Tenant-led housing co-operative sets UK-wide benchmark for excellence

West Granton Housing Co-operative (WGHC) in Edinburgh has become the first co-operative in the UK – and the first organisation in Scotland – to be certificated as an Investor in Excellence.

The prestigious accreditation, based on the global Investors in Excellence Standard, recognises outstanding performance across areas including leadership, delivery, strategy and continuous improvement. The award highlights the co-op’s commitment to putting members at the heart of everything it does.

“I’m delighted that WGHC has received the highly prestigious Investors in Excellence certification,” said Colin Fraser, Chair of the WGHC Committee of Management. “There are 595 co-operative organisations in Scotland, and I’m proud to say WGHC is the first to be awarded this recognition."

WGHC is a fully mutual housing co-operative, meaning it is owned and governed by its tenant members. Its volunteer Management Committee – made up of tenants – makes strategic decisions on behalf of fellow residents.

The Investors in Excellence Standard is awarded by Investors in Excellence Ltd, a global assessment body which provides benchmarking, evaluation and support for continuous improvement.

Judy Hart, CEO of Investors in Excellence, said: “This recognition is due to the hard work and efforts of every member of staff, and leadership by the Executive and volunteer Committee of Management, to develop, improve and grow WGHC through leading, resourcing, delivering and achieving excellence.

“We particularly thank David Mills (Chief Operating Officer of WGHC) for his continued involvement and for demonstrating live examples of excellence across all 21 indicators of the IiE Standard 0 vital evidence in achieving this award.”