Our innovative housing solutions
Creating sustainable homes, vibrant communities, and delivering lasting social value is at the core of our operations, and we will continue to succeed by placing people and communities at the heart of our decision-making processes. We will ensure we remain at the forefront of innovation and housing solutions.
Success in 2024
4,371
additional affordable* homes built
Helping more people access affordable housing.
1,200 +
visitors to our Innovation Centre
Showcasing new tech to support our Net Zero and Future Homes goals.
700 +
Zero Carbon ready homes completed
Building future-proof homes at scale.
3 %
drop in Scope 1 & 2 emissions
Cutting carbon by using alternative fuels and battery generators.
Zero
Partnership with Octopus Energy on Zero Bills homes
New homes with no energy bills for 10 years.
BAT
design guide with Bat Conservation Trust
Promoting wildlife-friendly and sustainable design.
S 106
Additional affordable homes
New affordable homes that are In addition to s106 affordable homes required on a development by the planning consent.
Our approach
DOUBLE MATERIALITY ASSESSMENT
We identify key sustainability issues by assessing their financial impact on our business and our effect on the environment. In early 2025, we updated the assessment to reflect changes in our Partnership model. The updated results are shown in the chart below and include input from internal and external stakeholders to guide our priorities:
Creating places people love
Our sustainability strategy focuses on two key areas: Climate & Resources and Building Communities. These guide our efforts and reflect our ongoing commitment.
Enablers
Our sustainability strategy is supported by five key enablers that help embed sustainability across our business and strengthen our operations:
- Focus on priorities
- Make sustainability part of everyday business
- Collect reliable data efficiently
- Build sustainability skills
- Share impactful stories
UN Sustainable Development Goals
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 global goals designed to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by 2030. Each goal has specific targets to address the world’s most pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges.
We’ve aligned our sustainability strategy and its key focus areas with the SDGs — supporting a global movement for positive change.
Below, we’ve highlighted the SDGs most relevant to our work, grouped under the three pillars of our sustainability strategy:
| Pillar | Focus Area | Aligned UN SDG(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Building Communities | Social Value & Community Impact |
Goal 1 – No Poverty
Goal 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
|
| Placemaking |
Goal 3 – Good Health and Well-being
Goal 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
|
|
| Biodiversity |
Goal 15 – Life on Land
|
|
| Affordable Homes |
Goal 3 – Good Health and Well-being
Goal 10 – Reduced Inequalities
Goal 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
Goal 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
|
|
| Climate & Resource | Water & Resource Use |
Goal 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
|
| Energy & GHG Emissions |
Goal 13 – Climate Action
|
|
| Sustainable & Low Carbon Housing |
Goal 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy
Goal 13 – Climate Action
|
|
| Our People | Health, Safety & Wellbeing |
Goal 3 – Good Health and Well-being
|
| Talent Attraction, Development & Retention |
Goal 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth
|
|
| Equality, Diversity & Inclusion |
Goal 5 – Gender Equality
Goal 10 – Reduced Inequalities
|
Governance
Strong Governance supports our sustainability strategy. The Board oversees it, while the Sustainability Committee guides execution, advises the Executive Team, and monitors progress. For more on our policies and reports, click here.
Sustainability in Action
We are implementing innovative solutions across our projects to promote sustainability and reduce environmental impact, from supporting local wildlife to decarbonising our operations. Take a look at our key initiatives below:
- Speedy Hire Battery Support Units - Partnering with Speedy Hire, we use battery storage to reduce diesel reliance on construction sites. These units save 50 tonnes of carbon emissions and 160,000 liters of fuel annually, supporting our goal to decarbonize by 2040.
- Vistry Innovation Centre - Over 1,200 visitors have explored the Vistry Innovation Centre, which tests technologies to help us meet Net Zero and the Future Homes Standard. The centre focuses on improving energy efficiency, reducing emissions, and speeding up builds.
- Hydrogen Telehandler - In collaboration with JCB, we tested a hydrogen-powered Loadall telehandler, replacing its diesel counterpart. This zero-emission solution maintains the same productivity, helping us reduce site emissions and support our net-zero goals.
