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Why we engage

We are woven into the everyday lives of communities across the region. By listening regularly and responding with care, we can better understand local needs and deliver services that protect water, support wellbeing, and safeguard the environment today and for generations to come. Our charitable donations and community funds support hundreds of amazing causes, from water conservation to education and environmental restoration, making a real difference to peoples’ lives and the places they love. Our education programme inspires future champions across the region to learn about the value of water in fun and interactive ways. Our outreach teams work directly in the communities we serve, offering support to those who need it most and having honest conversations about the environmental challenges we face together. We don’t just talk about sustainability, we act on it. For over a decade, we have partnered with local organisations to deliver nature-based solutions, including working with farmers to adopt sustainable practices and planting trees to protect water quality. We have also restored vital peatlands to boost biodiversity and reduce runoff into rivers and streams. Our charity partnerships open up access to lakes and reservoirs, offering health and recreational benefits to thousands of people.

How we engage

Our Stakeholder Forum has brought together over 1,000 stakeholders from across the region to review and develop plans with us. Our ‘Wheels of Engagement’ van, painted by a local artist, has become a familiar sight across the region. With over 50 visits, we can respond quickly to local needs, whether it’s a planned event or a live incident, giving us the flexibility to engage quickly when a particular need arises. We have engaged face-to-face with over 1,000 people in this way. In the SES Water region we have delivered 30 community events, with a customer reach of 100,000. We also supported other key events in this area. We use a mix of print, digital and social media campaigns to reach people where they are. Campaigns like ‘Thank you for using less water’ and ‘Every Drop Counts’ have helped raise awareness about water conservation, whilst targeted social media has supported customers through the cost-of-living crisis and bill rises, by sharing financial support options. Our Awesome Water team attended 16 event days across the South West, reaching over 34,000 people. These events bring water education to life, covering sewer misuse, water efficiency and the water cycle in fun and family-friendly ways. Now in its fourth year, the South West Water Neighbourhood Fund awarded £100,000 to 55 different charities and groups in the year, helping over 40,000 people across the South West. SES Water donated £20,000 to its three charity partners. Through South West Water’s Water Saving Community Fund, 21 projects received £55,772 in funding, saving an estimated 2.7 million litres of water annually. Bristol Water’s Together for Good programme awards £500 a month to a local charity or community group, for projects that make a difference to the community.

Case study - CREWW

We are also looking at longer-term challenges through the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste (CREWW), a 25-year research partnership between South West Water and the University of Exeter (UoE). CREWW extends the many years of collaboration between the two organisations including our sector-leading catchment management programme, Upstream Thinking (first pioneered in 2006).

CREWW brings subject matter experts from SWW and UoE, combining their knowledge and expertise to undertake innovative research into some of the most pressing challenges facing both the business and the water industry. The outcomes will help inform our operations and enable better services for our customers, the region and the environment.

The research facility is underpinned by £21 million of capital and research investment by South West Water. It is the first water sector partnership to receive UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF) support, and the largest RPIF-sponsored project in the South West. Since the centre opened in March 2024, the research programme has expanded to tackle a wider range of current and future issues.

The cutting-edge CREWW facilities allow us to understand our environment more fully, including the presence of emerging contaminants and micro-pollutants. Over 3.5 years, a £1.1 million research study led by leading environmental biologist and (eco) toxicologist Professor Charles Tyler will establish the composition of discharges and monitor environmental/ecological impacts on the environment.

We have invested £500,000 into modelling and computer science research, backed by expertise from the University’s world-renowned Centre for Water Systems. These research projects will model groundwater, identifying which parts of the wastewater network are most at risk of groundwater infiltration, which is a crucial factor in storm overflow operation. The project is led by Professor Akbar Javadi and Dr James Webber. A second project led by Professor Raziyeh Farmani and Professor Ed Keedwell uses Artificial Intelligence to improve our ability to locate the remaining lead pipes within our distribution network accurately, and to replace them quickly. CREWW is home to a dedicated state-of-the-art microplastics laboratory. The priority is to enhance knowledge and understanding of microplastics in SWW operations, be that in the water we abstract, treat and supply as drinking water, or when we collect, treat and return to the environment.

The project teams work closely alongside a multi-disciplinary team of experts from South West Water. The CREWW partnership is delivering for customers and the environment.

Business for Social Impact (B4SI)

Since 2021, we have been working to better understand the impact we have through our community programmes, through the adoption of the well-established B4SI framework. In addition to providing consistency in how we measure our community activity, our aim is that through working with our community partners in applying the framework, we can better support projects and programmes that deliver the greatest impact aligned to our purpose. In 2024/25, we delivered over £1 million in additional community investment through our social programmes across the group, as assured by B4SI, exceeding our target to increase community investment by 30% by 2025. The full set of B4SI assured data can be found in our online ESG Databook.

We believe the best decisions are made when everyone has a voice. That’s why we maintain regular, open dialogue with our stakeholders, from customers and community groups, to regulators and environmental partners. These conversations are not a formality, they are a vital part of how we shape our strategy, make decisions, and deliver meaningful outcomes. By listening closely to what matters to our stakeholders, we can respond effectively, and ensure our actions deliver real value to the communities we serve.

The priority is to build long-lasting relationships, providing clear communication routes into the business. For time-limited stakeholder relationships arising from local projects, the Community Liaison Team follows agreed procedures to identify stakeholders and develop appropriate communication approaches, actively engaging local communities early on. Engaging with all stakeholders is essential, particularly given national and global issues faced by the water sector.

The Group carefully considers decisions impacts on stakeholders and listens to their views, as companies face scrutiny around environmental impacts. Customer engagement is of particular interest, with the WaterShare+ panel and Bristol Water Challenge Group chairs regularly attending Board meetings to provide customer feedback during the PR24 process.

For more information on how we engage with each of our stakeholders across Customers, Communities, People, Suppliers, Investors, Regulators and Policy makers, read pages 22-31 of our Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25.