet the team
With their next meeting in September, anyone from across the business can raise a question by emailing one of the current members or deputies, via the Workforce Forum mailbox: workforce. forum@barrattplc.co.uk, or directly with Sharon White, the designated Non-Executive Director for workforce engagement at designatedned@barrattplc.co.uk
What do you enjoy most about working in the BSU?
Lucy O’Dwyer (Secondee Solicitor): As the dedicated BSU lawyer, I deal with various business-as-usual matters, but also with ad-hoc queries from the BSU team and other stakeholders. I never know what the next call will be about and that brings both challenge and variety. I also value the wider objectives of the BSU in working together to rectify issues on legacy projects and ultimately doing the right thing!
Amanda McMorrow (Customer Care Co-ordinator): I love my job! It is a very challenging but equally rewarding role, and every day brings something new. I enjoy being part of such a dedicated and experienced team that all work so hard to ensure we are doing the right thing for our customers, many of which are facing all manner of difficulties.
Simon Kirk (Senior Operations Director): Managing expectations is one of the biggest challenges we face. We have a large portfolio to work through and everyone wants their building to be our number one priority. Clearly that cannot happen, so we are in regular contact with key stakeholders to ensure lines of communication are open for us to report on progress. There is also a shortage of fire engineers within the industry. We are liaising with our consultants to maintain relationships and ensure Barratt is the developer of choice for them to work with. Keeping up to date with changes in legislation and government guidance is also a key challenge as policies and regulations are forever changing.
Brian: Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the pledge have both clarified the way forward but perversely also slowed a lot down as we await definitive legal agreements and up to date information. Next year is about demonstrably progressing a number of buildings from investigation through to remediation. It will be challenging but it will be exciting!
Additionally, members discussed the actions arising from the Engagement Survey at the end of last year and talked about actions they think the business should take in the four key areas that we’re focusing on at a Group level: resources; training, development and progression; collaboration and communication; and health and wellbeing.
Since the forum was created, members have played a crucial role in Barratt’s response to COVID-19, as well as helping us to understand how we work post-COVID with our hybrid working policy. They’ve also been involved with the move to a new benefits platform for employees, to ensure that this reflects feedback to be easier to use and navigate as well as presenting the best benefits offering to colleagues.
Find out who the members are in your division or region in the updated list
The forum, which has nominated colleagues from across the regions and GSC, represents a cross section of our business and provides input and feedback from a range of perspectives. With the support from the Group Board, the forum allows us to gather more employee input and add real value in areas like SHE, health and wellbeing, employee benefits and working conditions. By having a presence in divisions, the members are able to provide feedback on how new ideas and systems work for employees day to day.
New Market Place is in the heart of the East Ham commercial district. The development, located off a thriving high street, will provide 277 homes including 78 affordable. These are spread over six blocks that range from 5-14 storeys. As part of driving a more sustainable future, East London have built an energy centre within the development to provide hot water to all residents. The project creates a new market hall, providing additional retail units for the local area. There are great connections into London, with East Ham underground station just a short walk away. The new Crossrail station at nearby Manor Park offers swift connections across the capital.
East LondonEast Ham
Across our developments, there continues to be a strong focus on biodiversity, through the retention, enhancement and creation of wildlife habitats, while connections for pedestrians and cyclists remain a priority. Creating schemes with a distinctive character and working with the site’s existing features are essential: integrating the development into its surroundings and creating a lasting legacy.
CambridgeshireHampton
Hampton East, which is part of the Hampton Urban Extension, benefits from outline planning permission for up to 3,195 houses along with a secondary school, two new primary schools, a community building and a number of local centres. Cambridgeshire’s development of 341 Barratt homes at Hampton Beach achieves a high quality design based on approved Design Code requirements, located around a lake. The scheme has had a number of challenges, including flood risk issues leading to raised finished floor levels for homes, and the need for a Natural England licence and further surveys in regard to great crested newts.
