PEOPLE
Inclusive culture
PEOPLE
Inclusive culture
PEOPLE
Inclusive cultures
People
Inclusive culture
In our Corporate Plan, we committed to:
Creating and embedding a new EDI Strategy.
Developing and launching the One Manchester ‘service style’ to improve how we listen, communicate, and connect with our customers.
Here’s how we got on.
EDI Strategy
Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and included, whether you’re a customer, colleague or member of our wider community. That’s why Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is at the heart of everything we do.
How we developed the new strategy
We consulted widely, including with customers on our new EDI Customer Panel, and worked closely with the EDI lead on our Board. We reviewed customer data, feedback from Tenancy Experience Visits (TEVs) and TSMs Our consultations were supported by representatives from Inclusive Employers and the Housing Diversity Network (HDN), and we acted on recommendations from an HDN audit.
Actions we’ve taken so far:
Appointed a new EDI Officer to lead our calendar of events and initiatives.
Added more EDI focus to Tenancy Experience Visits.
Launched three inclusive mentoring opportunities.
Formed an EDI working group.
Carried out rigorous EQIA impact assessments on all customer-facing policies, ensuring collaboration with our EDI Board lead.
Worked with our Community Fund Team to review grants, ensuring fair allocation to different community groups.
Continued pay gap reporting and made progress in closing our gender pay gap.
Refreshed our training programme, including bystander training, hate behaviour training, and conscious inclusion - helping staff challenge both conscious and unconscious bias.
Made more of our services easier to access, by removing language barriers, improving digital inclusion, and promoting aids and adaptations so customers can stay in their homes longer.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: more than words
We’re committed to creating communities where everyone feels safe, respected and included. We know that events across the country have left many people, including our customers and colleagues, feeling unsettled. We have a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime in any form and will take swift action where needed. If you’ve experienced hate crime, discrimination or abuse in your home or community, please reach out—we will listen and support you.
In 2024/25:
colleagues said we lived up to our definition of inclusion
Iftar events sponsored at local mosques during Ramadan
colleagues and customers attended Pride with One Manchester and HouseMark
We continued our commitment to and benchmark ourselves against:
Disability Confident Employer
The Slave Free Alliance (with an updated modern slavery policy and action plan)
Stonewall Diversity Champion
HDN
Inclusive Employers
Reflecting our communities
leadership roles are held by women
colleagues are from BAME backgrounds
Manchester Pride Each year, we proudly join forces with fellow social housing organisations to march in Manchester’s vibrant Pride parade, united under the HouseProud banner. This year, we were thrilled to be joined by Carol, from Longsight, who shared what the experience meant to her:
“I love getting out and about and meeting new people. It’s really important to me to show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community – and it’s great fun too!”
Service style
The full service style review will now be happening in 2025/26. But we made many improvements to how we listen, communicate and connected with customers in 2024/25.
Improving customer communication
In 2024/25 we put your voice at the heart of how we communicate:
We used the new learning sessions to address this with our teams and to improve things, we:
Customer consultation: In spring 2024, we asked for views on our Communications Strategy. 67 customers took part in our survey, telling us you wanted more frequent updates, on a wider range of topics, and a choice of digital or print formats. This feedback shaped our new accessible multi-channel approach, so you get information in the way that works best for you.
Customer Catch-up newsletter: In October we started publishing the launched the Customer Catch Up newsletter, available in print and digital formats, with translation and accessibility options.
Why we did it
You told us you want more regular updates, especially about repairs, safety and the environment.
Most customers prefer email, but many also value letters, texts and newsletters.
What you see
Top service updates and performance highlights
Customer stories and feedback opportunities
Health and safety advice
Events and local news
Complaints guidance
How to get involved
You said, we did: Welcome Pack
You said: Starting a new tenancy can feel overwhelming, and many of you told us that the information provided at move-in wasn’t enough. You wanted a helpful, easy-to-understand Welcome Pack that includes everything you need to know and do to settle into your new home with confidence.
We did: Following workshops with customers and colleagues, we’ve redesigned the induction experience for new tenants. The brand-new Welcome Pack is tailored to your needs, packed with the right information, and presented in a clear, engaging way. It’s designed to make your move smoother and help you feel at home from day one. We’re excited to roll out this improved experience for all new customers this autumn!
In 2024/25, we:
emails sent, with a 21.32% open rate
(above industry average)
views on the newsletter webpage
unique content clicks
QR scans on printed newsletters
(within the first day)
total engagement views
(across all formats)
customers gave feedback on communication in a Customer Voice consultation
The full service style review will now be happening in 2025/26. But we made many improvements to how we listen, communicate and connected with customers in 2024/25.