Inclusion & Belonging
Curo’s approach to Inclusion & Belonging is central to building a workplace that truly reflects the diverse communities we serve.
“Strength lies in differences, not in similarities.”
Why is Inclusion & Belonging critical to us?
Our purpose
‘Homes for Good’ means delivering great service for every customer. Equity is at the heart of this, ensuring people receive what they need to achieve the same positive outcome, regardless of who they are or their circumstances. It’s not about providing the same service to everyone; it’s about ensuring all customers can access and benefit from the services we provide.
Our vision
To inspire pride in all our homes, we must understand and respond to the needs of all our customers and colleagues, not simply plan from our own lived experiences.
Our values
By living our CROFT values – Caring, Respectful, Open, Fair and Trusting – we commit to seeing each individual and doing the right thing for them. Our customers need to trust us to uphold these values in every interaction.
Our governance code
The Board’s governance code expects us to embrace Inclusion & Belonging. This means creating services and a culture that actively promote equity and inclusion, while removing discrimination wherever it appears.
The law and regulation
We operate within a legal and regulatory environment that requires us to meet minimum standards on anti-discriminatory practice, and we aim to exceed those expectations.
The Chair’s Challenge
The National Housing Federation’s Chair’s Challenge is a voluntary commitment for chairs to drive greater Inclusion & Belonging within board leadership. Signatories pledge to understand how diverse and inclusive their boards are today and create a vision for the future.
“The Chair’s Challenge is a recognition that we can’t change the sector without changing the leadership,” says Victor da Cunha, Curo’s Chief Executive. “It commits us to take action and holds us to account publicly.”
Curo’s Chair of the Board, Jane Tabor, has signed up to the Chair’s Challenge.
Embedding Inclusion & Belonging in learning
Training plays a crucial role in strengthening Inclusion & Belonging across Curo. We integrate these principles throughout our learning and development programmes.
- Managers receive training to embed inclusion into decision-making, service development and policy writing.
- Our induction programme includes training on identifying and reporting modern slavery.
- Organisation-wide allyship training helps colleagues understand how to support underrepresented groups.
- In partnership with the Housing Diversity Network, we have developed training on how the Equality Act 2010 applies to day-to-day work. This training is compulsory for all colleagues to ensure consistency and fairness in customer experience.
- Colleagues can also take part in the annual, externally supported Housing Diversity Network mentoring programme, gaining and sharing expertise in areas such as resilience, self-awareness and change.
Inclusion & Belonging Strategy
Our Inclusion & Belonging Strategy holds us to account, with measurable outcomes to help us achieve our aim of becoming a beacon of inclusivity.
This is our initial draft and we are evolving this work as we learn and grow.
What we aim to achieve through our Inclusion & Belonging strategy :
Our customers
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We’ll hold accurate customer data and use it to understand who our customers are and what adjustments or preferences they have.
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Customer information will shape service design, business planning and financial decisions.
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Customers will be able to access information and services in ways that meet their needs.
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We’ll improve performance and increase satisfaction across all customer groups.
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Customers will feel they have been treated fairly.
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We’ll design and refurbish homes with customer needs at the forefront.
Our people
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We’ll hold accurate colleague data and use it to understand individual needs and work preferences.
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This insight will inform our People Plan, improving recruitment, retention and creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels they belong.
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Colleagues will feel they have been treated fairly.
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We’ll reduce pay gaps and increase diversity within leadership and the Board. Find our full Gender Pay Gap Report here.
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Engagement will be measured and understood across different colleague groups.
Our offices and tech
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Our workplaces will be fully adapted to meet the needs of customers and colleagues.
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Our offices and technology will help us attract and retain a diverse workforce.
Accreditations & Memberships
SHARP
SHARP, otherwise known as the Social Housing Anti-Racism pledge is working towards a zero tolerance regarding racism. Curo have signed up and in real terms, this means we have pledged towards a social housing sector that has Zero tolerance towards racism.
HouseProud/Stonewall
The HouseProud Pledge is a social housing LGBTQ+ pledge that asks us to demonstrate our commitment to LGBTQ+ resident equality and support. We have signed this pledge and are committed to listening closely to residents and undertaking a training programme with our colleagues.
We are fully committed to developing an inclusive culture, allowing colleagues to bring their whole self to work and customers to feel safe to share their lives with us and feel heard.
Housing Diversity Network
Housing Diversity Network is a social enterprise, membership organisation that is dedicated to supporting housing sector organisations in their journey to address inequality, maximising the potential of their workforce, and catering to the diverse needs of the communities they serve.