The Yorkshire East division has recently completed the Fairfield Croft development in Skelton, York. Comprising of 77 one, two, three and four bedroom David Wilson properties, the site was a brownfield redevelopment of a former food factory and borders onto the green belt, with the main area of public open space acting as a buffer between the two. As part of the development, an existing pond was retained and enhanced, which acts as a biodiversity hub and provides a focus point at the site entrance. A timber entrance feature was designed and installed to reflect the site’s semi-rural location and green surroundings. The site also features a footpath running through the centre to give pedestrians priority over vehicles on the route through to the public open space from the village.
Some of our divisions have shared an insight into their latest projects, and we’ve been impressed to see their continued commitment to the 14 questions set out by our internal design initiative, Great Places – which all contribute to improving the health and wellbeing for our customers.
Yorkshire EastSkelton
A dual branded development of 384 plots (243 Barratt and 141 DWH) is under construction by North Midlands at Bourne, Lincolnshire, as part of a larger scheme with other developers. The Barratt and DWH brands create two distinctively different character areas; low-density traditional designs of David Wilson complemented with the more modern characteristics of the Barratt range. The scheme will make great use of the current environment, respond to the natural character of the area and respect the existing wildlife habitat. A water course at the heart of the development will be retained, in addition to existing hedgerows and trees being retained and enhanced. Pedestrian and cycle links go through the central green corridor running from south to north, and creating new links east and west, to connect to the neighbouring developments.
ROUNDUP PROJECTS ROUNDUP / 19
South Wales
Ross on Wye
roundupProjects
South Wales has secured reserved matters approval for 210 units at the Orchards, Ross on Wye. The site is located in close proximity to the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, therefore the outline planning consent required the layout to be supported by a high-quality landscaping scheme which includes the provision of nature play opportunities for future residents, as well as a meandering green corridor through the development. The scheme also includes 2.6 hectares of mitigation planting due to dormouse previously found on the site. Additionally, to address the climate change emergency declared by Herefordshire Council, all new homes will be fitted with PV panels and all homes with on-plot parking will be provided with electric car charging facilities.
SouthamptonHayling Island
Exeter
Pebble Walk, by our Southampton division, is made up of 195 homes including a mix of two, three and four bedroom houses and apartments, and is located just a short walk from the coast. A winter bird mitigation strategy has been set up within this development to protect local wildlife. The land is currently listed as a Primary Support Area for brent geese, with the aim to increase their numbers through the enhancement of the area. This will help to manage any adverse effects as a result of the development.
FOUNDATIONS 18 / PROJECTS ROUNDUP PROJECTS ROUNDUP / 19
North MidlandsBourne
Southern Denotes Geography covered by; North Midlands- Barratt (Northern Region) and East Midlands-DWH (East Region)
LondonEastNorthernWestCentralScotland&
Minerva, by Exeter is a showcase scheme that is part of a larger urban extension in a sustainable location, 4.5 miles to the east of Exeter. With a total of 248 units, the design of this dual branded site aimed to enable sustainable living and reduce energy consumption. The scheme is divided into three character areas, with differing scale, density, architecture and landscaping between each area. The proposed country park will form a fourth character area, providing an area for healthy lifestyle choices and high quality green space. Exeter
“We chose to buy with David Wilson Homes due to their strong reputation for good quality homes. We also saw the great feedback that they had received from existing customers.” The Krishnan family at Wellington Road, Cambridgeshire
First time buyers, Arun and Lavanya opted for the four-bedroom Cornell home at the Wellington Road development. Moving with their two sons, Advaith and Arjun, to the calm environment around Northstowe, ensured that the couple could get involved with the growing community to support their growing family and consider the on-site primary and secondary school for the future. Purchased during the Stamp Duty holiday, the Cornell was an ideal fit for their small family, plus the development has good transport links to Cambridge so there’s a range amenities nearby for this young family.
