Awards and accreditations

We work hard to make sure we are the best we can be, so it is great to be recognised for our achievements and successes.

From business excellence, industry-leading customer service to campaigns which change lives for the better, Stonewater is leading the way across a number of areas.

We maintain a number of industry-recognised accreditations and certifications, which independently assure the quality of our services. This includes when we are shortlisted and win awards, which highlights our excellence and professionalism in the housing sector.

The Regulatory Judgements published by the Regulator of Social Housing give Stonewater ratings for Governance and Viability of G1 and V1 respectively. This indicates that Stonewater meets the requirements set out in the Governance and Financial Viability Standard and is in a strong and stable position.

The international rating agency, Standard & Poor's, has given Stonewater a long-term credit rating of A+.

 

Awards

2022

We are double winners in the Internal Communications and Engagement Awards. In partnership with Top Banana, ‘Big Picture’ won Gold for ‘Best use of Storytelling’ for offering colleague engagement “a glimpse of what the Metaverse can mean for truly immersive storytelling”, and then a Bronze for ‘Best Internal Communications Campaign’.

We're thrilled that, with our PR agency See Media, we’ve been awarded the Charity/Not-for-Profit Awards at the PRCA Dare Awards for our George Blunden Public Art Prize.

The award is designed to recognise exceptional PR campaigns delivered by, or on behalf of, charities or social enterprises.

We were delighted to win Best Asset Management Innovation at the Housing Digital Innovation Awards.

The judges recognised our successful integration of two industry-leading software programs, providing one true source of data, eliminating duplication, and saving time, minimising data errors and increasing customer satisfaction. Ultimately, this creates more effective systems which reduce the potential for errors, resulting in a better service for customers.

In collaboration with Living Space and BM3 Architects, we were named regional winner in the category of Best Large Social Housing Development.

The award was for our work at the former Victoria Carpets sports ground in Kidderminster. The majority of homes will be affordable rent, with the rest being shared ownership.

The LABC awards recognise building excellence in the delivery of outstanding construction and workmanship. 

Alongside our PR agency, See Media, we were awarded silver in the Not-for-profit Campaign category for the George Blunden Public Art Prize.

The George Blunden Public Art Prize was shortlisted for both the not-for-profit and low budget campaign categories following a hugely successful inaugural launch of the competition last year.

The CIPR PRide awards recognises work across the public relations and communications industries and is divided into regional awards covering multiple categories.

Our scheme at Mendip View, a development in Axbridge, Somerset has scooped the award for Sustainable Project of the Year.

The scheme, which provided 20 new affordable homes to the town, was commended for its commitment to sustainability, which addresses some of the greatest social challenges facing low-income families across the region, and nation as a whole.

We developed Mendip View with Boon Brown architects and Fisher & Dean Construction, a Somerset-based construction company.

2021

PRCA Public Sector Campaign of the Year

We were thrilled to win this award for our national campaign to decarbonise the UK’s existing housing stock with Cavendish Advocacy (our Public Affairs Consultancy) and the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR).

CIPR Midlands Pride Awards

We were delighted to win the not-for-profit campaign of the year in the CIPR Midlands Pride Awards for our tackling veteran homelessness campaign.

Top Sustainable Housing Providers

Stonewater placed in the top 3 in this award, which celebrates the 30 housing providers that are leading the way in sustainability ambitions and helping the UK on its net-zero journey.

 

Top 30 Digital Housing Providers

This is a list celebrating those providers who, through thoughtful engagement with technology, reacted and responded to the challenges of the pandemic so they could continue to meet the needs of their tenants.

 

2020

Corporate Content Awards – Best Use of Video (Bronze)

Stonewater won a Bronze award for Best Use of Video. We were awarded this award for our Hidden Homelessness film, a short video drawing attention to the ‘hidden homeless’ and housing crisis here in the UK.

The Corporate Content Awards is the only awards event to benchmark and reward corporate storytelling and the use of narrative to call corporate audiences, across owned, earned and bought media.

Corporate Content Awards - Best Content Targeted to the CSR Community (Bronze)

Stonewater won a Bronze award for Best Content Targeted to the CSR Community. We were awarded this award for our Hidden Homelessness film, a short video drawing attention to the ‘hidden homeless’ and housing crisis here in the UK.

The Corporate Content Awards is the only awards event to benchmark and reward corporate storytelling and the use of narrative to call corporate audiences, across owned, earned and bought media.

