Full Transcript for Tracy Harrison

00:04:18.899 --> 00:04:21.660 a half million new homes. But regen is a really 00:04:21.660 --> 00:04:25.699 important part of that. So I'm interested to 00:04:25.699 --> 00:04:28.319 see. Well, there's a lot of detail to come out 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:30.040 post spending review. And I think there's an 00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:34.290 opportunity to influence some of that. can't 00:04:34.290 --> 00:04:37.250 hear what she's got to say about AHP and about 00:04:37.250 --> 00:04:40.250 their housing bank and so on and then I'm kind 00:04:40.250 --> 00:04:42.209 of doing a bit of a tag team with some of our 00:04:42.209 --> 00:04:47.899 with the rest of our team so we've got Our Policy 00:04:47.899 --> 00:04:50.180 and External Relations Director, Patrick, is 00:04:50.180 --> 00:04:55.240 presenting this afternoon on retrofit in a devolved 00:04:55.240 --> 00:04:57.899 environment. So combining two things that are 00:04:57.899 --> 00:05:01.540 really key to us, retrofit, warm homes, agenda 00:05:01.540 --> 00:05:05.420 and devolution, which is something that we've 00:05:05.420 --> 00:05:09.540 campaigned on. So looking forward to his session. 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:12.339 And we've got various other sessions going on 00:05:12.339 --> 00:05:15.980 around Net Zero and different things. Yeah, I 00:05:15.980 --> 00:05:18.959 think what has been good is actually, you know, 00:05:18.980 --> 00:05:20.959 there seems to be a lot of focus on how do we 00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:24.800 get, looking at the programme, how do we make 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:27.500 this a more appealing sector for young people 00:05:27.500 --> 00:05:29.800 to, you know, not just young people, but, you 00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:32.079 know, how do we attract people in? I think that's 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:35.639 really positive. And a lot of tenant voice on 00:05:35.639 --> 00:05:37.660 the agenda. And I think that's really, really 00:05:37.660 --> 00:05:39.959 key. And that's something that we've really tried 00:05:39.959 --> 00:05:43.879 to focus on in our own events. in our own work 00:05:43.879 --> 00:05:45.839 making sure that the tenant voice comes through 00:05:45.839 --> 00:05:49.180 strongly yeah um so yeah so that i mean god that 00:05:49.180 --> 00:05:51.040 program's massive isn't it you couldn't get to 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:53.759 you couldn't get to everything but i am looking 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:57.639 forward to um getting my 10 000 steps in hearing 00:05:57.639 --> 00:06:00.180 some interesting sessions and then i'm going 00:06:00.180 --> 00:06:02.920 back tonight brilliant brilliant yeah it's interesting 00:06:02.920 --> 00:06:05.639 what you hear what you say about um the sector 00:06:05.639 --> 00:06:08.199 really being focused on being an attractive employer 00:06:08.199 --> 00:06:11.740 and somewhere where we can bring people in, which 00:06:11.740 --> 00:06:14.740 is something which we're really well, we've championed 00:06:14.740 --> 00:06:18.100 for years. So it's yeah, it's really good to 00:06:18.100 --> 00:06:20.000 hear employers actually trying to think about, 00:06:20.060 --> 00:06:21.819 well, how do you make that a reality then? How 00:06:21.819 --> 00:06:24.699 can we look at where the barriers might be and 00:06:24.699 --> 00:06:27.600 start to appeal? Because it is an incredible 00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:33.379 sector to work in. I was speaking to 400 schoolchildren 00:06:33.379 --> 00:06:37.040 yesterday. And, you know, singing the virtues 00:06:37.040 --> 00:06:39.300 of the social housing sector is somewhere to 00:06:39.300 --> 00:06:41.959 work. And there's a job for everybody. If you're 00:06:41.959 --> 00:06:44.459 good at maths, if you're good at graphic design, 00:06:44.699 --> 00:06:46.300 if you're good with people, if you want to do 00:06:46.300 --> 00:06:48.939 marketing, you know, wherever your skill set 00:06:48.939 --> 00:06:52.079 is, there is a role in housing for you. So it's 00:06:52.079 --> 00:06:55.339 how do we, like, package that and sell that to 00:06:55.339 --> 00:06:57.939 that future generation. Yeah, really interesting. 00:06:57.980 --> 00:06:59.660 That came out really strongly in the session 00:06:59.660 --> 00:07:02.620 this morning, actually, you know, that Pat Ritchie 00:07:02.620 --> 00:07:06.350 was talking about, the lack of planners that 00:07:06.350 --> 00:07:09.529 we have and, you know, the need to attract more 00:07:09.529 --> 00:07:11.629 planners in to work in the public sector and, 00:07:11.670 --> 00:07:14.889 you know, saying about the opportunity you have 00:07:14.889 --> 00:07:16.970 to shape a place, like what could be better than 00:07:16.970 --> 00:07:19.730 having the opportunity to shape the future of 00:07:19.730 --> 00:07:22.430 a place and to make that more attractive. But 00:07:22.430 --> 00:07:28.009 for me, that's the real sweet spot with... Sorry, 00:07:28.149 --> 00:07:31.209 I'm kind of going off here. No, no, that's fine. 00:07:32.410 --> 00:07:35.329 you know, as I say, we've campaigned on net zero 00:07:35.329 --> 00:07:38.610 for a long time and it's the opportunity to not 00:07:38.610 --> 00:07:42.170 only make people's homes warmer and put money 00:07:42.170 --> 00:07:44.970 back in their pockets, but in that, through that 00:07:44.970 --> 00:07:48.149 programme of retrofit and through green, you 00:07:48.149 --> 00:07:49.790 know, new generation with green construction 00:07:49.790 --> 00:07:53.430 skills that you can create jobs for future generations, 00:07:53.569 --> 00:07:59.079 you know, good green jobs. So I think. to improve 00:07:59.079 --> 00:08:01.899 homes and create jobs is that is then you know 00:08:01.899 --> 00:08:04.220 that's that's proper physical and social regeneration 00:08:04.220 --> 00:08:08.879 so yeah absolutely lovely thanks leading nicely 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:10.899 on from that um obviously you lead a crucial 00:08:10.899 --> 00:08:13.519 organization in the sector tracy creating a collaborative