The Build Programme Replacement will move our build management from Homebuilder to the COINS Construction Workbench. The Build Programme requires high levels of operational input to ensure we address the needs of the business effectively. It will provide the flexibility to support future industry changes such as new methods of construction and sustainability features. It will
The COINS Bill of Quantities (BoQ) tool is designed to produce better estimated and controlled budgets and costs. This involves major changes to buying and surveying processes. Over the last few months, Group Commercial has reached out to buyers, quantity surveyors and divisional commercial management teams to gather any experience or best practice that could be shared more widely. As a result, targeted support is being developed and new guidance drawn up.
We are in the final stage of selecting the best solution. Once deployed, all divisions will have consistent processes to follow.
Drawings and documentationassociatedaresome of the most important information for any construction company. In the past, high rise and low rise projects and their supporting data and Quality Assurance (QA) processes have been run on several separate systems due
Drawing and Document Management
to the specific demands of each construction method.
An extensive review of the system has been carried out to ensure that we deliver a solid foundation of Dynamics for the second rollout, which can continue to be built on and enhanced in the future.
Sisters Lily and Ashley have recently become new residents at our sold out development, Drayton Meadows, located in the market town of Market Drayton. The pair moved from Wolverhampton and purchased their new home using David Wilson’s Part Exchange scheme helping to ensure an easier moving process for them. This scheme provided a reduced cost for their home, as well as the convenient purchase of their previous home by David Wilson Homes themselves. Lily and Ashley purchased the five-bedroom Emerson style property which they've been able to adapt to work for them, including converting one of the bedrooms into a home office, and creating a gym in the garage.
The Drawing and Document Management project was set up to procure a market leading, ‘out of the box’ solution that would meet both high rise and low rise requirements and become the single, trusted,
Improving our ways of working Delighting our customers
The focus for the remainder of the year is to complete the site transitions process with dedicated Group Commercial support.
The project will be delivered in the second half of 2022, with the pilot starting in August through to mid-September, and full roll out from mid-September to November.
Phase 1 of the Microsoft Dynamics project was successfully rolled out last year to over a thousand users in our sales and marketing teams to support pre-reservation activity.
20 / IMPROVING OUR WAYS OF WORKING DELIGHTING OUR CUSTOMERS / 21
Build Programme
also improve our security of material supply through improved call-off processes and visibility of lead times and material demand.
Our Business Change project teams are continually looking at how we can improve our ways of working, to help streamline our processes and make colleagues’ lives easier.
CRM
Earlier this year, the Project Training Team delivered CRM refresher training to almost 400 people to consolidate their understanding of views and dashboards in Dynamics. The pilot for phase 2 rollout will start in 2023 and will cover all post-reservation activity. Dynamics will therefore
The project will be delivered in two phases, with the Build Programme & Build Release scheduled to complete in mid-2023, and Material Call Offs by 2025.
replace PRADA, Sales Manager and iCare, allowing us to work from one system that can support everyone in their daily activities whilst enhancing the overall customer experience and giving us a single view of the customer.
master version across the Group. In addition, the project aims to ensure that the QA process for high rise buildings is robust and reliable.
“I love that the development feels safe and private, it’s a truly remarkable aspect of life here. Everything feels very communal and familiar and I’m looking forward to getting to know our neighbours even better.” Lily Man at Drayton Meadows, Mercia
“Customers always ask me if I would buy a Barratt home, and I always say ‘yes’. Now I can say ‘I have’, which will definitely give them some added peace of mind.” Alex Hall at Lakeside Walk, Southampton
Barratt strives to transform houses into homes for every customer whilst developing longstanding communities throughout the country. We hear from some of our customers who are helping to create these new communities.
Alex is certainly no stranger to a Barratt Homes construction site, and recently had the opportunity to buy a home on the site he worked on, Lakeside Walk, in Poole. Alex and his partner, Shannon, were looking to climb the property ladder with this purchase, moving from Upton to the more suburban Lakeside Walk. An ideal location for young families, growing families and retirees, this scheme benefits from its coastal location close to Poole Harbour, local schools, shops and transport links to Bournemouth and beyond. The new homeowners secured one of the remaining three-bedroom Maidstone properties on site and were able to move ready for Christmas.