Employee Benefits Awards (Central & North) - Best Benefits Communications (small employer) Award

Stonewaters myOwnHome benefit to colleagues was awarded the ‘Best Benefits Communications (small employer)’ award at the Employee Benefits Awards 2020.

myOwnHome is believed to be the only initiative of its kind – a shared ownership scheme specifically for employees, supporting them to overcome barriers preventing them achieving home ownership in high-value areas.

PRCA DARE Awards - Charity Not-for-profit Award

Stonewater won the Midlands ‘Charity/Not-for-Profit’ award at the PRCA DARE Awards 2020. We were presented the award for our first ever podcast series; On Air. This award recognises outstanding communincation campaigns across all spectrums.

Institute of Internal Comms Awards - Best Not-For-Profit (Central and North)

Stonewaters Mission Impossible style film for our myOwnHome campaign won the ‘Best Not-for-Profit Communications’ category at the IoIC Awards for the Central and North region. The short parody film, showcased the work that had gone into getting the project off the ground.

Homeless Link Excellence Awards - Innovation in Housing

Stonewater won the Homeless Link Excellence Award for ‘Innovation in Housing’. The award recognises the extended Domestic Abuse service Stonewater launched to help the rising number of people seeking such support during the pandemic. This annual award scheme celebrates the best of homelessness and supported housing sectors across the country.

2019

Institute of Internal Comms Central & North Awards - Employee event of the year – Communications Team – Award of Excellence

Stonewaters Annual Company Day 2018 with a theme of ‘Solving the Housing Crisis’, won an Award of Excellence in the Employee event of the year category.  The awards successfully highlight the fantastic innovation and best practice that exists in internal communication across regions.

Institute of Internal Comms Central & North Awards – We Matter at Work – Award of Excellence

Tom Morris, Internal Communications Business Partner for Stonewater won an award of excellence in the We Matter at Work category. The award recognises Internal Communicators that exemplify and truly do make their colleagues feel that they do indeed matter at work.

EAC National Housing for Older People Awards – Old Mill Court – Bronze Award

Stonewater's scheme at Old Mill Court was recognised for its achievements and was awarded a Bronze Award. The EAC National Housing for Older Peoples awards celebrates successful examples of housing for later life.

Women in Housing Awards - Tenant/Customer Focus Category

Sue Shirt, Executive Director for Customer Experience at Stonewater won ‘Woman of the Year: Tenant/Customer Focus’ award at the Women in Housing Awards 2019. Women in Housing Awards recognises the achievements of Women across the housing sector.

Women in Housing Awards- Improving the lives of women or communities

Stonewaters South Asian Women’s Refuge in Bedford won the ‘Improving the lives of women or communities’ category at the Women in Housing Awards 2019. The refuge provides safe, supported housing for South Asian women and children fleeing domestic abuse. Women in Housing Awards recognises the achievements of Women across the housing sector.

24Housing – 40 over 40

Nikki Whitehouse, Stonewaters Customer Experience Manager was named a 2019 ’40 over Forty’ award winner for her commitment to social housing. The awards highlight those housing professionals, over the age of forty, who have been working in the sector for over ten years, and who have gone above and beyond.

UKCCF National Contact Centre Awards - Going the extra mile

Jon Jones, Customer Contact Advisor at Stonewater, won the ‘Going the extra mile’ category at the UKCCF National Contact Centre Awards 2019. The award recognises employees who go above and beyond the call of duty to help their customers and colleagues.

2018
 

Institute of Internal Communincations Central and North Region Awards – Best Campaign – The Grid – Award of Excellence

Stonewater won an Award of Excellence in the Best Campaign Category for our digital table game; THE GRID, at the IoIC Central and North Region Awards. The aim of the campaign was to bring digital transformation to life through organisational game-play at our Annual Company Day.

Insitute of Internal Communications Central and North Region Awards – Employee Event of the Year – The Grid – Merit

Stonewater won a Merit award in the Employee Event of the Year category for THE GRID – bringing digital transformation to life through organisational game-play. The aim of the campaign was to bring digital transformation to life through organisational game-play at our Annual Company Day.

2017

Foyer Federation Awards – Unsung Hero

Alan Sharp, former Stonewater employee, won the ‘Unsung Hero’ award at the Foyer Federation Awards in 2017. His efforts were recognised for going above and beyond the call of duty in his role as Senior Project Worker at the Exeter Foyer in Commercial Road.