00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:15.879 space for housing organizations from the north 00:08:15.879 --> 00:08:17.879 and advocating for them with decision making 00:08:17.879 --> 00:08:20.300 so what does the next couple of months and years 00:08:20.300 --> 00:08:22.959 look like for the nhc what are your plans okay 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:26.800 um so the The next couple of months, I mean, 00:08:26.819 --> 00:08:32.399 so we have had a, we've done a monumental amount 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:35.200 of work leading up to the spending review and 00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:37.919 the submission that we put in our comprehensive 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:40.159 spending review submission was very comprehensive. 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:43.340 It was about 70 pages long and was the culmination 00:08:43.340 --> 00:08:47.559 of various other pieces of work that we'd done. 00:08:48.820 --> 00:08:53.559 And I mean, I guess. We're here, what, two weeks 00:08:53.559 --> 00:08:56.320 after the spending review? It is fantastic that 00:08:56.320 --> 00:08:59.740 housing is so high on government's agenda and 00:08:59.740 --> 00:09:02.700 that they really have put their commitment behind 00:09:02.700 --> 00:09:04.899 housing. So I think this feels like a really 00:09:04.899 --> 00:09:09.519 exciting time. So I think the immediate focus 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:12.340 for us as an organisation is, I said there's 00:09:12.340 --> 00:09:14.899 still a lot of detail to come out. It's about, 00:09:14.980 --> 00:09:18.919 OK, what can we influence still within? So, you 00:09:18.919 --> 00:09:21.250 know... the AHP, we've had the announcements 00:09:21.250 --> 00:09:24.450 about the funding, but there are elements that 00:09:24.450 --> 00:09:28.330 we have been campaigning for around retaining 00:09:28.330 --> 00:09:31.789 flexibilities within the affordable homes programme 00:09:31.789 --> 00:09:36.470 so that we can deal with regen, that we can still 00:09:36.470 --> 00:09:39.730 use part of that fund to deal with regen, which, 00:09:39.809 --> 00:09:42.990 as I say, is a critical issue. So I think we 00:09:42.990 --> 00:09:47.149 will be working really hard with government. 00:09:47.899 --> 00:09:51.139 and with our members to look at which elements 00:09:51.139 --> 00:09:53.600 are still up for grabs which bits can we still 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:58.080 influence I was talking to a government official 00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:00.240 yesterday saying we want to understand really 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:03.059 quickly what is deliverable within this parliament 00:10:03.059 --> 00:10:05.960 and so we'll be and I think coming back to this 00:10:05.960 --> 00:10:08.120 word delivery delivery delivery it will be looking 00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:11.620 at what can we do to support our members to deliver 00:10:11.620 --> 00:10:15.159 and that's partly about influencing and engagement 00:10:15.159 --> 00:10:18.149 but we are funded through procurement yeah so 00:10:18.149 --> 00:10:21.529 there is also

you know we we can campaign for 00:10:21.529 --> 00:10:24.049 the money and the flexibilities and and so on 00:10:24.049 --> 00:10:27.090 but we can also actually help them with it with 00:10:27.090 --> 00:10:29.110 the delivery of that yeah so i'd say that's the 00:10:29.110 --> 00:10:35.289 that's the immediate focus um if i sort of lift 00:10:35.289 --> 00:10:38.549 up from that a bit i mean we're what we're a 00:10:38.549 --> 00:10:41.210 winner june um we're sort of three months into 00:10:41.210 --> 00:10:45.970 our new corporate plan yeah and um Our vision 00:10:45.970 --> 00:10:48.950 is that everybody in the North has a safe, warm, 00:10:49.009 --> 00:10:52.809 affordable home in a place that they're proud 00:10:52.809 --> 00:10:57.230 to live. And our three priorities within that 00:10:57.230 --> 00:11:00.870 plan are that we move the dial on Northern policy. 00:11:01.090 --> 00:11:04.929 So that's pretty clear and I can get into more 00:11:04.929 --> 00:11:08.230 about what moving the dial means for us. We're 00:11:08.230 --> 00:11:12.590 all about people and that's our people and our 00:11:12.590 --> 00:11:20.179 members' people. And we create value. So we try 00:11:20.179 --> 00:11:22.820 to be greater than the sum of our parts. So we've 00:11:22.820 --> 00:11:25.679 got a huge amount of work going on within those 00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:31.840 three priorities. Which I can talk more about. 00:11:32.059 --> 00:11:33.200 You're probably going to have to shut me up. 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:36.000 No, I'm very interested. We could speak for hours. 00:11:36.299 --> 00:11:38.320 I'm really interested in that piece about moving 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:40.480 the dial for northern communities, where three 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:43.179 northern women, if you haven't picked up by the 00:11:43.179 --> 00:11:46.019 accents on the podcast. in a very rainy Manchester 00:11:46.019 --> 00:11:47.899 I must say so if you can hear the pitter patter 00:11:47.899 --> 00:11:51.840 we're in a lovely almost tent here in the city 00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:54.320 centre so excuse that if you can get that background 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:57.539 noise but yes in terms of that shift in the dial 00:11:57.539 --> 00:11:59.659 for northern communities this is something I'm 00:11:59.659 --> 00:12:02.159 really passionate about so can you talk to us 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:04.320 a bit more about what that means what that looks 00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:09.139 like? Yeah absolutely so I mean the lens that 00:12:09.139 --> 00:12:14.840 we look at things through at the consortium We've 00:12:14.840 --> 00:12:18.879 got a Venn diagram that sort of sets out, helps 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:22.139 us to focus on what is it that we want to influence 00:12:22.139 --> 00:12:24.460 on. And if something is an issue to our members, 00:12:24.659 --> 00:12:27.460 if it's something that has a distinct northern 00:12:27.460 --> 00:12:32.039 angle to it, and if it's an area where we believe 00:12:32.039 --> 00:12:35.480 that we can achieve meaningful change, if it 00:12:35.480 --> 00:12:38.200 falls in the middle of our Venn diagram, then 00:12:38.200 --> 00:12:42.740 that is something that we will work on. You're 00:12:42.740 --> 00:12:44.919 going to get sick of me hearing me say the word 00:12:44.919 --> 00:12:47.480 regeneration, but physical and social regeneration 00:12:47.480 --> 00:12:54.159 is absolutely key within that. So a big focus 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:59.539 around regeneration. We have, I guess, sort of 00:12:59.539 --> 00:13:06.210 really led sector efforts around retrofit. Clearly 00:13:06.210 --> 00:13:09.909 climate emergency is a global existential crisis. 00:13:10.350 --> 00:13:13.070 From a housing point of view, there is a northern 00:13:13.070 --> 00:13:15.909 angle to it because we have the oldest, coldest 00:13:15.909 --> 00:13:23.090 homes in Europe. And so my view on retrofit has 00:13:23.090 --> 00:13:26.419 always been that... If you're a local authority 00:13:26.419 --> 00:13:28.519 boss and what's keeping you awake at night is 00:13:28.519 --> 00:13:32.759 poverty and fuel poverty and jobs and climate 00:13:32.759 --> 00:13:35.559 emergency and pressure on adult social services. 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:38.340 Actually, if you're retrofit homes, you start 00:13:38.340 --> 00:13:40.899 to deal with each of those issues because you 00:13:40.899 --> 00:13:43.379 put money back in people's pockets. You can create 00:13:43.379 --> 00:13:45.559 jobs. We've quantified the number of jobs that 00:13:45.559 --> 00:13:47.340 we could create in the north through retrofit. 00:13:48.139 --> 00:13:53.240 We were talking about... people falling in homes 00:13:53.240 --> 00:13:56.980 earlier on. Old people don't fall as much in 00:13:56.980 --> 00:14:03.580 warm homes. So yes, for many different reasons 00:14:03.580 --> 00:14:07.460 we see that as being a really important priority. 