These changes include our next COINS upgrade as well as enabling benefits for our Build Programme, Workflow and future Procure-to-Pay (P2P) projects.
The COINS Plus to COINS OA project began in November 2021, with finance teams moving from their current version of COINS (Plus) to a newer version (OA). As a business, it is important that we make this change in the first six months of the new financial year to enable other changes on our COINS roadmap.
COINS
FOUNDATIONS / 21
Aspire Graduate Timber Waste Project
Using less diesel is key for us in minimising our carbon footprint and meeting our emissions reduction targets, as well as helping air quality and noise pollution on our sites. For example the less machinery we have idling, the less noise we create for our neighbours. Given diesel’s significant contribution to our carbon footprint, it is vital that we adopt viable alternatives to power machinery and generators. One option is hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), a biofuel that can reduce carbon emissions by up to 90% over its lifecycle from production to combustion, compared with conventional diesel. It’s made by reacting waste vegetable oils and animal fats with hydrogen at a high temperature and pressure to create fuel suitable for use in diesel engines. Following successful trials of HVO in our Mercia division, Barratt has now started a wider rollout with 49 sites and will continue to monitor the impact that this has on our emissions in the future.
Biodiversity Net Gain will become mandatory for all developments in England from November 2023, following the two-year transition period that allowed businesses to understand the new requirements and embed change. At Barratt, we’re going a step further, and have made a commitment to achieving 10% BNG on sites we submit for outline planning permission from January 2023.
We're determined to be the leading national sustainable housebuilder and many teams across the business are constantly working to ensure we do this. Find out about what they’ve been up to and be inspired to make some changes in your own habits and routines.
We look at understanding biodiversity and the work we’re doing throughout the business to retain, improve and create new high-quality habitats through development that can support native wildlife into the future.
Building SustainablyUnderstanding biodiversity
Raw materials 17% The build 15%Ground preparation 28% Homes in use 39% Other 1%
Did you know that the construction sector is the largest user of materials in the UK and produces the biggest waste stream in terms of tonnage? At Barratt, we recognise we have a key role to play in managing our environmental footprint and teams across the business are finding and implementing ways to reduce waste. This year, graduates from the 2021 Aspire programme collaborated on a
Green Mortgages
For more support and advice, you can contact the biodiversity team on biodiversity@barrattplc.co.uk
Our Carbon Footprint
sustainability project to investigate how to tackle the 6,446 tonnes of timber waste estimated to be generated on our sites each year. Key recommendations include the creation of a new Best Practice Guide for timber waste, and we're working together with roof truss suppliers to drive consistency across bracing design and minimising avoidable excess timber use.
The Zed House garden, built at University of Salford, was designed to be as sustainable as the house itself and was awarded a Gold certificate by the RSPB. Low carbon and sustainably sourced materials were used to construct the garden, which contains features for our priority species such as hedgehogs and swifts, as well as a pond, green wall fed by a smart water butt, and a wide array of wildlife-friendly planting.
The first step to achieving a BNG is to ensure we retain the highest value habitats such as woodlands and meadows on a site. These have the most value for biodiversity and are difficult and costly to recreate. Retaining them also gives our developments a sense of place, which is beneficial to our customers. Often, retained habitats can
Collaboration between different functions and our external consultants is key to success and we have developed a suite of internal resources to understand and address the changes. These can be found on the Biodiversity section of Our Place.
Biodiversity Net Gain is about a development creating more biodiversity than was there before construction. In order to see the impact development has, the biodiversity value of a site is calculated by our ecological consultants using a specially developed calculator called the Biodiversity Metric. It assigns a value to each habitat such as woodlands, hedgerows and ponds. The way we design our developments affects how much biodiversity we create, so designing with nature in mind is key.
