Making a difference for 125 years and beyond
“As we mark our 125th anniversary, we’ve been reflecting on our history, but also looking to the future and considering how we can better support our communities and collaborate with the government to build much-needed new homes.”
By Clare Miller, Chief Executive of Clarion Housing Group
On 20 May 1900, Victorian entrepreneur William Sutton died and left his fortune to build some of the first social housing in London – a man with a vision for a way to transform lives.
Last week, we’ve published our annual Making a Difference report setting out our performance on a range of ESG measures, and while much has changed over the past 125 years, one thing hasn't. Our social purpose, our north star, our commitment to making a difference and providing a home for those who need them most.
Futureproofing our organisation
As we mark our 125th anniversary, we’ve been reflecting on our history, but also looking to the future and considering how we can better support our communities and collaborate with the government to build much-needed new homes.
We can’t do this without recognising a challenge that is perhaps the greatest we’ve faced – climate change. That’s why I’m proud that in May, after 18 months of baselining, stakeholder engagement and collaboration, we became the first housing association in the UK to publish our Climate Transition Plan, setting ambitious targets alongside tangible actions to reduce our environmental impact.
Progress against our plan is measured by reductions in carbon emissions, but the main objective is to enable healthier, warmer, more energy efficient homes for our residents, ensuring they’re experiencing the clear benefits in the transition to net zero. We’ll be providing updates in our Making a Difference report each year, continuing to share challenges and learnings as part of our commitment to transparency and sharing best practice.
Collaboration is a huge part of our pathway to net zero, and our partnership with Octopus Energy is one that’s gone from strength to strength in the last year. Building on our work to create the first ‘Zero Bills’ homes in the UK available through affordable rent and shared ownership, this year we went further, teaming up to retrofit ten of our existing homes in Kent with cutting-edge technology to make them eligible for Octopus’ innovative ‘Zero Bills’ tariff.
Creating thriving communities
Looking at the bigger picture, as we strive to build homes to the highest sustainability standards, we’re also making sure we integrate them into vibrant communities. Communities strengthened and supported by our charitable foundation, Clarion Futures, which helps people into work and training, improves digital skills and financial resilience, and transforms life chances.
In the last year, we’ve reached a major milestone, delivering £1bn in social value. This is in no small part due to the work of Clarion Futures, which delivers one of the largest social investment programmes in the UK.
Since 2016, through Clarion Futures, almost 70,000 people have been supported into jobs and training. This year, we’ve ramped up our work to support people into green jobs, providing opportunities for our residents, whilst helping to tackle the skills shortages which threaten to curtail our retrofit ambitions and delivery.
Behind the numbers are lives changed for the better, including Reinaldo, whose story is featured in our Making a Difference report. He’s a great example of the power of Clarion Futures, securing his dream role as a Retrofit and Domestic Energy Assessor thanks to a programme of tailored support which helped him tackle the barriers that stood in his way.
Reinaldo's story
After a decade out of work due to a back injury, Reinaldo was supported by Clarion Futures and Wates to retrain as a Retrofit and Domestic Energy Assessor. The programme covered his training costs and gave him a route into the fast-growing green jobs sector.
Now in full-time work, Reinaldo helps make homes more energy efficient — a powerful example of how Clarion Futures enables residents to build meaningful, sustainable careers.
As well as supporting individuals, through Clarion Futures we also provide funding to our network of grassroots partners working in communities nationwide to support our residents. Community gardens and art classes, wellbeing spaces and digital skills workshops are just a few examples of projects that we’ve supported, providing opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to learn new skills, improve the places they call home and meet new people from all walks of life.
So what next?
Looking ahead, we’re under no illusion about the complexity of the environment we operate in. While we’ve made important strides, significant challenges remain – from economic uncertainty and rising regulatory demands to growing pressure on resources.
Our mission now is to remain focused and proactive. We’ll continue working in partnership across the sector and with government to ensure that ambition is matched by action, and that we stay on course to deliver against our long-term goals.
There’s no quick fix – but we’re in it for the long haul, and are determined to lead with transparency, share what we learn, and show what genuine environmental and economic sustainability looks like in practice.
I’m proud to be part of the team leading Clarion today, and I hope that with our careful stewardship, we’ll be able to ensure Clarion can continue making a difference for another 125 years and beyond.
This piece first appeared on the website of Inside Housing on 15 October 2025.