FCHO achieves top sustainability status

09/01/2026

At First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO), making our homes, communities, and business greener isn’t just a goal, it’s a commitment. And that commitment has earned us a coveted national accolade. 

We’re proud to announce that the annual independent SHIFT assessment has awarded us gold status for 2025, moving up from silver in 2024. This achievement places us among the top 15% of social housing providers in the UK for sustainability. 

What is SHIFT and why does it matter? 

SHIFT - the Sustainability Homes Index for Tomorrow - is the UK’s leading sustainability standard for housing associations. It measures performance against key environmental targets, including: 

  • Carbon emissions 

  • Energy and water use 

  • Waste recycling 

  • Ethical procurement 

This recognition shows how far we’ve come on our journey to net zero and how much work is happening across our organisation to make a real difference. 

Our sustainability journey 

“SHIFT is an important indicator of how well FCHO is doing on its sustainability journey as we look to become net zero,” said FCHO sustainability manager, Olivia Greenhalgh.

“The gold status is a big leap forward for us and shows just how much work is happening across the business to make a difference to the environment.

“For example, work is continuing to retrofit homes in communities across Oldham with new insulation, heating and windows and doors as we look to 100% of our homes having an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) 'C' rating by the start of the next decade."

She added: “There is more to do and this year we will be looking to follow the report’s recommendations, improve our score, and become one of the very best housing associations in the UK for sustainability.”

One of our major focuses is retrofitting homes across Oldham with new insulation, heating systems, and windows and doors. Our goal? For 100% of our homes to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of ‘C’ by the start of the next decade. 

What we’ve achieved 

  • Reduced energy usage, grey fleet mileage, and water consumption 

  • A huge boost in biodiversity value through initiatives like planting wildflowers and trees, and managing mowing to support wildlife 

  • 100% of our office, maintenance, and repairs waste diverted from landfill 

What’s next? 

We know there’s more to do. This year, we’ll be: 

  • Continuing to improve the energy efficiency of our homes 

  • Expanding sustainable transport facilities, including EV chargers and cycle storage 

  • Engaging more with customers on bulky waste disposal to reduce fly tipping and increase recycling