When do we have to deliver a BNG?
How can we achieve a BNG?
advantages of the energy efficiency of new homes. They do this by incorporating energy savings into mortgage affordability assessments, so that customers benefit from choosing more energy efficient homes. This would in turn drive even greater demand for our energy efficient homes when compared with second-hand homes and support customers who wish to make green choices. We have been engaging with a wide range of lenders over the past 12 months by providing information to show all the advantages green mortgages could bring.
22 / UNDERSTANDING BIODIVERSITY
With energy costs at an all-time high, and the ongoing pressure on household budgets, the case for buying an energy efficient home has never been stronger. 99% of our homes achieve an energy efficiency rating of Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) B or above, making them perfectly placed to help our customers save on their running costs. Many are already seeing the benefits, with energy bills up to £1,418 a year cheaper to run, compared to an updated Victorian equivalent. Green mortgages are an important part of helping customers recognise the
Wildlife Friendly Gardens Net Loss Net Gain No Net Loss FOUNDATIONS BUILDING SUSTAINABLY / 23
The RSPB’s Wildlife Friendly Show Home Garden Scheme, which has recently been updated, continues to be successful and offers an opportunity to demonstrate to our customers the ways in which they can give nature a home in their new garden.
be improved through active management, which can improve their condition for people and wildlife. As part of the design of our developments, new habitats will be created as part of the landscaping. Designing habitats that are good for homeowners and wildlife is vital to achieving our BNG and placemaking objectives.
For inspiration on how to encourage more wildlife into your garden, check out the RSPB’s Nature on Your Doorstep project which aims to inspire people to turn their outdoor spaces into havens for wildlife. On the website you can find tips and tricks from the RSPB’s gardening expert Adrian Thomas, so why not check it out by scanning the QR code
Reducing carbon emissions is key to limiting climate change and ensuring a sustainable future. Carbon is produced throughout the process of building new homes, from the extraction of raw materials through to ground preparation, the build phase, to our homes in use (see diagram above). As carbon reduction remains a key priority for Barratt, it’s important that we develop a detailed understanding of all the sources of carbon that the business is responsible for, which includes the emissions that occur outside of our direct business operations. Teams from across the business are collaborating to reduce our footprint, from designing and building our innovative zero-carbon prototype Zed House, to engaging with our supply chain to better understand their carbon emissions.
Hydrotreated Vegetable Oils
What is Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)?
The share price in recent months will have been disappointing for colleagues, with many of us shareholders, with a couple of main drivers behind its current performance.
We must also think of the other factors affecting our industry and UK businesses as a whole.
Our Armed Forces Programme is for individuals who have been in the Armed Forces and wish to progress in a site management role. From day one, the programme provides the opportunity to work on-site and to gain all the technical skills and industry knowledge needed to help run a site. Colleagues have the opportunity to gain a L4 NVQ in site supervision.
Share prices are affected by factors the company can control, and many they cannot. For example, our share price (along with most others) dropped by around 50% during the pandemic, and during the 2007/2008 financial crisis it took an even bigger hit.
Our ASPIRE Graduate programme offers opportunities for those who already have a degree and aspire to be a leader in the future. Over the course of the two-year programme, colleagues will gain an all-round insight into our business through the rotational element of the scheme as well as undertaking a series of development modules.
“After already being with the business for two and a half years, I’ve learned so much over the past two years of the ASPIRE programme, not just in my discipline of Land Acquisition, but on the whole business thanks to our rotations. I’ve particularly enjoyed gaining an insight into our Group functions such as Corporate Sustainability, Biodiversity and Urban Design. A highlight of the programme for me is getting involved in our charitable giving through the Million Makers Challenge. Our cohort put so much effort in to raise money for The Prince’s Trust which is so rewarding when you see what good the funds do for young people.” Abigail Kinsey, Land Buyer
We have also committed to reducing our dividend cover. This means we’ll be returning more of our net profit to our shareholders via the dividends than we have done previously.
