“Using the Standard as a framework for excellence has been a very positive exercise for the Group. It has helped us to test our organisation against rigorous assessment criteria providing the assurance that mechanisms put in place by the Group are effective and robust as well as allowing us to see what else can be done to continuously improve our services. We would recommend this approach to any organisation that is committed to delivering improved outcomes and services for its customers, staff and stakeholders.”
Angus Groom, Executive Director, WM Housing Group (pictured right)
WM Housing Group is one of the largest not-for-profit social housing businesses in the West Midlands area creating places where people are proud to live and work. Based in Bromsgrove, the organisation owns and manages over 24,000 homes providing affordable homes and regenerating communities. Customers are at the heart of the Group’s services and are an important influence in shaping the future of the organisation.
Ian Nield, Chief Executive of Investors in Excellence, said: “Obtaining the Investors in Excellence Standard is a fantastic achievement for any organisation. Those that are recognised have shown themselves to be truly committed to continuous improvement and excellent performance.”
As a large organisation with a varied functionality, the framework of the Investors in Excellence Standard has enabled WM Housing to understand in greater detail how each part of the business functions and has an important role to play in ensuring corporate goals are achieved and improvement activities are continuously happening.
WM Housing develops and supplies quality, affordable homes for people in need. The majority of homes are social rented; however, the Group also provides homes for leaseholders, shared owners, intermediate and market renters.
“By embedding the principles of the Investors in Excellence Standard framework the Group has been able to help our employees handle the challenge of change and publicly demonstrate its proactive attitude to improving our services for our customers.” Commented Angus Groom, Executive Director at WM Housing Group.
“Being recognised as an Investor in Excellence marks all the good work that has already taken place across the organisation to develop effective systems and processes. It also gives us the confidence to continue to progress in order for us to meet the changing needs of our customers and our organisational goals.”
WM Housing also owns a small portfolio of older persons’ accommodation, care homes for people with learning difficulties and is very proud of their award winning support for young people in danger of becoming homeless, funded through Supporting People. The Group is one of the Homes and Communities Agency’s (HCA) lead investment partners and leads the Spectrum Development Consortium, one of the top performing development consortia in the region.
Mr Groom continued “The Investors in Excellence Standard has enabled the Group to take an objective look at its customer facing and back office services enabling us to develop an evidence-based portfolio of the group’s activities. It has helped us identify areas where we want to excel and the ways in which we can meet our goals for excellence across the Group.
“For WM Housing Group this is an important external validation that helps us demonstrate we are progressing on our journey to excellence.”
Congratulations once again to WM Housing Group for achieving certification against the Investors in Excellence Standard.
For more information on how your organisation could achieve similar success please contact IiE on 0121 746 3150 or email hayley.stilling@investorsinexcellence.com.