Building strong foundations: key insights from our housing sector Member Community Event

The housing sector faces unique challenges in creating truly inclusive environments. With new regulations like Awaab’s Law bringing increased scrutiny and the sector’s fundamental mission to provide safe, quality homes for all communities, the stakes for getting inclusion right have never been higher.

Our recent Member Community Event brought together Inclusive Employers members from across the housing sector to explore current challenges and share practical approaches. The conversations revealed a sector in transition, with organisations recognising the need to strengthen their inclusion foundations rather than focusing solely on more visible activities.

Going back to basics

A striking theme emerged from our discussions: housing organisations are recognising the need to return to inclusion fundamentals. As one member reflected, there has been a tendency to focus on “shiny” celebratory activities whilst assuming strong foundational work was already in place.

This realisation feels particularly poignant given the sector’s core purpose. Just as you wouldn’t build a house without solid foundations, sustainable inclusion requires robust underlying structures before adding the more visible elements.

Members shared how they are now prioritising essential groundwork including:

• Comprehensive data collection and analysis to understand their workforce demographics
• Meaningful colleague engagement initiatives that go beyond surface-level consultation
• Creating or refreshing employee network groups with clearer purpose and support
• Upskilling people managers with practical inclusion knowledge and behaviours

This shift represents maturity in thinking about inclusion strategy. Rather than rushing to implement high-profile initiatives, organisations are taking time to ensure they have the infrastructure needed for lasting change.

The data challenge

Housing organisations face a particular complexity that many other sectors don’t encounter: the need to collect and analyse customer demographic data alongside employee information. Members shared the significant challenges this presents, from encouraging voluntary disclosure to ensuring data accuracy and determining how to use insights effectively.

The conversations revealed organisations grappling with questions like how to make data collection feel safe and valuable for residents, particularly in communities that may have experienced discrimination or marginalisation. There were honest discussions about the technical and cultural barriers to gathering meaningful demographic information and the pressure to demonstrate progress to regulators whilst respecting individual privacy.

Several members highlighted innovative approaches they were piloting, though acknowledged these were early-stage experiments rather than proven solutions. The collective sharing of these challenges demonstrated the value of peer learning in navigating uncharted territory.

Embracing intersectionality

A particularly encouraging development was members’ growing understanding of intersectional approaches to inclusion. Rather than creating separate initiatives for each protected characteristic, organisations are recognising that people’s identities are complex and overlapping.

One member shared how their employee network had evolved from focusing on a single characteristic to adopting the name “Mosaic” to represent the rich diversity of experiences and identities within their workforce. This shift reflects a more sophisticated understanding of how inclusion works in practice.

Members discussed practical ways to embed intersectional thinking, from recruitment processes that consider multiple forms of disadvantage to policies that recognise how different aspects of identity interact. The conversations revealed organisations moving beyond tick-box approaches towards more nuanced, person-centred inclusion strategies.

Leadership challenges

Perhaps the most candid discussions centred on senior leadership behaviour. Members shared concerns about inconsistent role modelling of inclusive behaviours, particularly problematic given increased regulatory scrutiny following tragedies like Awaab Ishak’s death.

The introduction of Awaab’s Law and heightened focus on housing standards means senior leaders’ actions are under greater public scrutiny than ever before. Yet members reported seeing leaders who championed inclusion in formal settings but failed to demonstrate inclusive behaviours in day-to-day interactions.

This disconnect creates significant challenges for EDI practitioners trying to embed inclusive cultures. Members discussed strategies for addressing this gap, from structured leadership development programmes to creating feedback mechanisms that help senior teams understand the impact of their behaviour on organisational culture.

Several participants emphasised the importance of accountability measures that go beyond policy compliance to examine actual behavioural change. There was recognition that in a sector dealing with such fundamental human needs, leadership authenticity on inclusion isn’t optional.