We recognise the impact that our business has on the world we live in, and aim to ensure that we undertake all aspects of our business in a responsible manner.  At every stage of our decision making process we consider the social and environmental impacts of our actions. 

There are three priorities which are critical to our business.  These are: moving to a low carbon economy, providing a high quality service for our customers and, as a trusted partner, working with our employees and the communities around our business operations.

Over the next few years, a large number of the UK’s existing coal, oil and nuclear power stations are due to close.  To address this, we’re planning new build investments amounting to billions of pounds over the next ten years.  It is essential that we are not reliant on one source, so our strategy is to move to a diverse and sustainable mix of power stations, including gas, renewables and nuclear. 

There’s a growing demand for energy efficiency solutions from our both our business and residential customers.  We support our customers by showing them what solutions are available to cut emissions and reduce bills and then help them find the right ones for them.

Our success depends on our ability to respond to our customers’ changing needs and deliver the highest quality service, which is why we have launched our Customer Charter which describes our commitments to our customers.  In addition, we are investing £200 million in front line service improvements.

Now, more than ever before, we are committed to helping vulnerable, low-income customers.  Building on our investment in previous years, we spent £18 million in 2009 helping the most vulnerable through our Spreading Warmth and Health Through Warmth programmes.  Since 2000, our Health Through Warmth programme has accessed £45m for vulnerable people.

Our business, especially our generation activities, has an impact on the environment, so managing emissions, water use and by-products and protecting the areas around our sites are important areas for us. 

Our community investment programme focuses on health, education and the environment.  In 2009 we contributed £7.2 million to the community through charitable donations, community investment and commercial activities. 

We’ve been working with Macmillan Cancer Support since 2004 and our partnership is now valued at over £3 million.  Our Climate Cops programme helps schools to become greener and more sustainable.

We are a BiTC CommunityMark company in recognition of our long-term commitment to the community.  In addition, we were awarded Platinum in the 2009 BiTC CR Index, once again placing us amongst the top performing companies in the UK. 

For more information, visit our Corporate Responsibility website.

CR facts and figures 

£7.2 million – amount contributed to the community in 2009 through charitable donations, community investment and commercial activities

£350 million – amount we expect to spend helping customers reduce the amount of energy they use over the three years to March 2011

£18 million – amount spent in 2009 to help vulnerable households

33% - the reduction in carbon intensity of the electricity we generate which we aim to achieve by 2015, compared to 2000 levels

£45 million – amount accessed by our Health Through Warmth scheme for vulnerable customers since 2000

£3 million – value of our partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support

1,450 – number of employees who volunteered their time to take part in community projects in 2009