Radian and Yarlington become Abri – creating a new identity for our organisation

A rebrand is more than just a new name and updated website – though of course those are fundamental parts of it. It’s about embracing the meaning behind the change and making sure the right people are leading the way. It’s about putting the customer first, always, and being confident you can match – and where possible, exceed - their needs.

This is an important time for Radian Group. As we become a new organisation with our Yarlington partners, there is a real feeling of collaboration pulsing through the business – at all levels.

Change driven by collaboration

The crux of our journey towards rebranding as one new company has been teamwork. At almost every step of the way, we’ve made decisions collaboratively and shared many conversations – albeit virtually given this year’s challenging climate – about how we can get the maximum benefit from becoming a new company.

Our people have shaped the tone of voice we’ll be adopting, one that is much more conversational and based on peer-to-peer interaction. This was inspired by our collective goal of nurturing more trusting and open conversations with our customers. And this isn’t all our staff have been involved in.

Where possible we’ve kept the process in-house. This means making the most of the talent that exists within our walls to bring our new identity to life. The name, the look and the customer updates have all been driven by our people. This is something that the board are really proud of. Of course, external insight is really important too, so we’ve partnered with people who know rebrands inside and out to confirm we’re on the right track.

What’s in a name?

The meaning of our new name, Abri, quite literally pinpoints what it is we are here to provide. We also hope it will convey our culture, views and values in everything we say and do as a refreshed company.

Our new name was approved by the whole board because of the significance it carries. We spent time, together, thinking about what we’re here to do and achieve for communities. And out of that came this simple, yet meaningful, word that encompasses our whole purpose as a housing provider.

As a board, we’ve put our full trust in the executive and wider staff team to bring that meaning to life and the passion for it across every area has been really heartening. We are confident we’ve got the right executive and senior leaders in place, that they are actively listening to everyone across the business, as well as prioritising the needs of customers.

Taking time

When Radian and Yarlington first came together in November 2019, we decided that we didn’t want to rush towards a new brand. The timing had to be right for our customers and our colleagues. We wanted to take stock to get it ‘right’ so that when the time comes to share our new name, as it has now, we can do so knowing everything is aligned as best as it can be.

If I could give any advice to a board going through this process it would be to make sure you consult with the people who make your business what it is. To really use the breadth of talent that exists within the team you employ. And, ultimately, have fun. It’s a fun, creative journey and together we’ve allowed ourselves 12 months to get to this point. Every directorate, team, colleague, has been consulted. Every customer has been updated on the change afoot.

Now it’s our job to make sure people feel confident that as this new organisation we can deliver exceptional results for communities.