ASPIRE Graduate programme
An update from the City
High demand following the pandemic Supply chain issues Brexit delays
The movement in our share price is similar to other housebuilders, demonstrating that it is largely external factors affecting the whole industry causing our current movements.
While this has worried the market due to the significant financial cost to us and it has impacted our share price, we have already made provisions to cover the expected cost of fixing any cladding or building safety issues. We feel confident that this issue is now largely behind us.
As we are all aware, we are experiencing a cost of living crisis with inflation and interest rates rising. However, compared to previous times, mortgage rates remain relatively low and availability remains high.
Outlook
There are also many opportunities for those who wish to continue their development be it by gaining professional qualifications or simply attending our monthly bite size webinars.
Cladding issues have been well documented in the press since the tragic Grenfell Tower fire. After engaging with Government for a number of years to resolve this, earlier this year we supported the announcement that housebuilders must pay for the cladding to be replaced. As we've always said, leaseholders should not have to pay to fix building safety issues.
Our acquisition of Gladman, the UK’s leading land promoter, also puts us in a strong position for land acquisitions going forwards.
There are also many opportunities for those who wish to continue their development, be it by gaining professional qualifications or simply attending our monthly bite size webinars.
Despite all of this, the business remains healthy and our financial performance remains strong with our net cash position at the end of the financial year ended 30 June 2022 standing at £1,125m. Our solid footing makes us well placed to ride out any storm that may or may not be coming in the future.
At Barratt, investing in our people is fundamental to our business, as we know our colleagues are key to our success. One of the ways that we can attract and retain the best people is by ensuring that we help all our employees to reach their full potential through our learning and development programmes.
Overall, the market fundamentals within Barratt remain positive, the business is healthy and we feel confident that in the medium to long term our share price will recover.
Our Rising Stars programme aims to identify and develop aspirational colleagues within the business who have learning and personal development high on their priorities. Through the programme we aim to provide successful participants with personal insights into their motivation and strengths, and provide support for development planning and tailored learning sessions. Applications for this programme are taken annually through a self-nomination process.
“I joined Barratt Homes as I had previously heard extremely good things about the opportunities that they provide for people leaving the military, I had a construction background prior to joining the Royal Marines and wanted to get back into the industry. My favourite part of the job is the technical element, and giving the finishing touches to a home. I would recommend BDW to anyone leaving the Armed Forces, there are lots of opportunities on offer with great career progression.” Deklan Hurst, Senior Site Manager
Other factors
We take a look at three of our development programmes below, and hear from colleagues about their experiences.
Cladding
We are also still experiencing great demand. At the end of our financial year our net private reservations per week stood at 0.81, a 3.8% increase on last year. We feel confident the business can continue to thrive in the current environment.
Rising Stars programme
“I really enjoyed the Rising Stars programme. It was a great way to get to know people from different areas of the business and spend some time focusing on myself, my development and my future goals. A particular highlight was having the opportunity to do a 360 Feedback Review where you get feedback from your managers, peers and colleagues in your team. It was really insightful and taught me a lot about my strengths and weaknesses as well as how I’m perceived by those I work with on a daily basis. I’d definitely recommend it.” Alice Nelson, Senior Communications Manager
Armed Forces Programme
The Ukraine crisis sent shock waves through the economy and FTSE 100 shares continue to be down due to the uncertainty around the situation.
FOUNDATIONS 24 / INVESTING IN OUR PEOPLE AN UPDATE FROM THE CITY / 25
You may have noticed that our share price has been up and down over the last few months. In this article we’ll look at some of the reasons behind this, as well as our outlook and why we are confident Barratt remains in a good position.
We offer a range of development programmes which are highly regarded in the industry. This includes our Apprentice programmes, Degree Apprentice programmes, ASPIRE Graduate programme, Rising Stars, Catalyst and the Armed Forces Transition programme.