00:14:07.639 --> 00:14:11.580 So it's about net zero and about climate resilient 00:14:11.580 --> 00:14:15.039 communities and we're seeing all these big... 00:14:15.259 --> 00:14:17.379 This isn't a big weather event, but we're seeing 00:14:17.379 --> 00:14:20.340 all these big weather events and climate resilience 00:14:20.340 --> 00:14:24.919 is becoming an increasing issue. And then the 00:14:24.919 --> 00:14:28.779 other major priority for us, and again, something 00:14:28.779 --> 00:14:33.139 we've campaigned on, is devolution. And devolution 00:14:33.139 --> 00:14:38.340 of more powers from Westminster. allowing people 00:14:38.340 --> 00:14:40.539 who have skin in the game and who understand 00:14:40.539 --> 00:14:45.039 what is required at their local level to be able 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:49.299 to deal with the challenges and opportunities. 00:14:49.799 --> 00:14:53.679 So there are sort of campaign priorities within 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:56.440 this corporate plan. But we're really clear that 00:14:56.440 --> 00:15:01.379 we

are not a talking shop. We are absolutely 00:15:01.379 --> 00:15:05.529 about... creating change and i think increasingly 00:15:05.529 --> 00:15:08.350 as an organization we are able to point out things 00:15:08.350 --> 00:15:11.830 and say we helped to influence that nothing ever 00:15:11.830 --> 00:15:13.889 happens as a result of one organization it's 00:15:13.889 --> 00:15:17.799 always a combination uh yeah of of voices yeah 00:15:17.799 --> 00:15:20.519 that make things happen actually i think spending 00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:22.600 review has been a great example example of that 00:15:22.600 --> 00:15:25.600 yeah you know all the sector bodies working together 00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:29.620 hammering the same point consistency of messaging 00:15:29.620 --> 00:15:31.960 and i think you know when they keep hearing it 00:15:31.960 --> 00:15:35.820 from various different sources um it lands yeah 00:15:35.820 --> 00:15:37.840 and i think we've sort of demonstrated that so 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:40.539 yeah i think the sector's definitely sort of 00:15:40.539 --> 00:15:43.779 seized that opportunity that like housing is 00:15:43.779 --> 00:15:47.080 at the top of government's agenda now, and how 00:15:47.080 --> 00:15:50.220 do we ensure that collectively we're working 00:15:50.220 --> 00:15:52.960 with government to really get the policies, the 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:56.019 strategies, the funding that's needed. So it 00:15:56.019 --> 00:15:59.960 feels like the past 12 months have been a real 00:15:59.960 --> 00:16:02.419 opportune moment for the sector, but with that 00:16:02.419 --> 00:16:04.679 opportunity comes that responsibility to actually 00:16:04.679 --> 00:16:09.509 get it right. collaboration and work together 00:16:09.509 --> 00:16:12.389 that'd be such a big part of that yeah yeah 100 00:16:12.389 --> 00:16:16.190 i think um i think this you know this is a sort 00:16:16.190 --> 00:16:19.629 of once in a generation opportunity um if you 00:16:19.629 --> 00:16:21.809 don't do it now then when are we going to do 00:16:21.809 --> 00:16:23.730 we won't get the chance again so we absolutely 00:16:23.730 --> 00:16:27.029 have to deliver yeah i think you know collaboration 00:16:27.029 --> 00:16:29.750 is really really key to doing that and i think 00:16:29.750 --> 00:16:33.450 actually in the north um we we sort of have the 00:16:33.450 --> 00:16:39.220 um the partnerships set up to be really well 00:16:39.220 --> 00:16:41.639 placed to do that. So, I mean, we're going to 00:16:41.639 --> 00:16:46.100 have all of the North covered by some sort of 00:16:46.100 --> 00:16:49.679 devolved arrangement. What we've seen in all 00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:52.000 of the mayoral combined authority areas is the 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:54.639 growth of this housing partnership model and 00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:58.539 housing associations and stockholding authorities 00:16:58.539 --> 00:17:02.860 coming together and looking at, well, working 00:17:02.860 -->

00:17:05.339 together, how can we go further faster and how 00:17:05.339 --> 00:17:08.619 can we help to deliver? for the mayors and i 00:17:08.619 --> 00:17:10.720 mean to me for you know if you're a mayor it's 00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:13.160 an absolute gift isn't it yes to have that there 00:17:13.160 --> 00:17:15.440 you have all of these you know these organizations 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:18.960 who are spending bazillions of pounds who have 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:21.700 a massive economic impact within their communities 00:17:21.700 --> 00:17:24.180 who are employing thousands and thousands of 00:17:24.180 --> 00:17:27.480 people who are anchor institutions the fact that 00:17:27.480 --> 00:17:30.069 they have come together and said, okay, this 00:17:30.069 --> 00:17:31.589 is us, if you want to talk to us, here we are. 00:17:33.430 --> 00:17:35.769 There's nothing not to think about that, is there, 00:17:35.789 --> 00:17:37.329 if you remember? Yeah, and what I've seen in 00:17:37.329 --> 00:17:38.930 the North East, some parts of the North East 00:17:38.930 --> 00:17:43.049 Housing Partnership, is that... um a real inclusive 00:17:43.049 --> 00:17:45.410 approach has been taken to that and that broad 00:17:45.410 --> 00:17:49.849 agenda across housing isn't just housing so um 00:17:49.849 --> 00:17:51.750 within the northeast housing partnership we've 00:17:51.750 --> 00:17:54.650 got the nhs represented in the integrated care 00:17:54.650 --> 00:17:57.710 board um i work for crisis the homelessness charity 00:17:57.710 --> 00:18:00.349 and we've got a seat at the table it's that actually 00:18:00.349 --> 00:18:03.130 if we're going to fix the problems here this 00:18:03.130 --> 00:18:05.049 cannot just be the housing providers and the 00:18:05.049 --> 00:18:07.490 local authorities alone this has to be that broad 00:18:07.490 --> 00:18:11.700 network of organizations and sharing strategies 00:18:11.700 --> 00:18:14.400 sharing plans to do that collectively which has 00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:17.519 just been a breath of fresh air if i'm honest 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:20.420 yeah um you know just to meet monthly to get 00:18:20.420 --> 00:18:22.220 everybody around the table who's got skin in 00:18:22.220 --> 00:18:25.140 the game yeah um it's been game changing yeah 00:18:25.140 --> 00:18:29.099 no you're so you're so right it's um i think 00:18:29.099 --> 00:18:32.799 that has been you know such a positive that you've 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:35.309 got health and social care you've got the right 00:18:35.309 --> 00:18:37.630 people yeah sitting around a table and i think 00:18:37.630 --> 00:18:39.150 what you know what we've seen in the northeast 00:18:39.150 --> 00:18:42.349 housing partnership is is that ability to sort 00:18:42.349 --> 00:18:44.089 of synthesize some of the work that was going 00:18:44.089 --> 00:18:47.690 on in other places and pull it together i think 00:18:47.690 --> 00:18:51.549 you know you use help the health example