24housing Awards – Innovation of the Year

Stonewater won a top national ‘Innovation of the Year’ award for the creation of Longleigh Foundation, an independent grant-giving charity which helps the UK’s most vulnerable residents and communities affected by poverty and welfare cuts.

Foyer Federation Awards – Inspiration Award

Kyle Jenkins, former resident of Stonewaters Quay Foyer in Poole, won the ‘Inspiration’ award at the Foyer Federation Awards, for always giving 100% to the young people he mentors, despite complications in his own life.

2016

South West Energy Efficiency & Retrofit Awards - Regional Small Scale Project of the Year Award - South West

In partnership with Correct Contract Services (CCS), Stonewater was awarded a South West Energy Efficiency & Retrofit Award for the successful energy-saving Solar Thermal project on Dodgson Close in Fordingbridge.  The awards aim to reward and provide recognition for the hard work carried out within the energy efficiency sector. The award-winning project has provided eight Stonewater residents in an off-gas area of Dorset with more efficient hot water systems.

2015

Chartered Institute of Housing Annual Midlands Awards

Stonewater tenant Josie McCree-Falconer from Warwick Way in Loughborough was named housing association ‘Customer of the Year’ at the prestigious Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Annual Midlands Awards 2015 for her outstanding community contribution.

 

Accreditations and certifications

Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus

Stonewater has achieved accreditation to the Cyber Essentials Scheme. This is a Government-backed, industry-supported scheme that guides businesses in protecting against cyber threats.

These certifications demonstrate our commitment to keeping data safe, including that of our customers and colleagues.

Sustainable Homes Index for Tomorrow (SHIFT) 

We are very proud to have achieved a ‘Gold’ accreditation in its recent Sustainable Homes Index for Tomorrow (SHIFT) assessment. The sustainability standard reviews housing providers on 21 environmental areas including carbon emissions, energy use and biodiversity to provide a comprehensive overview of each organisation’s carbon footprint.

This year, Stonewater scored higher than the 57 per cent required for a ‘Gold’ rating, moving the organisation up to 3rd place out of the 40 most recent SHIFT assessments.

Investing in Ethnicity Maturity Matrix

Stonewater has been awarded 'Advanced Employer' status, after completing the Investing in Ethnicity Maturity Matrix. This work was led by our colleague networking group, 2GeTher, and we are now working towards achieving the top level award of 'Exemplary Employer'.

Workplace Wellbeing Charter

Stonewater has received full accreditation from the Workplace Wellbeing Charter, endorsed by Public Health England and shortlisted by CIPD for Best Health & Wellbeing initiative 2021. The Charter is segmented into eight topic areas, ranging from leadership and absence management to physical activity and healthy eating. We were awarded the highest level of ‘excellence’ in two factors, achievement in five and commitment in one, and will continue to work towards achieving ‘excellence’ in all levels moving forward. 

Best Companies - Two-Star Workplace 

Stonewater has been recognised as a Best Companies two-star workplace for the second consecutive year, reflecting ‘outstanding’ levels of engagement.

Best Companies accreditation is awarded to the best employers across the UK based on the views of colleagues across a range of areas, including things like learning and development, workplace culture and leadership.

The data from the employee engagement survey each year is used by Stonewater to ensure that they are on the right track as an employer, check how colleagues are feeling, and drive improvements to make Stonewater an even better place to work.

Best Companies - Top 10 best associations to work for 2021

Stonewater has been named as one of this year’s Top 10 best housing associations to work for, coming in at number 6.

The prestigious list recognises the best housing association employers across the UK based on the views of colleagues, who are asked to review the organisation’s training and progression options, workplace traits and an honest review of its management team.

Best Companies - Top 100 companies to work for 2022

Stonewater has been named as one of the top 100 best large companies to work for, as well as being among the top 100 in the Southeast, Southwest, East and West Midlands.

Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) accreditation

DAHA's mission is to improve the housing sector’s response to domestic abuse through the introduction and adoption of an established set of standards and an accreditation process.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​DAHA Accreditation is the UK benchmark for how housing providers should respond to domestic abuse in the UK.

 

Learning & Performance Institute (LPI) Accredited Learning Department

LPI accreditation follows an independent, rigorous assessment process which examines all aspects of an organisation’s learning services. The LPI is the leading authority on workplace learning and development. Its accreditation scheme is the globally recognised quality mark for providers of learning products and services.