What is the NextGeneration Initiative?
NextGeneration is the sustainability
benchmarking system for UK homebuilders.
NextGeneration enables homebuilders, government, registered providers, investors,
employees, and the public to understand the sustainability of benchmarked homebuilders’
operations and the new homes they build. It also sets out what good practice looks like
and drives change in the industry, with the criteria of the benchmarks being publicly
available. They assess homebuilders, not on whether they are meeting minimum
standards and mandatory disclosures, but going beyond these requirements.
Our History
The NextGeneration initiative was originally developed in 2006 to build upon the successes of previous benchmarking exercises undertaken by insight Investment and WWF UK. The NextGeneration Benchmark was designed for assessing the corporate sustainability of the largest homebuilders in the UK, but recently the service offering has expanded to support all homebuilder across the UK, regardless of size, improve their sustainability performance.
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
NEXTGENERATION SERVICES
NextGeneration offers a range of services that are suitable for different homebuilder sizes and sustainability
journey stages; NextGeneration Benchmark, NextGeneration Core & NextGeneration Project.
NEXTGENERATION BENCHMARK
25 largest homebuilders in the UK alongside
any voluntary participants
NEXTGENERATION CORE
is an intermediate corporate sustainability
benchmark for small to mid-size homebuilders to
measure their sustainability against best practice
NEXTGENERATION PROJECT
is a project-level sustainability assessment
for a wide range of homebuilders to measure
their performance on site
NEXTGENERATION SERVICES COMPARISON
Click to view comparison table
| NG Benchmark | NextGeneration Core | NextGeneration Project | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope | - Corporate (i.e. company operations and developments) | - Corporate (i.e. company operations and developments) | - Individual development |
| Eligibility | - Automatically included: largest 25 homebuilders in the UK by housing turnover and legal completions OR - Voluntary participation | - Voluntary homebuilders smaller than the largest 25 in the UK | - Any voluntary homebuilder |
| Number of Criteria | - 68 criteria - 120+ sub-criteria | - 14 criteria - 18 sub-criteria | - 12 criteria but outside the first three criteria, these are optional |
| Timing | - Occurs annually, starting in April. - Homebuilders must agree membership by mid-April. | - Occurs throughout the year, but homebuilders must enter by 31st August for their results to be included in that year’s analysis | - Occurs throughout the year |
| Process Length | - 9 months | - 6 weeks minimum | - 6 weeks minimum |
| Outputs | - NextGeneration Benchmark Assessment - NextGeneration Results Presentation & Meeting | - NextGeneration Core Assessment - NextGeneration Results Meeting | - NextGeneration Project Assessment - NextGeneration Project Label |
| Awards | - The highest performing homebuilders overall receive Gold, Silver or Bronze Awards - The highest performing homebuilder in Phase 1 (based on publicly available information) receives a Crystal Award | - No awards currently available for this service. Instead, a score is provided. | - Developments receive Gold, Silver or Bronze Awards depending on the number of additional criteria they achieve - Bronze is 1+ - Silver is 4+ - Gold is 7+ |
“Homebuilders face complex challenges amid difficult economic and political conditions. The government’s target of 1.5 million homes in its first term will require an unprecedented alignment of stakeholders to bring land, new funding mechanisms and resilient infrastructure to deliver communities which embrace all social and demographic needs. NextGeneration continues to support UK homebuilders by providing essential tools and guidance to navigate these intricate issues and implement profound change.”
"The NextGeneration Benchmark continually encourages the homebuilding sector to adopt and exceed best practice and implement innovative solutions for a more sustainable industry. By setting ambitious yet attainable criteria, NextGeneration pushes companies to improve their environmental and social performance year on year. The wide range of initiatives evaluated under the Benchmark showcase the progress being made in sustainable homebuilding, reflecting the sector’s sustained dedication to environmental responsibility and community wellbeing."
"Access to quality housing is a fundamental human need with affordable and stable homes giving people a foundation on which they can thrive. We are committed to expanding the availability and affordability of safe, quality and sustainable housing in places people want to live. Working alongside housebuilders and developers across the country to make this a reality, NextGeneration serves as a vital platform to guide and support the industry. It is essential that the homes we build today do not create issues for future generations and, by enabling homebuilders to integrate sustainability standards into their developments, we’re making progress to a more sustainable and inclusive future."
"The escalating climate crisis necessitates immediate and decisive action across all sectors, and particularly the built environment. Addressing the climate emergency requires innovative, proactive approaches that go beyond carbon reduction to encompass resilient and regenerative practices in construction and community development. In this context, the NextGeneration Benchmark serves as an invaluable tool, offering a comprehensive assessment of the industry’s current status and highlighting the advancements needed to ensure a sustainable future.”