Click here to see a case study showcasing our Zero Carbon Ready Homes in Tolgus, Cornwall (hyperlink to development case study)
Building Communities that Last
Our Social Value strategy focuses on four key areas to bring real benefits to the people in the communities where we build:
- Employment, Skills & Opportunities – Creating jobs, partnering with local businesses, and offering training through our Skills Academies.
- Community Engagement – Supporting local groups and charities with funding, volunteering, and expertise.
- Environmental Wellbeing – Designing developments with green spaces, sustainable drainage, and wildlife-friendly features.
- Health & Wellbeing – Promoting mental and physical wellbeing by creating spaces for activity, connection, and safety.
How We Make a Difference
We integrate Social Value into every project from the start—talking to local people and local authorities early to ensure our developments meet community needs. Here's how we turn our commitments into action:
- Creating Jobs & Supporting Local Businesses – Working with local suppliers and offering training.
- Building Affordable Homes – Including affordable housing in all our developments.
- Improving Community Spaces – Creating parks, play areas, and green spaces, and running health and wellbeing projects.
We track our social impact through Social Value Impact Plans. Since 2022, we’ve seen year-on-year increases in social value generated, as shown in the table below:
Giving Nature a Home
We are committed to "Homes for Nature," ensuring every home we build includes features that support wildlife, such as bird and bat boxes, hedgehog highways, and pollinator-friendly gardens. We also use natural drainage systems and create habitats like bug hotels. We work closely with experts like the RSPB, Action for Swifts, and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust to enhance biodiversity in our developments.
“We have worked with the Vistry Group over 3 years. Our activities have included site surveys, educational activities, and planting reviews, to create bumblebee friendly developments. The most compelling and satisfying commitment shown by Vistry is their openness to listen to, and act on, expertise, to embed the knowledge provided by the Trust to really make a difference now, and in the future, to their developments.”
CEO of Bumblebee Conservation Trust
“British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) has been pleased to work with Vistry as they build on their commitment to do more for wildlife. Our mission is to protect the future and welfare of native British hedgehogs, while helping people to better understand and respect wildlife – and practical initiatives which make new housing developments more hedgehog-friendly places are really important. We hope to continue working with Vistry and increase the number of permanent hedgehog highway gaps and hedgehog-friendly features in gardens at their sites across the UK.”
Chief Executive at British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS)
The Building Heroes course was a great enjoyable experience. It provided a great insight into the construction industry, with a variety of skills acquired.“Would highly recommend this course to service leavers & veterans, who maybe interested in working within construction or even some DIY around the home. The instruction was excellent throughout the course and was a good variation of working at the Skills academy & college over the 5 weeks.”
Building Heroes
Investing in Tomorrow’s Workforce: The Vistry Plus Skills Academies
We are committed to addressing the UK’s skills shortage, especially in construction. Our Skills Academies, launched in 2017, have provided nearly 2,000 learners with valuable skills and employment opportunities. We offer courses ranging from construction trades to leadership and project management, helping individuals at all stages of their careers.
In 2024:
- 100 learners transitioned into employment.
- 27 learners entered the construction industry.
- £3.97 million of social value was generated across our academies.
- 678 Vistry Plus Skills Academy learners fully completed our academy courses and obtain a qualification.
By investing in our workforce, we're helping to solve the housing crisis and create a skilled, empowered community.
As a veteran with some trade experience, the course was a great way to refresh my skills and build confidence in areas like plastering and brickwork.“The Vistry site tour was a real highlight, offering valuable insight into live construction. I enjoyed training alongside like-minded serving personnel. The course helped me recognise how my existing skills and employment within the property sector can be transferred into a future management role within construction.”
Women in Construction
The course was a genuine delight. We had a various amount of experience across all three services.“And it was a blast. The site was welcoming and the course was a laugh whilst learning new and developing old skills. A pleasure and delight to be given the opportunity to attend this course.”
Building Heroes Corse