Our Group ESG targets set in 2021/22 to 2025 reflect the priority issues as identified by stakeholders in our materiality assessment that are not already addressed in existing regulatory commitments and plans.
In 2024/25, we made significant progress on delivering our ESG commitments, achieving 13 out of 16 of our 2025 ESG targets, with significant progress on the remaining three.
Key achievements this year include reducing our Scope 2 GHG emissions by over 70%, exceeding our tree planting targets by more than 100,000 trees and delivering over £1 million in additional community investment through our social programmes across the group.
For more information on our ESG performance metrics, see the ESG Databook available here.
Pennon’s ESG performance and reporting is now assured by Jacobs, an independent consultancy with expertise in technical assurance for the utility sector. This limited assurance process is completed in accordance with the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board’s (IAASB) International Standard on Assurance Engagements 3000 (ISAE 3000 (Revised) using a controls-based approach, assessing the processes, systems, and governance frameworks that underpin ESG data to ensure accuracy, consistency, and reliability.
Jacobs ESG Assurance Statement
Certain other disclosures within the Annual Report and ESG Databook that relate to the sustainability performance of South West Water and Bristol Water have also been subject to an independent audit of regulatory data conducted by Jacobs, who are engaged to independently audit technical (non-financial) data relating to our Outcome Delivery Incentives published in their Annual Performance Reports (APRs). This includes all regulatory targets, including a suite of environmental performance indicators.
This year, Turner and Townsend have conducted an independent audit of other non-financial data, also included in the APR. This includes all South West Water regulatory targets, including the suite of environmental performance indicators.
Following the acquisition of SES Water, Mott Macdonald have continued to provide independent assurance over the technical (non-financial) data across information published in the APR, including regulatory targets and performance.
Each of these assurance reports can be found in the relevant APR documents below:
www.southwestwater.co.uk/about-us/documents/Annual-reports/
www.bristolwater.co.uk/about-us/our-performance
www.seswater.co.uk/about-us/publications/our-annual-performance-report
Our Community Investment data has been assured by Business for Community Impact (B4SI).