Investing in our people
The economy
The rising cost of materials is another factor that can’t be ignored which is due to a number of factors including:
Lifestyle
The app includes handy articles, videos and audio tips and guides to help cope with issues like burnout, living with depression or balancing work and family life. Additional support is also available through the chat or helpline.
As part of our ongoing improvements to assist our employees with their mental health, we have a growing network of trained Mental Health First Aiders throughout the Mentalbusiness.Health
Google Nest Hello Doorbell (Battery)
non-judgmentally, offer and encourage support, signpost people to professional help and to assist in a crisis. If you are concerned about yours or another employee's mental health then please contact your local Mental Health First Aiders to discuss your concerns. They are there to help and assist you confidentially.
Google Nest Protect (Wired)
My Green Car, launched in April 2022, is a salary sacrifice car scheme which allows you to drive a brand new Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) or Electric Vehicle (EV). These cars have much lower carbon emissions, reducing their impact on the environment and urban air quality, with each car coming with an inclusive package for total peace of mind, including insurance and road tax. The My Green Car scheme is provided and administered by Lex Autolease, on behalf of Barratt.
New Dental Plan
Employees who use Display Screen Equipment as part of their role are entitled to receive a contribution towards an eyesight test up to the value of £20. Where an eyesight test indicates that prescription glasses are required for use with Display Screen Equipment, the company will contribute up to £54 towards the cost. These costs will be reimbursed through the expenses policy and procedure which can be found on Docushare
Mental Health First Aiders
Health and wellbeing support is now easily accessible through the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) app. The EAP is provided by Unum Lifeworks who have a dedicated Lifeworks app which has been rolled out to all Barratt devices. The app is also available to download on personal devices via the app store.
We are committed not only to improving performance in health and wellbeing but we are also committed to health promotion by encouraging the adoption of healthier lifestyles for our people.
My Barratt Benefits Supporting your health and wellbeing
We’ve partnered with Travis Perkins to provide colleagues with discounts on a range of Google Nest products, including:
Google Nest Mini (Chalk)
My Green Car
Safecall is our confidential hotline which allows colleagues to raise any concerns encountered at work. In the first instance, you should consider raising concerns with your manager but if for any reason you feel you cannot do so or if you wish to remain anonymous, you should report your concern to Safecall. They will send all of the reports received to Barratt for an immediate investigation. Call 0800 915 1571 or report online
Google Nest Learning Thermostat (Stainless Steel)
and
A healthy lifestyle is about making the most of every minute, being happy both inside and outside of work, and being able to achieve a healthy work life balance.
For more information and for links to webinars, online exercise sessions, workshops, and a range of advice and guidance, visit the Health and Wellbeing section of My Barratt Benefits via the HR homepage or on Our Place.
The platform provides easy access to the site from your Barratt device. You can access the site by using the My Barratt Benefits icon on MyApps via your desktop, on your Barratt mobile device or on the Our Place landing page.
Mental Physical
this short video to find out more about the platform and how to navigate around
Eye tests
It is important to boost our physical wellbeing. This can be done in many ways and not just by staying active, exercising and getting outdoors. Eating healthily and getting a good night’s sleep also contribute to achieving positive physical and overall mental wellbeing.
Financial
Google Nest
Watch
Our health and wellbeing statement
Colleagues can also access confidential support 24/7, 365 days a year through the freephone number 0800 048 2702 (UK) or visit the LifeWorks website at www.unumlifeworks.com.EmployeeAssistanceProgrammeapp
We’ll be sharing further details about our new dental plan which is coming soon, offering colleagues a more affordable way to access dental care.
If you don’t have a Barratt device, the site can also be accessed via hrhome.barrattplc.co.uk, where you will also find a user friendly guide to help you gain access.
