ESG

We are committed to acting responsibly by taking into account environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in investment decisions.  It starts with us, which is why we have a robust operational policy and governance framework that enables us to deliver positive environmental, social and financial outcomes. 

We aim to embed and integrate our sustainable approach across all areas of our business including our investment activity, asset management, risk management and in the development and retention of our people. We believe that by doing so, we can build lasting value for all of our stakeholders.

QSix has rigorously reviewed how sustainability is managed within our business and aligned these with the views of our stakeholders and business priorities to create our ‘Better Futures’ Corporate Responsibility (CR) Plan.  Our Better futures plan captures our activities under four key pillars that are integrated throughout our business operations. These are Protecting our Environment, Valuing our Customers, Respecting People, and Investing in our Communities.

To ensure the successful delivery of our ‘Better Futures’ CR Plan, we have policies for each of the pillars, a measurement framework to monitor progress and a governance structure to ensure robust oversight.

QSix has an ESG Task Force that oversees the implementation of the Plan across the business. This Task Force meets quarterly and, where QSix outsources any key functions to other business partners, it has shared its policies with them and requested that they periodically verify that they have acted within the spirit of the relevant policies.

Our Charities

QSix is committed to supporting charities where there is a connection with either “homelessness” or “families.” We support two charities in London, SPEAR and SHP, working with homeless people, and a charity outside of London, Home Start in Waverly, providing support services to families with at least one child under the age of five.

SHP

Funding provided to SHP supports an employability programme that helps homeless people or those at high risk of becoming homeless to find a job and secure a sustainable income. Our donation in 2023 helped to provide the charity’s 1,217 micro grants for emergency funding for clients’ essential daily needs.

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SPEAR

Funding is given to SPEAR to run an outreach service, helping rough sleepers in the Wandsworth area into accommodation and helping them to address health and wider social care problems. Our work with SPEAR helped to provide assistance to 352 homeless people in Southwest London during the 2022/23 financial year.

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Home Start

Funding provided to Home Start helps the charity in its provision of volunteered emotional and practical support to families in the Borough of Waverley and surrounding districts in Surrey. Home Start supports an average of 133 families per year with 287 children.

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Additionally, Phoenix Spree Deutschland, to which QSix acts as Property Advisor, provides financial support to two Berlin focused charities, The Intercultural Initiative and Laughing Hearts.

The Intercultural Initiative

Is a Berlin refuge that helps women and children affected by domestic violence. Donations to the Intercultural Initiative have helped with the operational costs of a support apartment which provides accommodation for families who no longer need to live in a refuge, but still require protection and support to build an independent life. In 2023, the donations were used almost exclusively for personnel costs, given the heightened need for crises-related client support.

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Laughing Hearts

Supports children living in children’s homes and social care. Donations in 2023 helped support Easter events, children’s winter holiday, sports and safety training and a school-start campaign.

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Protecting our Environment

For existing properties that reside within our residential strategies, where modernisation, refurbishment or repair is required, we strive to reduce our environmental impact by minimising waste, using products and materials that have a low environmental impact. Where possible, we reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill, by reusing materials and recycling.​ Our new build projects are completed to the highest energy standards.

Our rental customers are encouraged to minimise their utility use. To better manage tenants’ waste, we ensure that tenants are kept well informed about how to properly recycle their waste and we work with our waste providers on the disposal routes. Many of our properties have been awarded recycling awards.

Both QSix’s Berlin and London offices are fitted with energy saving products, and they have an Environment Champion for each office to encourage employees to reduce their utility usage, improve recycling and reduce the amount of paper used within the business.

QSix is committed to providing transparency in environmental reporting and our German residential rental strategy (Phoenix Spree Deutschland) was recognised in the EPRA Sustainability Awards 2022, receiving a Gold award in recognition of the Company’s commitment to best practice in its reporting.

Valuing our customers

We are committed to providing good-quality affordable homes with a reliable, friendly service to our tenants and homebuyers.  Providing people with homes is a basic human need and therefore our customers are at the centre of our business activity.

Ensuring a reliable friendly rental service and responding to any concerns in a timely manner are important to building our customer satisfaction and long-term loyalty, which ultimately safeguards our long-term commercial success. Through customer surveys, we are able to build a clear picture of what is important so that we can deliver a high standard of service. Our 2023 tenant-satisfaction survey continued to indicate high levels of satisfaction with both the quality of apartments and the rental process.

Working with the right partners is key to ensuring we deliver the best results for our customers and investors. We require our partners to share our commitment to high standards of responsibility and treating customers fairly, as outlined in our Suppliers Code of Conduct. Our key policies and Company Values are shared with our business partners annually and they are asked to affirm that they are operating in a manner consistent with them.

Respecting People

QSix is committed to having an inclusive working environment that encourages all employees to develop both personally and professionally through having access to a variety of training programmes, receiving on-the-job support and coaching and having annual Development Reviews. The culture is to have a strong work-life balance, with the Company and QSix being committed to the health and wellbeing of all employees. Leading health and welfare benefits are provided, including access to medical and legal advice.

“I joined QSix in October 2021 as Head of Compliance, having previously spent five years at a specialist financial services regulatory consultancy. I am working to achieve the Diploma in Investment Compliance and recently passed the second unit of the Diploma award, ‘Combating Financial Crime’. QSix funded the exam unit and allowed me time off work to revise.

Financial institutions face increasing regulatory scrutiny and reputational risks related to financial crime, and the knowledge I’ve gained helps me to enhance and safeguard QSix’s risk management framework.”

Camilla Riddell
Head of Compliance

QSix fully supports the intentions of the Modern Slavery Act and is committed to implementing systems and controls aimed at minimising the risk of modern slavery taking place anywhere within our organisation or in our supply chains. We have an Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy which is shared with key business partners, who are asked to verify that they have acted in accordance with the policy.

Investing in our communities

We help contribute to thriving communities by providing affordable homes and rents and supporting local charities. We are committed to being good corporate citizens and we take a strategic approach to our charitable giving which is guided by our Community Investment Policy and focuses on supporting charities where there is a connection with either ‘homelessness’ or ‘families’. QSix supports two charities, SPEAR and SHP, working with homeless people or those at risk of becoming homeless in Greater London. The funding with SHP supports an employability programme that helps homeless people or those at high risk of becoming homeless to find a job and secure a sustainable income that enables them to afford housing. Funding is given to SPEAR to run an outreach service, helping rough sleepers in the Wandsworth area secure accommodation and helping them to address health and wider social care problems. In the 2022/23 financial year, this helped 352 homeless people in Southwest London.