but 00:18:51.549 --> 00:18:54.849 skills is another great example because you've 00:18:54.849 --> 00:18:57.309 got the right scale in a mayoral combined authority 00:18:57.309 --> 00:19:01.369 area to be able to do something meaningful um 00:19:01.369 --> 00:19:05.490 and there really is that there is a palpable 00:19:05.490 --> 00:19:10.509 sense of people wanting to work together. GM 00:19:10.509 --> 00:19:13.910 started this model and they've been the sort 00:19:13.910 --> 00:19:18.490 of trailblazers in a number of different ways 00:19:18.490 --> 00:19:23.950 and everybody else has emulated that. I'm really 00:19:23.950 --> 00:19:26.210 proud that the consortium was supporting the 00:19:26.210 --> 00:19:28.670 majority of those housing partnerships acting 00:19:28.670 --> 00:19:33.029 as a secretariat for a number of them and I think 00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:36.880 you know to be able to look at influence at a 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:39.619 local level and then building that up to a pan 00:19:39.619 --> 00:19:42.700 -northern yeah voice is really really powerful 00:19:42.700 --> 00:19:45.420 and yeah really powerful we know that the you 00:19:45.420 --> 00:19:47.000 know a number of the northern mayors sort of 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:49.039 identify as a group you know they talk about 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:51.779 this great group you've got the the white white 00:19:51.779 --> 00:19:55.359 rose merrill um group and so so actually these 00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:57.400 housing partnerships you know we're we're managing 00:19:57.400 --> 00:19:59.220 to pull the housing partnerships together a bit 00:19:59.220 --> 00:20:02.000 as well to Brilliant. To look at that. So, yeah, 00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:05.779 really, really exciting. But partnership is absolutely 00:20:05.779 --> 00:20:10.160 key. Yeah, absolutely. Jessie, you've talked 00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:13.180 a little bit about already around how we make 00:20:13.180 --> 00:20:16.480 the sector a brilliant place to work. And if 00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:19.000 we're going to deliver the homes that we need 00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:23.259 across the north, we need the skills, we need 00:20:23.259 --> 00:20:26.700 the employees to come in and actually design, 00:20:26.920 --> 00:20:31.730 build, deliver, manage those homes. So at Wish 00:20:31.730 --> 00:20:34.329 we do an annual survey where we ask women in 00:20:34.329 --> 00:20:36.509 the sector, like, what's it like to work in the 00:20:36.509 --> 00:20:38.130 sector at the moment? It's a bit of a litmus 00:20:38.130 --> 00:20:41.890 test really as to where we're at. And every single 00:20:41.890 --> 00:20:44.890 year what we hear back is workplace culture is 00:20:44.890 --> 00:20:48.150 the deal breaker really around people, whether 00:20:48.150 --> 00:20:50.789 people want to stay in the sector or leave the 00:20:50.789 --> 00:20:53.390 sector. And I know this is something you're quite 00:20:53.390 --> 00:20:55.450 passionate about and at the consortium you're 00:20:55.450 --> 00:20:58.609 quite, you know. driven to ensure that the culture 00:20:58.609 --> 00:21:02.009 there is positive and somewhere where people 00:21:02.009 --> 00:21:04.589 would want to stay. So can you tell us a little 00:21:04.589 --> 00:21:07.029 bit about how you've been doing that? Top tips 00:21:07.029 --> 00:21:11.210 maybe? Yeah, I mean, I think I am a great believer 00:21:11.210 --> 00:21:13.730 that culture eats strategy for breakfast every 00:21:13.730 --> 00:21:19.009 day of the week. So I do think it is absolutely 00:21:19.009 --> 00:21:22.990 key. I think that we've always had a good culture. 00:21:24.809 --> 00:21:26.950 And I think that when the pandemic happened, 00:21:27.289 --> 00:21:31.349 I feel like I sound like my grandma going on 00:21:31.349 --> 00:21:37.990 about the war now. In the pandemic days. We worked 00:21:37.990 --> 00:21:42.789 really hard at comms, internal comms, and connection 00:21:42.789 --> 00:21:46.099 to hold everybody together. And then we went 00:21:46.099 --> 00:21:48.140 to this hybrid way of working and we're probably 00:21:48.140 --> 00:21:50.799 quite unusual as an organisation in that we don't 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:54.859 mandate any number of days in the office. So 00:21:54.859 --> 00:22:00.059 we do work in a hybrid way. What has been, and 00:22:00.059 --> 00:22:02.140 obviously not every organisation can do this, 00:22:02.220 --> 00:22:04.619 but what's been really positive for us is that 00:22:04.619 --> 00:22:08.059 there aren't any of our roles that you couldn't 00:22:08.059 --> 00:22:11.000 do and be based elsewhere. So we now, you know, 00:22:11.000 --> 00:22:14.759 having... only in the past had North East based 00:22:14.759 --> 00:22:19.220 employees. We've now got somebody in Edinburgh, 00:22:19.539 --> 00:22:24.019 Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield. So people spread 00:22:24.019 --> 00:22:29.460 around. And I think that it's like we're all 00:22:29.460 --> 00:22:32.500 in this giant experiment still, isn't it? And 00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:34.579 trying to figure our way through it. And I think 00:22:34.579 --> 00:22:39.140 it is a bit of a move and feast. We work at it 00:22:39.140 --> 00:22:46.210 very, very consciously. So connection is really, 00:22:46.269 --> 00:22:51.529 really key. I think trying to really focus on 00:22:51.529 --> 00:22:54.549 individual and team requirements in terms of 00:22:54.549 --> 00:22:56.970 how much face -to -face time you get, how much 00:22:56.970 --> 00:23:01.549 time with your colleagues you get, and then how 00:23:01.549 --> 00:23:06.349 you spread learning. When you're all in an office 00:23:06.349 --> 00:23:08.849 together, you learn a lot by osmosis, don't you? 00:23:08.970 --> 00:23:10.990 And you learn about other people's jobs because 00:23:10.990 --> 00:23:13.230 you can overhear conversations. And jump in. 00:23:14.029 --> 00:23:19.349 And I think the further that you get from that 00:23:19.349 --> 00:23:22.289

