A KEIGHLEY social housing group has won a top national award.

Incommunities took the Sustainability Strategy of the Year accolade in the acclaimed SHIFT Awards.

The environmental prize scheme recognises outstanding projects and performance among housing providers.

At the London presentation ceremony, Incommunities also earned a silver accreditation for sustainability performance.

Plus it was highly commended in the Team of the Year category and shortlisted for two further honours.

During the past year, the group’s sustainability team has achieved a series of successes.

It helped 2,100 residents make home-energy savings and improve their recycling rates, saved Incommunities more than £60,000 on its electricity and gas bills, secured £282,000 in external match funding for home cavity wall insulation and gas connection schemes – benefitting over 400 households – and delivered sustainability training to staff and graduates working in housing.

Joana Malato – marketing and communications manager at Sustainable Homes, which manages the SHIFT sustainability standard for the sector – said: “The Strategy of the Year Award is a special category for landlords and we were extremely impressed with Incommunities’ strategic approach, for both its breadth and detail.

“It was a worthy winner.

“Incommunities also received a deserved commendation in the competitive Team of the Year section.”

Geraldine Howley, Incommunities’ group chief executive, said she was “immensely proud” of the success.

“Our sustainability team plays a leading role in helping the business deliver high levels of energy-efficient performance – working with our in-house teams and external partners,” she added.

Her comments are echoed by Angela Perry, the group’s assistant chief executive, asset management.

She said “This is a great achievement.

“We are committed to making our assets and operations more sustainable and work better for us. It’s also great to see we are improving our performance on many fronts.”

Incommunities also recently hosted a fact-finding visit by Jan Vlieghe, a member of the Bank of England’s influential monetary policy committee.

He heard about the group’s growth over the past 15 years and its investment aims.

Incommunities bosses discussed with him their experience of how welfare reform changes were impacting on tenants, and national policy developments affecting the social housing sector.

Also taking part in the visit was Will Holman, deputy agent for the Bank of England in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Mrs Howley said: “We were delighted to host Jan and Will and outline our ambitions as a growing business as well as share our experience of some of the challenges facing the sector.

“It was also valuable to get their perspective on the current UK economic picture.”