Powergen UK has published annual environmental performance reports since 1992

In reporting our impacts, we reviewed various approaches used by others and have adopted one that reflects closely the report structure outlined by Business in the Community (BiTC) in its 'Winning with Integrity' document.

Here the Group's impacts in four main areas are reviewed, namely Marketplace, Workplace, Environment, and Community. We recognise that our main contribution to sustainable development is through managing our corporate responsibilities in these areas. These issues include:

Marketplace

• Improving customer satisfaction
• Responding to customer needs
• Assisting disadvantaged customers
• Developing new markets

Workplace

• Provision of training and career development opportunities
• Promotion of diversity
• Protection of human rights
• Providing a safe workplace and encouraging a healthy lifestyle

Environment

• Conservation of resources and minimisation of waste
• Promotion of renewable energy
• Management of atmospheric emissions
• Endorsement of energy efficiency measures

Community

• Community investment
• Charitable donations
• Relationships with people living in communities in which we operate

Given our changing ownership, we have not set corporate targets in any of these areas.

However, individual site targets have been set for 2002. These are linked to Group policies. For example, quantitative environmental targets have been set for all of our UK power stations and businesses and are managed via Environmental Management Programmes within individual Environmental Management Systems. This fulfils our Environmental Policy objective of ‘maintaining effective and efficient Environmental Management Systems.’

The Global Reporting Initiative
   
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is a multi-stakeholder, international undertaking active in promoting integrated reporting on the economy, environment and society

The GRI was convened in 1997 by the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It was established to develop, promote, and disseminate a common framework for sustainability reporting. In June 2000, the GRI published its Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, advocating the adoption of a specific report content and the take-up of performance indicators.

Powergen has decided to follow a report structure based on the BiTC framework rather than the GRI Guidelines. We considered the BiTC framework the most appropriate for us as a first-time corporate responsibility reporter still in the process of quantifying all of its social, economic and environmental impacts. However, we recognise the value of the Guidelines, and are pleased to report that we already meet a number of their requirements. Further, we welcome the opportunity to comment on GRI’s proposed 57 core indicators in the newly revised Guidelines (proposed in April 2002).

It is important that an international consensus is reached on corporate reporting beyond financial performance and we support the GRI in this work. For further information see: globalreporting.org/