situation pre -pandemic where everybody was in 00:23:22.289 --> 00:23:25.720 the office together, the more you've got... employees 00:23:25.720 --> 00:23:28.400 who haven't already got relationships with other 00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:30.779 people so they don't automatically think or like 00:23:30.779 --> 00:23:37.400 ring linda and ask about that so um so every 00:23:37.400 --> 00:23:42.599 so i mean we we have uh quarterly uh staff get 00:23:42.599 --> 00:23:44.660 togethers where the whole team comes together 00:23:44.660 --> 00:23:47.759 it's quite business focused in the morning we 00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:50.200 do something more sociable in the afternoon so 00:23:50.200 --> 00:23:53.799 that might be a meal and drinks or you know whatever 00:23:53.799 --> 00:23:57.059 we've done volunteering together that sort of 00:23:57.059 --> 00:24:03.099 thing but we we do the teams meet on a regular 00:24:03.099 --> 00:24:07.119 basis We do virtual brews a couple of times a 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:10.579 week. We do takeovers of these virtual brews. 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:13.299 So they had one last week or the week before 00:24:13.299 --> 00:24:17.420 that was about fashion on a budget. Oh, brilliant. 00:24:17.500 --> 00:24:22.160 She spoke about what she did and people sort 00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:24.880 of joined in, came with their ideas. You know, 00:24:24.900 --> 00:24:28.339 we've done that around journaling and the powers 00:24:28.339 --> 00:24:35.640 of journaling and so that kind of thing. We have 00:24:35.640 --> 00:24:39.000 a massive focus on well -being. So we do a huge 00:24:39.000 --> 00:24:42.099 amount on physical and mental well -being. And 00:24:42.099 --> 00:24:44.019 actually on the mental side, we include financial 00:24:44.019 --> 00:24:47.920 within that. So we set time aside for staff to 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:52.140 sort out. We've done this several times where 00:24:52.140 --> 00:24:53.740 we've said, OK, there's a three -hour block in 00:24:53.740 --> 00:24:56.880 your diary. You don't have to use that particular 00:24:56.880 --> 00:24:59.940 time slot, but use that to... cancel all the 00:24:59.940 --> 00:25:02.700 direct debits for things that you know you can't 00:25:02.700 --> 00:25:05.579 sometimes you need that schedule time don't you 00:25:05.579 --> 00:25:07.200 because you're like i know i should do it but 00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:10.400 like yeah i do so full yeah it's all those little 00:25:10.400 --> 00:25:12.940 sort of niggling things so and we you know we've 00:25:12.940 --> 00:25:14.980 done we've done work around that but we have 00:25:14.980 --> 00:25:17.799 campaigns running all the time around well -being 00:25:17.799 --> 00:25:23.240 but that's um very much owned by the staff so 00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:26.200 they design that they decide which and we're 00:25:26.200 --> 00:25:29.339 surveying them to find out what um what is important 00:25:29.339 --> 00:25:31.660 to them and what the focus of that needs to be 00:25:31.660 --> 00:25:35.740 so so yeah i mean we we were right at the start 00:25:35.740 --> 00:25:38.339 of the pandemic we did a session on menopause 00:25:38.339 --> 00:25:40.460 and at the time it was really on you i mean now 00:25:40.460 --> 00:25:42.619 everybody talks about it at the time when we 00:25:42.619 --> 00:25:46.019 ran that session and we opened it up to members 00:25:46.019 --> 00:25:48.799 as well but it was for our staff There was a 00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:50.519 couple of people said to me, oh, you're quite 00:25:50.519 --> 00:25:53.640 brave doing that. Now it seems sort of odd to 00:25:53.640 --> 00:25:57.740 say that people would think that. So, yeah, we've 00:25:57.740 --> 00:26:02.859 had this big focus on physical and mental well 00:26:02.859 --> 00:26:05.299 -being. But a lot of it is about connection. 00:26:05.460 --> 00:26:07.900 But I don't, I mean, I don't think that we've 00:26:07.900 --> 00:26:10.059 got it all right or got all of the answers. And 00:26:10.059 --> 00:26:11.660 we're about to start culture and performance 00:26:11.660 --> 00:26:15.400 development. program in the next couple of months 00:26:15.400 --> 00:26:18.440 which will be looking at trying to make sure 00:26:18.440 --> 00:26:21.940 that there is consistency for staff in you know 00:26:21.940 --> 00:26:26.880 how you are managed what yes you know like every 00:26:26.880 --> 00:26:29.240 organization people are promoted on technical 00:26:29.240 --> 00:26:31.440 ability in their role that doesn't necessarily 00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:34.359 mean that you can manage manage people so we're 00:26:34.359 --> 00:26:38.099 going to do a load of work um around around that 00:26:38.099 --> 00:26:40.779 and then i think i think the other thing in terms 00:26:40.779 --> 00:26:45.880 of values is We attract as an organisation people 00:26:45.880 --> 00:26:50.420 who are inspired by our vision and who want to 00:26:50.420 --> 00:26:53.680 make a difference. By and large, that's why people 00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:55.440 will be coming in and they see the opportunity 00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:58.680 to create that meaningful change. And we have 00:26:58.680 --> 00:27:01.319 a very strong values -based culture and the staff... 00:27:02.559 --> 00:27:06.460 write the values and we will hold people accountable 00:27:06.460 --> 00:27:09.079 on those values so if people aren't living the 00:27:09.079 --> 00:27:13.599 values we will call them out on that so yeah 00:27:13.599 --> 00:27:17.420 I mean to me you want a workplace where people 00:27:17.420 --> 00:27:23.539 can come and be you know be themselves and you 00:27:23.539 --> 00:27:29.740 know feel included feel valued and I think Just 00:27:29.740 --> 00:27:32.039 have a really good laugh. That's the other thing, 00:27:32.099 --> 00:27:36.200 you know what I mean? You have to have a... I 00:27:36.200 --> 00:27:38.140 think that's one of the things I always loved 00:27:38.140 --> 00:27:39.980 at the consortium.

We have a really good belly 00:27:39.980 --> 00:27:41.740 laugh at least once a day. We spend a lot of 00:27:41.740 --> 00:27:44.200 time together, don't you? I sometimes see my 00:27:44.200 --> 00:27:46.940 colleagues more than I see my family. And, you 00:27:46.940 --> 00:27:50.380 know... You do sometimes just need to stop taking 00:27:50.380 --> 00:27:54.819 yourself so seriously. Yeah, and just be a bit 00:27:54.819 --> 00:27:56.779 vulnerable in that, I suppose, and being able 00:27:56.779 --> 00:27:58.539 to just open up. Yeah, I was just going to say, 00:27:58.579 --> 00:28:00.680 so you've obviously been a leader in the sector 00:28:00.680 --> 00:28:03.500 for a long time, and seeing female leaders is 00:28:03.500 --> 00:28:08.220 always really inspiring. The culture stuff is 00:28:08.220 --> 00:28:10.279 great, and I think having a CEO who leads in 00:28:10.279 --> 00:28:12.319 that way is phenomenal, but not every organisation 00:28:12.319 --> 00:28:14.819 is that lucky to have someone like you at the 00:28:14.819 --> 00:28:17.460 top. there will be people watching and listening 00:28:17.460 --> 00:28:20.140 to this who want to instil those values themselves. 00:28:20.440 --> 00:28:22.859 If you were to speak to anyone that's listening, 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:24.720 what advice would you give them to start making 00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:27.359 that change? You know, one person can create 00:28:27.359 --> 00:28:29.680 a knock -on effect and a ripple. What would you 00:28:29.680 --> 00:28:32.099 tell them? What would you give them as your nugget 00:28:32.099 --> 00:28:34.319 of advice for beginning this vulture change? 