Cutting emissions wins us international recognition

We have been recognised as an “outstanding” international leader in tackling climate change.

Cutting greenhouse gases produced by the business has resulted in us, the UK’s largest distribution network operator, being listed as one of Europe’s Climate Leaders for 2022 by the Financial Times and independent date company Statista.

They identified and assessed thousands of companies across 33 countries with an annual revenue of at least $40 million Euros (£33 million) and looked at how much the firms had cut emissions between 2015-20.

Researchers assessed two criteria: 

• Scope one emissions - those produced directly by company premises, including heating and cooling, and in the production of goods
• Scope two emissions - those from generating energy used by companies 

We distribute electricity to almost eight million customers in the South West, Wales and the Midlands, and have reduced such emissions by more than 10% from 2015-20.

“WPD clearly stood out, and as a result will be internationally and publicly recognised as one of Europe’s Climate Leaders,” said the citation from the Financial Times and Statista.

“Your company’s leadership in reducing emissions intensity at a time when the fight against global warming remains an overarching issue – this cannot be understated.”

In being named a climate leader, we join some of the biggest names in European business including BMW, Balfour Beatty, EDF, Mercedes and PWC.

Jill Russell, our Environment Manager, said: “Receiving such prestigious recognition vindicates our commitment to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and is a testament to the efforts of staff across the company.

"We are not resting on our laurels as our RIIO-ED2 Business Plan will accelerate this. Our plan is to reduce our business carbon footprint (scope 1 and 2 emissions excluding losses) to net zero by 2028, minimising our impact on climate change even further."