8 Ask the Expert
ASK THE EXPERT Shelforce’s social mission
James Parker speaks to Howard Trotter, business manager at Shelforce, about how the fi rm’s ethical founding values help it address new safety regulations in a robust and integrity-focused way.
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helforce has been part of Birmingham City Council for decades, supplying windows and doors for social housing in the 1980s while delivering a strong social mission. T e company started in 1839 as an
institute for the blind, and was renamed Shelforce in the 80s. It now employs a workforce where around 75% of the team have disabilities, which creates a real sense of pride and purpose in the work they do. Many colleagues actually live in the communities they serve, “so the products we manufacture are going into homes just like their own,” says the fi rm’s Howard Trotter. “Quality, safety and reliability have always been fundamental to what we do, not just commercially but ethically,” he says.
HOW HAS THE FIRM COMBINED COMMERCIAL GROWTH WITH MAINTAINING THAT PEOPLE FOCUS WHICH RUNS THROUGH EVERYTHING THE FIRM DOES? When we began transforming Shelforce into a commercial operation around 13 years ago, the key was protecting the values that already existed. T e organisation has always been built on ethics such as honesty, integrity and
accountability, and those values are actively trained and reinforced across the business. Commercial growth has come from demonstrating that social value and product quality can go hand in hand. Our customers know we won’t cut corners to win work, and that trust has been essential in building long-term relationships while continuing to invest in our people.
WHAT IS THE FULL SCOPE OF AWAAB’S LAW, IN TERMS OF THE HAZARDS COVERED BEYOND DAMP & MOULD, AND WHAT HAS BEEN THE GENERAL IMPACT OF ITS INTRODUCTION WHEN IT COMES TO DOORS & WINDOWS? T ere’s a misconception that Awaab’s Law is just about damp and mould, but in reality it covers 29 housing hazards. Damp and mould are simply the ones most people associate with it. Others include issues such as excess cold, ventilation, fi re risks, and fall hazards. For the doors and windows sector that has brought a much sharper focus on safety features, from ventilation performance to window restrictors on upper fl oors. Housing providers must now prove these elements are properly specifi ed, tested and installed, because they directly relate to resident safety.
Housing Management & Maintenance Spring 2026
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