00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:37.759 It is that thing about, you know, be the change 00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:41.940 that you want to see, isn't it? And I think that... 00:28:43.709 --> 00:28:46.549 I think it's about holding yourself to your own 00:28:46.549 --> 00:28:49.549 values, even if the culture of the organisation 00:28:49.549 --> 00:28:52.930 isn't. But do you know what? I think if you're 00:28:52.930 --> 00:28:55.970 in an organisation where you don't feel that 00:28:55.970 --> 00:28:58.670 your values align with it, then I think you're 00:28:58.670 --> 00:29:01.910 best to move, in honesty. And I don't mean that 00:29:01.910 --> 00:29:05.569 to sound sort of defeatist, but I think, you 00:29:05.569 --> 00:29:07.990 know, and I don't want to sort of sound too woo 00:29:07.990 --> 00:29:12.130 -woo, but I think if you live in a... And you've 00:29:12.130 --> 00:29:14.349 just said you're at work a lot of the day. If 00:29:14.349 --> 00:29:19.269 you spend a lot of your day, week, year living 00:29:19.269 --> 00:29:21.750 in a way that is incongruent with your values, 00:29:21.789 --> 00:29:24.990 it'll make you ill. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, you 00:29:24.990 --> 00:29:28.390 know, I think it is... But, yeah, I think, you 00:29:28.390 --> 00:29:32.609 know, hold yourself to your own standards rather 00:29:32.609 --> 00:29:35.549 than being... You know, if you think other people 00:29:35.549 --> 00:29:38.609 aren't as high, I would always say... hold yourself 00:29:38.609 --> 00:29:40.829 to your own high standards and i think you inspire 00:29:40.829 --> 00:29:43.470 other people through that anyway yeah yeah yeah 00:29:43.470 --> 00:29:47.990 thanks how are we doing for questions so on let 00:29:47.990 --> 00:29:50.069 me just check we've got them coming in from two 00:29:50.069 --> 00:29:52.470 channels so LinkedIn and YouTube please everybody 00:29:52.470 --> 00:29:57.509 so I couldn't quite get the YouTube ones up so 00:29:57.509 --> 00:29:58.869 I'll start with a question that's on our LinkedIn 00:29:58.869 --> 00:30:01.210 if that's okay so this is from Caroline who is 00:30:01.210 --> 00:30:04.369 our North Wales chair if wish and she says so 00:30:04.369 --> 00:30:06.049 what innovative strategies or initiatives do 00:30:06.049 --> 00:30:07.910 you believe are most crucial for the sector to 00:30:07.910 --> 00:30:11.309 adopt and ensure equitable and sustainable housing 00:30:11.309 --> 00:30:15.079 solutions for all well I mean first and foremost 00:30:15.079 --> 00:30:16.680 i think we'll come back to this thing of delivery 00:30:16.680 --> 00:30:19.480 don't we and now is the moment so i think we 00:30:19.480 --> 00:30:21.500 have to get on with it we have to we'll have 00:30:21.500 --> 00:30:26.240 to we'll have to crack on yeah um so i think 00:30:26.240 --> 00:30:29.819 um i don't know do i think it's about innovative 00:30:29.819 --> 00:30:33.500 strategies or do i think it's about taking what 00:30:33.500 --> 00:30:36.480 we've got there now and running with it um i 00:30:36.480 --> 00:30:38.640 mean i think it's really important that we don't 00:30:38.640 --> 00:30:42.259 just build you know It can't just be about the 00:30:42.259 --> 00:30:45.079 numbers. It has to be about the right homes in 00:30:45.079 --> 00:30:47.480 the right places. And I think that's the thing 00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:51.099 that we really need to make sure that we maintain 00:30:51.099 --> 00:30:55.359 that focus on, that we don't just build anything 00:30:55.359 --> 00:31:00.099 anywhere. But I think, I'm not sure that it's 00:31:00.099 --> 00:31:03.920 about, in terms of equitable solutions, it's 00:31:03.920 --> 00:31:07.180 about providing more social and affordable homes. 00:31:07.299 --> 00:31:09.740 So I think that is getting on with... okay, we've 00:31:09.740 --> 00:31:12.720 got the best spending review result that we could 00:31:12.720 --> 00:31:15.900 possibly have hoped for. There is still detail 00:31:15.900 --> 00:31:19.420 to work through, but I think it's about, okay, 00:31:19.500 --> 00:31:21.980 how we're going to get on with this and how are 00:31:21.980 --> 00:31:24.839 we going to start to really deliver. And the 00:31:24.839 --> 00:31:27.059 bit about female leaders. What role do you think 00:31:27.059 --> 00:31:29.359 female leadership has in

driving those changes 00:31:29.359 --> 00:31:35.119 through? I think that, you've talked about partnership 00:31:35.119 --> 00:31:41.079 and collaboration before. And actually, I don't 00:31:41.079 --> 00:31:44.039 know if maybe maybe female leaders are inspiring 00:31:44.039 --> 00:31:46.819 male leaders to be more like this or allowing 00:31:46.819 --> 00:31:49.640 them to be more like this. But I think encouraging. 00:31:49.960 --> 00:31:58.099 I think that women are more naturally. you know 00:31:58.099 --> 00:32:00.859 inclined to that partnership yeah there is less 00:32:00.859 --> 00:32:04.940 sort of competitiveness yeah more sharing um 00:32:04.940 --> 00:32:09.420 so so yeah i think that's probably um something 00:32:09.420 --> 00:32:12.220 that we i think the more that we work in partnership 00:32:12.220 --> 00:32:15.750 that that that holds a lot of the answers And 00:32:15.750 --> 00:32:17.910 I think particularly, you know, I would go back 00:32:17.910 --> 00:32:20.509 to, again, not just building houses, but thinking 00:32:20.509 --> 00:32:24.009 more broadly and thinking about place. And, you 00:32:24.009 --> 00:32:26.410 know, we've talked about place and about it being 00:32:26.410 --> 00:32:29.289 housing is key, but it's also about health and 00:32:29.289 --> 00:32:33.210 it's about transport and it's about jobs and 00:32:33.210 --> 00:32:37.829 skills and what have you. So, yeah, I think thinking 00:32:37.829 --> 00:32:41.410 more broadly about the possibilities. I think 00:32:41.410 --> 00:32:43.369 that piece around female leadership, like one 00:32:43.369 --> 00:32:46.759 of the things that we should, has always had 00:32:46.759 --> 00:32:49.059 as our mission is around the power of the network 00:32:49.059 --> 00:32:52.980 yeah and there's something about um how yeah 00:32:52.980 --> 00:32:56.299 women build connections and relationships which 00:32:56.299 --> 00:32:58.819 is different it's not better but it's often different 00:32:58.819 --> 00:33:01.880 to how men and you know and wish was set up all 00:33:01.880 --> 00:33:04.680 those decades ago it was like well women don't 00:33:04.680 --> 00:33:06.740 have time to go to the golf course and network 00:33:06.740 --> 00:33:10.059 because you know the women who were in leadership 00:33:10.059 --> 00:33:11.980 roles in housing organisations often had to go 00:33:11.980 --> 00:33:15.539 home and still do the mum and the wife bit. And 00:33:15.539 --> 00:33:18.380 I think there is so much learning that I've seen 00:33:18.380 --> 00:33:20.839 that wishes acquired over the years around how 00:33:20.839 --> 00:33:23.980 you collaborate well, just through creating spaces 00:33:23.980 --> 00:33:28.460 to do that. And men come into that space as well. 00:33:28.539 --> 00:33:31.960 It's not just that it's solely women, but I do 00:33:31.960 --> 00:33:34.619 think, just picking up on what you said there 00:33:34.619 --> 00:33:37.660 around like... Women seem to do this well and 00:33:37.660 --> 00:33:41.420 it's the time for it. Yeah, I think that thing 00:33:41.420 --> 00:33:44.380 about building and using your network is really, 00:33:44.460 --> 00:33:48.339 really key. And actually, I think that in the 00:33:48.339 --> 00:33:52.579 trickiest situations that I've had as a chief 00:33:52.579 --> 00:33:59.859 exec, I think my reflection now would be I wish 00:33:59.859 --> 00:34:02.240 I'd used my network more. Yeah, yeah. Because 00:34:02.240 --> 00:34:06.240 I think that... You know, I think that when you, 00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:08.380 you know, it's quite a lonely position being 00:34:08.380 --> 00:34:11.980 a chief exec. Yeah. And I think that when you 00:34:11.980 --> 00:34:17.199 come up against a problem, you want to look like 00:34:17.199 --> 00:34:19.219 you've got it gripped and that you've got, you 00:34:19.219 --> 00:34:23.519 know, and so probably the closest relationships 00:34:23.519 --> 00:34:25.420 that I would have had in the sector would be 00:34:25.420 --> 00:34:27.860 with people on my board. Yeah. And at the time 00:34:27.860 --> 00:34:29.280 I probably thought, well, I don't want to look 00:34:29.280 --> 00:34:33.280 like I've got to ask. