As part of this, we created a Karbon customer Environment Group giving customers the opportunity to give feedback on our approach to our environmental policies and our approach to climate change. They can check and challenge our performance and services and ensure we are focusing on environmental issues facing our customers.
We recently spoke to Phil Thornton from Blyth who is a member of our Environment Group and is one of five Karbon customers sitting on the Social Housing Tenants' Climate Jury.
Can you tell us a bit more about the Environment group and the Climate Jury?
The Climate Jury is considered the first of its kind, it was set up by five other housing associations including Karbon Homes. It gives tenants the opportunity to get together and talk about environmental issues, recommendations they want to make to housing associations and how they can move forward.
The Environment Group is similar but more local, focusing on what we can achieve at Karbon.
Why did you decide to get involved?
A letter came through the door asking if I would like to be considered.
To be honest, I was one of those people who wasn’t interested in climate change. However, I thought that by getting involved it might help other people as well as opening my eyes. I went in wanting to learn more and it’s been really beneficial. It's helped me understand the environmental issues we face. If I can learn, a lot of people can.
Why are groups like this important? What impact can they have?
It gives the chance for tenants to be involved and have a voice so we can offer our thoughts on what organisations like Karbon can do. We have to move forward together in order to make change so the more you get involved the better.
What have you managed to achieve with these groups?
With the jury, we were able to get together and offer our findings and recommendations which were then put forward at COP26 (the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference).
It gave us a significant purpose and made me think ‘Maybe I can make a difference’. If I make a little contribution it can add to something much bigger.
What outcomes are you looking from housing associations like Karbon?
Nobody expects them to take on everything, but if they just take on one or two things it can make a difference and lead to a great possibility.
Rome wasn’t built in a day – things like this take time and this is a massive thing. I don’t want anyone to rush into anything and sign up to anything that isn’t 100% approved as we are wasting our time. We need to get the bigger picture and base our decisions on significant information.
The Climate Jury recently won an award at the Northern Housing Awards for Best Resident Involvement initiative – how did that win feel?
I just knew we were going to win it. We’re independent and unique and it felt like a no brainer.
Everyone went crazy when it happened. It shows we are being listened to.
If you like the sound of our Environment Group and would like to get involved, please contact our Engagement Team by emailing Lewis Rimington or Sandy Swinhoe.
The group meets quarterly so it isn’t a huge commitment, but it can make a big difference.
Stay tuned throughout #NetZeroWeek to find out more about our response to climate change.
As part of this, we created a Karbon customer Environment Group giving customers the opportunity to give feedback on our approach to our environmental policies and our approach to climate change. They can check and challenge our performance and services and ensure we are focusing on environmental issues facing our customers.
We recently spoke to Phil Thornton from Blyth who is a member of our Environment Group and is one of five Karbon customers sitting on the Social Housing Tenants' Climate Jury.
Can you tell us a bit more about the Environment group and the Climate Jury?
The Climate Jury is considered the first of its kind, it was set up by five other housing associations including Karbon Homes. It gives tenants the opportunity to get together and talk about environmental issues, recommendations they want to make to housing associations and how they can move forward.
The Environment Group is similar but more local, focusing on what we can achieve at Karbon.
Why did you decide to get involved?
A letter came through the door asking if I would like to be considered.
To be honest, I was one of those people who wasn’t interested in climate change. However, I thought that by getting involved it might help other people as well as opening my eyes. I went in wanting to learn more and it’s been really beneficial. It's helped me understand the environmental issues we face. If I can learn, a lot of people can.
Why are groups like this important? What impact can they have?
It gives the chance for tenants to be involved and have a voice so we can offer our thoughts on what organisations like Karbon can do. We have to move forward together in order to make change so the more you get involved the better.
What have you managed to achieve with these groups?
With the jury, we were able to get together and offer our findings and recommendations which were then put forward at COP26 (the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference).
It gave us a significant purpose and made me think ‘Maybe I can make a difference’. If I make a little contribution it can add to something much bigger.
What outcomes are you looking from housing associations like Karbon?
Nobody expects them to take on everything, but if they just take on one or two things it can make a difference and lead to a great possibility.
Rome wasn’t built in a day – things like this take time and this is a massive thing. I don’t want anyone to rush into anything and sign up to anything that isn’t 100% approved as we are wasting our time. We need to get the bigger picture and base our decisions on significant information.
The Climate Jury recently won an award at the Northern Housing Awards for Best Resident Involvement initiative – how did that win feel?
I just knew we were going to win it. We’re independent and unique and it felt like a no brainer.
Everyone went crazy when it happened. It shows we are being listened to.
If you like the sound of our Environment Group and would like to get involved, please contact our Engagement Team by emailing Lewis Rimington or Sandy Swinhoe.
The group meets quarterly so it isn’t a huge commitment, but it can make a big difference.
Stay tuned throughout #NetZeroWeek to find out more about our response to climate change.
More news
There’s no time like the present for a New Start
Karbon customer Paul Hetherington from Stanley had been out of work for 20 years. But then he found out about our employment programme New Start…
Celebrating the good eggs in our communities
We met up with community hero Letty Davison who runs the Egg Crackers group in Chester-le-Street to find out more about the work she does.