First Aiders have a responsibility to support individuals, help make their life at work easier, listen
New benefits
FOUNDATIONS 26 / MY BARRATT BENEFITS SUPPORTING YOUR HEALTH AND WELLBEING / 27
The four key areas of health and wellbeing we focus on at Barratt are mental, physical, lifestyle and financial. Each one plays an important role in improving the health and wellbeing of our employees, and can have an impact on one another. We offer a range of support and advice within each of these areas.
This commitment is underpinned by the philosophy of self-help and individual responsibility within a corporate framework, promoting and supporting good practice to comply with legislation, addressing key workplace risks to health and encouraging a healthy lifestyle culture.
You can access details of your contractual, flexible and voluntary benefits and your real time total reward statement through the My Barratt Benefits platform, which shows benefits information tailored to you.
Nest Wi-Fi 2pk
When we talk about mental health, we’re talking about our mental wellbeing: our emotions, our thoughts and feelings, our ability to solve problems and overcome difficulties, our social connections and our understanding of the world around us.
Google Nest Hub (Chalk)
You can also access our retailer discounts provider, BenefitHub, via the site where you’ll be able to save with more than 400 national retailers through discount codes, cash back and discounted gift cards – so make sure you check out the platform today!
Research consistently shows that financial worries are inherently linked to many mental health problems. You may feel that you are under pressure to provide for your family, your partner, paying the mortgage or rent. Worrying alone about money can have a negative impact on your mental health.
Congratulations
We’d love your feedback on how we can continue to improve Foundations. So whether there’s any types of stories you’d love to hear about or anything else you can think of, please email barrattplc.co.ukemployee.communication@ .
“Thistled pink” North Scotland Team waiting to get Plastered viewsyourShare
Thanks to all the readers who sent in captions for our last competition, where we saw the site team in North Scotland getting behind Wear it Pink Day and we asked you what you think they’re cheering.
a
Congratulations to the winner of our crossword, Laura Robinson, Planner in Mercia who received a £50 gift card of their choice.
what do you
And the winner is…
To take part in the prize crossword you can either fill in the form online here or take a photo with your phone, sending your entry to employee. communication@barrattplc.co.uk. You can also post your entry to the Employee Communications team, 1st Floor, Kent House, 14-17 Market Place, London, W1W 8AJ.
And TheCaptionfinallycompetitionprizecrossword
The winning caption came from Angela Teasdale, PA at Northern region who has won a £50 gift card of their choice.
As many of us celebrated the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee earlier this year, the team at North Thames helped local residents at their Kingsbrook development to mark the occasion. With some of our sales advisors able to join the party clearly having great time, was going
and
through everyone’s heads during this fun activity? Email us at employee.communication@barrattplc.co.uk by Friday 30 September to be in with a chance of winning a gift card. We’ll print the best suggestion in the next issue. £50 I A N M A S O N B N G Y O T G L A S S D O O R G O R W R W R E L A Y P R I D E N E M C E H N A G H H N A L I C E N E L S O N L A D A T T L R A D W A S Z M A L H O M E S A T Z E D R N E N M E A D O W S B R E N T Across: 1. 40 years service (3,5) 3. Mandatory for all developments from 2023 (1,1,1) 6. Rank us as a great place to work (9) 8. Exeter to Aberdeen virtual event (5) 10. 98 site managers take what in their jobs (5) 13. Taken part in Rising Stars programme (5,6) 16. Exeter show case scheme (7) 17. Zero carbon house (3) 18. BNG high value habitat (7) 19. Geese in primary support area (5) Down: 2. Salary sacrifice car scheme (2,5,3) 4. New Anglia division based (7) 5. Virtual events at the end of May (4,5) 7. Mortgage for energy efficient home (5) 9. BSU customer care co-ordinator (6) 11. UK’s leading land promoter (7) 12. Energy centre providing what to all residents (3,5) 14. One of the three main areas that our D&I strategy will focus (6) 15. Tolerance to discriminatory behaviour (4) 5 6 7 8 9 10 15 18 19 16 17 13 11 12 14 1 2 3 4