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so 00:34:33.280 --> 00:34:36.920 I think I held a lot of stress or created a lot 00:34:36.920 --> 00:34:40.679 of stress for myself by not saying, actually, 00:34:40.739 --> 00:34:44.119 I'm having a nightmare with this situation. And 00:34:44.119 --> 00:34:48.019 you find that when you do, people say, oh, I've 00:34:48.019 --> 00:34:50.679 had that before. And suddenly you're not the 00:34:50.679 --> 00:34:52.599 only person in the world trying to deal with 00:34:52.599 --> 00:34:57.800 the situation. One of the things we've been talking 00:34:57.800 --> 00:35:00.079 about in our board is... You prioritise networking 00:35:00.079 --> 00:35:02.820 the more senior you get in your role. I know 00:35:02.820 --> 00:35:04.639 for me that creating that space, having that 00:35:04.639 --> 00:35:06.900 control of your own diary to manage and maintain 00:35:06.900 --> 00:35:08.940 your network, but actually you need it right 00:35:08.940 --> 00:35:11.179 from the very beginning. Yes. And I think that's 00:35:11.179 --> 00:35:14.039 where Wish can really kind of support that is, 00:35:14.099 --> 00:35:15.800 you know, at every level in the organisation, 00:35:16.079 --> 00:35:18.179 you've got to make use of the people around you 00:35:18.179 --> 00:35:21.010 because... you're better with good people. And 00:35:21.010 --> 00:35:23.409 it's how you utilise that all the way through. 00:35:23.489 --> 00:35:26.250 And to hear, even at chief exec level, to recognise 00:35:26.250 --> 00:35:28.969 the importance of that is amazing. And I think 00:35:28.969 --> 00:35:32.650 everyone who's listening or watching needs to 00:35:32.650 --> 00:35:35.090 prioritise it. You know, it makes such a big 00:35:35.090 --> 00:35:36.710 difference. It makes such a big

difference here 00:35:36.710 --> 00:35:39.349 at work. It really does. It really, really does. 00:35:39.510 --> 00:35:44.349 And I think that, you know, when it's... I generally 00:35:44.349 --> 00:35:46.650 feel if there's a challenge that you have to 00:35:46.650 --> 00:35:50.769 deal with at work, I don't, you know, I always 00:35:50.769 --> 00:35:52.630 think, well, the answers are in the room because 00:35:52.630 --> 00:35:54.530 I surround myself with people who are much better 00:35:54.530 --> 00:35:58.150 than me. So what I'm going to do is pull them 00:35:58.150 --> 00:36:00.710 together and create the opportunity, create the 00:36:00.710 --> 00:36:05.469 environment for them to solve the problems. And 00:36:05.469 --> 00:36:10.570 yeah, I think. But when there's something that 00:36:10.570 --> 00:36:13.289 is kind of confidential or more personal or whatever, 00:36:13.409 --> 00:36:15.610 I think having that network of people that you 00:36:15.610 --> 00:36:20.710 really trust that you can go and talk to is absolutely 00:36:20.710 --> 00:36:25.010 worth its weight in gold and probably better 00:36:25.010 --> 00:36:29.369 than spending thousands on therapy. I owe loads 00:36:29.369 --> 00:36:32.690 of people money for the three therapy hours I've 00:36:32.690 --> 00:36:37.179 had over the years. But another good question, 00:36:37.219 --> 00:36:39.539 I think, didn't we? We have. So this is around, 00:36:39.619 --> 00:36:41.519 we're seeing more organisations taking a gender 00:36:41.519 --> 00:36:44.579 lens approach to collecting housing data, including 00:36:44.579 --> 00:36:46.780 the members of the NHC. What is the potential 00:36:46.780 --> 00:36:49.239 greater impact of this approach and how can it 00:36:49.239 --> 00:36:53.820 benefit the wider community? I think actually, 00:36:53.980 --> 00:36:57.179 you know, data generally is something that comes 00:36:57.179 --> 00:36:59.960 up all the time. I think as a sector, we're really 00:36:59.960 --> 00:37:04.679 weak. if i dare say on on data i think it is 00:37:04.679 --> 00:37:07.099 something where big improvements have been made 00:37:07.099 --> 00:37:09.780 there are lots of areas where we collect masses 00:37:09.780 --> 00:37:15.380 of data don't actually do anything anything with 00:37:15.380 --> 00:37:20.340 it so i think and and i think it you know the 00:37:20.340 --> 00:37:23.639 the absence of some of the data that will probably 00:37:24.960 --> 00:37:28.500 that we need probably holds us back in a lot 00:37:28.500 --> 00:37:33.119 of areas. So I think it is something that there 00:37:33.119 --> 00:37:37.349 is a general issue. with data as an area where 00:37:37.349 --> 00:37:40.010 we could really, really see big improvements. 00:37:40.309 --> 00:37:44.789 But I have been given this badge about your campaign. 00:37:45.070 --> 00:37:47.210 So I'm thinking I would actually love to hear 00:37:47.210 --> 00:37:50.429 about your campaign. This would be an opportunity. 00:37:50.869 --> 00:37:53.550 This links into data, doesn't it? Definitely, 00:37:54.090 --> 00:37:56.849 yeah. So the campaign's focused on that very 00:37:56.849 --> 00:38:00.869 issue, really, that it's a huge opportunity becoming 00:38:00.869 --> 00:38:03.989 more interested in data and the world is... more 00:38:03.989 --> 00:38:08.369 and more becoming sort of subject to the data 00:38:08.369 --> 00:38:11.670 we hold, really, with AI and all of that. And 00:38:11.670 --> 00:38:14.050 when you really dig into that data, it very often 00:38:14.050 --> 00:38:18.369 has a male bias in it. So we've got huge gaps 00:38:18.369 --> 00:38:24.329 in our understanding around women, but also not 00:38:24.329 --> 00:38:27.909 just what you might think of data, but the... 00:38:28.159 --> 00:38:30.320 be inciting the information that we hold on women 00:38:30.320 --> 00:38:33.440 in their lives and what their needs might be. 00:38:34.159 --> 00:38:37.280 So the campaign looks to just really put a spotlight 00:38:37.280 --> 00:38:40.059 on the good work that's going on in this area. 00:38:40.260 --> 00:38:43.440 So how we make ourselves really attractive employers 00:38:43.440 --> 00:38:46.239 for women and how we make ourselves really great 00:38:46.239 --> 00:38:49.199 landlords for our female tenants through using 00:38:49.199 --> 00:38:51.880 the data that we've got and seeing it through 00:38:51.880 --> 00:38:54.380 a female lens. But also looking at where might 00:38:54.380 --> 00:38:56.840 we have gaps in data, where might we not know. 00:38:57.449 --> 00:38:59.809 what's really going on for people because if 00:38:59.809 --> 00:39:02.550 you don't know what's going on for them you can't 00:39:02.550 --> 00:39:04.690 make the right policies and services for them 00:39:04.690 --> 00:39:07.949 it's a one -size -fits -all approach which kind 00:39:07.949 --> 00:39:11.010 of serves no one does it does it really so it's 00:39:11.010 --> 00:39:13.409 really just encouraging the sector when we're 00:39:13.409 --> 00:39:15.809 now at this pivotal point where data is going 00:39:15.809 --> 00:39:18.610 to play a massive role in what the sector looks 00:39:18.610 --> 00:39:22.190 like over the next next few years just be curious 00:39:22.190 --> 00:39:25.269 about what what that data is really telling you 00:39:25.269 --> 00:39:27.429 and who it's really reflecting. I think it's 00:39:27.429 --> 00:39:33.449 really, really interesting. I sort of started 00:39:33.449 --> 00:39:38.170 my career in detergents. So fabric conditioner 00:39:38.170 --> 00:39:40.329 and washing powder and washing up liquid and 00:39:40.329 --> 00:39:44.670 that sort of stuff. And we were supplying the 00:39:44.670 --> 00:39:47.949 major multiples, so Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, 00:39:48.150 --> 00:39:53.739 a few that no longer exist actually. And so I'm 00:39:53.739 --> 00:39:57.880 going back to this was the early 90s. And the 00:39:57.880 --> 00:40:02.460 level of data that we held

