For us, success means creating a lasting legacy for generations to come, rather than perhaps the more traditional measure of delivering better economic returns to our shareholders than they might achieve elsewhere. This thread runs through everything we do and how we do it. Whether as a property developer; making sure our high-quality and innovative property solutions deliver positive long-term impact to those places and people within them, or as a collaborative and patient investment partner; supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs in creating businesses that have a positive long-term impact on society.
As we look towards our 100th year in business in 2035, we have mapped out our ‘centenary vision’, which speaks to three key themes of social impact, environmental sustainability and economic responsibility. Our vision is to truly embody our stated purpose and ensure that everything we do will have a positive social (People), environmental (Planet) and economic (Performance) impact. Our approach is to balance these three strands equally as we navigate a changing and challenging world. Discover more here.
To us, social value means making sure that everything we do - both within our property and capital ventures divisions - is not just viewed through the lens of the benefit it has for our company alone, but also considers the communities and wider economy in which the solution sits. We are also conscious of minimising the impact of our activities on the environment. Social value creation, both for us and the companies we invest in, is a fundamental part of how we measure success in the long term.
“The purpose of business is not to produce profit; the purpose of business is to produce profitable solutions to problems of people and planet and in the process it produces profit.”
Colin Mayer, the Peter Moores Professor of Management Studies at the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford.
This sentiment captures how we view the role of financial responsibility - strong financial management and discipline, as a key tenet and obligation, sitting alongside social and environmental considerations in building a business that truly has purpose.
A fundamental problem of our time and one in which we are determined to lead the way to drive change within the property industry. For us, this takes the form of committing to using renewable resources wherever possible across our developments and making sure that the places we develop re-use natural resources. For example, when creating The Works at Unity Campus in Sawston we drew on the industrial heritage of the two-storey warehouse which formally stood on the site; re-using the existing pre-cast concrete frame of the original building to create flexible and modern office and tech R&D accommodation. In addition, Mount Pleasant Halls student accommodation scheme received a BREEAM Excellent rating. We want to make a positive contribution and constantly look for ways in which we can offset for others and redress some of nature’s imbalances.
James Roberts, CEO and Co-Founder of mOm, one of our capital ventures, explains why shared values are so important when choosing an investment partner.
We discuss the challenges the growing global population will face in the future and how we can not only overcome them but thrive by taking action today.
Howard Group
93 Regent Street
Cambridge
CB2 1AW
01223 312 910