was incredible. That 00:40:02.460 --> 00:40:08.139 focus on the customer. And fast moving consumer 00:40:08.139 --> 00:40:12.079 goods is the sector, the industry that has the 00:40:12.079 --> 00:40:16.099 greatest focus on customers. So for me, it's 00:40:16.099 --> 00:40:24.059 kind of... It's interesting, I think, when you 00:40:24.059 --> 00:40:26.380 come from a background where the customer absolutely 00:40:26.380 --> 00:40:30.280 is king and where, you know, I was always sort 00:40:30.280 --> 00:40:32.659 of told the minute you take your finger off the 00:40:32.659 --> 00:40:33.820 pulse, you're not going to know when the heart 00:40:33.820 --> 00:40:36.440 stops beating. And I think there is a lot of 00:40:36.440 --> 00:40:39.840 that that needs to be brought into... I think 00:40:39.840 --> 00:40:43.519 we're getting much, much better at it. It comes 00:40:43.519 --> 00:40:45.449 back to that thing of... there's not always a 00:40:45.449 --> 00:40:48.150 lot of choice in agency. So in the way that in 00:40:48.150 --> 00:40:50.309 the commercial sector, you absolutely have to 00:40:50.309 --> 00:40:51.690 know your customer because they're not going 00:40:51.690 --> 00:40:54.289 to buy your product otherwise. How have we been 00:40:54.289 --> 00:40:57.010 able to not be so focused on that over the years? 00:40:57.170 --> 00:40:59.849 So we do have a bit of catching up to do, but 00:40:59.849 --> 00:41:03.210 it's like what you said around... know delivery 00:41:03.210 --> 00:41:05.369 and the opportunity being now the opportunity 00:41:05.369 --> 00:41:08.110 really is now with the focus on tenant satisfaction 00:41:08.110 --> 00:41:11.349 and needing that workforce for the future to 00:41:11.349 --> 00:41:14.010 really get this right so that's what we're hoping 00:41:14.010 --> 00:41:15.869 to do at wish is to support the sector really 00:41:15.869 --> 00:41:18.989 in that effort to to get this right yeah yeah 00:41:18.989 --> 00:41:21.570 yeah and i think i think that the sector is making 00:41:21.570 --> 00:41:25.289 big strides forward um with that i spoke to a 00:41:25.289 --> 00:41:28.070 number of landlords around the time of the pandemic 00:41:28.070 --> 00:41:30.010 who said that when they were doing very detailed 00:41:30.010 --> 00:41:33.150 conversations um with tech you know when they 00:41:33.150 --> 00:41:35.010 were getting in touch with everybody to say are 00:41:35.010 --> 00:41:38.070 you okay yeah that actually the the percentage 00:41:38.070 --> 00:41:41.530 of tenants who needed support was tiny compared 00:41:41.530 --> 00:41:46.829 with what they had thought yeah so um so and 00:41:46.829 --> 00:41:49.289 that was allowing them to re -engineer their 00:41:49.289 --> 00:41:51.650 organizations to say well actually if it's five 00:41:51.650 --> 00:41:53.650 percent of people who really need support well 00:41:53.650 --> 00:41:57.260 we can put all that focus on them because you 00:41:57.260 --> 00:41:58.619 know, you've got all these other people who are 00:41:58.619 --> 00:42:01.639 like, I'm absolutely fine. Just, you know, kind 00:42:01.639 --> 00:42:03.860 of leave me alone. The insight that it gives 00:42:03.860 --> 00:42:05.559 you, it's brilliant. It's the insight so that 00:42:05.559 --> 00:42:08.679 you can shape your services to deliver better 00:42:08.679 --> 00:42:11.760 where it's needed. So, yeah. Brilliant. Thank 00:42:11.760 --> 00:42:14.679 you. So we're in and out of time. I think we 00:42:14.679 --> 00:42:16.219 could talk forever, couldn't we? But should we 00:42:16.219 --> 00:42:19.179 ask our question that we ask all of our podcast 00:42:19.179 --> 00:42:21.159 guests? And would you like to ask it, Helen? 00:42:21.320 --> 00:42:24.179 Yes. If you had one wish for the centre, Tracy, 00:42:24.219 --> 00:42:32.670 what would that be? I'll ask a short -term one 00:42:32.670 --> 00:42:37.610 and I want to see. A lot of my wishes have kind 00:42:37.610 --> 00:42:40.949 of been granted through the spending review. 00:42:41.230 --> 00:42:45.489 So I'm going to say short -term, what I'd like 00:42:45.489 --> 00:42:48.409 to see is that we get the flexibility so that 00:42:48.409 --> 00:42:50.909 we can deliver regeneration, housing -led regeneration 00:42:50.909 --> 00:42:55.050 in the north because... Yep, we need to build 00:42:55.050 --> 00:42:57.969 new homes. We absolutely have to do that. But 00:42:57.969 --> 00:43:03.949 we have to deal with the ageing stock that is 00:43:03.949 --> 00:43:06.190 at the end of its life that we can't keep chucking 00:43:06.190 --> 00:43:09.510 money at. And we need to deal with those communities 00:43:09.510 --> 00:43:11.510 that have been left behind and where they are 00:43:11.510 --> 00:43:14.909 crying out for regeneration. So flexibility and 00:43:14.909 --> 00:43:18.329 funding around regeneration is my wish. Brilliant. 00:43:18.349 --> 00:43:21.409 Thank you. Well, we'll put that one in the genie 00:43:21.409 --> 00:43:25.130 lamp. And hopefully it'll work. Well, we've seen 00:43:25.130 --> 00:43:28.050 some of them come true, haven't we? So I think 00:43:28.050 --> 00:43:30.030 we might have a little bit of power, who knows? 00:43:30.550 --> 00:43:33.070 Oh, Tracey, it's been wonderful. to chat with 00:43:33.070 --> 00:43:35.949 you. Thank you for giving up your time in what's 00:43:35.949 --> 00:43:37.769 going to be a really busy day for you. I know 00:43:37.769 --> 00:43:40.449 running around the conference and engaging in 00:43:40.449 --> 00:43:43.389 that programme, we really appreciate it. I found 00:43:43.389 --> 00:43:46.130 it so insightful. I've enjoyed it. Thank you 00:43:46.130 --> 00:43:48.030 so much. Thank you very much. Yes, and thank 00:43:48.030 --> 00:43:51.150 you for tuning in. This podcast will be available 00:43:51.150 --> 00:43:56.929 to download from our podcast platforms. So, yes, 00:43:56.989 --> 00:43:58.489 if you want to watch back and you want to share 00:43:58.489 --> 00:44:00.989 it with others that you think might be interested, 00:44:01.170 --> 00:44:04.869 then please do. do do that and series three of 00:44:04.869 --> 00:44:07.510 our podcast will be landing soon as well so keep 00:44:07.510 --> 00:44:10.570 an eye out for for that but you've been watching 00:44:10.570 --> 00:44:15.090 the if i had one wish podcast thank you and see 00:44:15.090 --> 00:44:15.469 you soon