ESB Sustainability Report 2016 ABOUT ESB ESB Was Established in 1927 As a Statutory Body in the Republic of Ireland Under the Electricity (Supply) Act 1927
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WORKING TOGETHER WORKING TOGETHER ESB is making a stand for Ireland’s future today; a future powered by clean, sustainable electricity. ESB is committed to finding the best route to a low- carbon future, one that protects its customers and the economy by maintaining energy security and affordability. This means investing in low-carbon generation; expanding and enhancing the grid to accommodate more distributed energy resources and empowering customers to take more control over their energy use. Most importantly, it means working with a wide spectrum of partners from business, academic and community group backgrounds to accelerate the pace of change and to bring customers on a journey to a more sustainable future. ESB believes that by working together, marvellous things are possible. 2 ESB Sustainability Report 2016 ABOUT ESB ESB was established in 1927 as a statutory body in the Republic of Ireland under the Electricity (Supply) Act 1927. With a holding of 95%, ESB is majority owned by the Irish Government. The remaining 5% is held by the trustees of an Employee Share Ownership Plan. As a Strong, Diversified, Vertically Integrated Utility, ESB operates right across the electricity market: from generation, through transmission and distribution to supply of customers, with an expanding presence in the Great Britain generation market. In addition, we extract further value at certain points along this chain; supplying gas, using our networks to carry fibre for telecommunications and more. ESB is a leading Irish utility with a regulated asset base (RAB) of approximately €9 billion, 47% of generation in the all-island market and as a supplier of electricity to approximately 1.4 million customers throughout the island of Ireland. ESB will continue to grow the scale of its generation, trading and supply businesses so that it can compete within the all-islands competitive environment. ESB is focused on providing excellent customer service and maintaining its financial strength. As at 31 December 2016, ESB employed approximately 7,600 people. ESB Sustainability Report 2016 5 Produced by Zahra Media Group www.zahramediagroup.com Illustrations by yeji yun ESB Sustainability Report 2016 3 CONTENTS Chapter 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, STRATEGY AND PEFORMANCE Highlights 1.1 Welcome from Chief Executive 1.2 Strategy 1.3 Sustainable Development Goals 1.4 Governance 1.5 Chapter 2 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, MATERIALITY AND DISCLOSURES Stakeholder Engagement Framework 2.1 Internal Stakeholder Engagement 2.2 External Stakeholder Engagement and Stakeholder Matrix 2.3 Materiality Process 2.4 Material Disclosures 2.5 Chapter 3 AROUND THE BUSINESS ESB Group Overview 3.1 Health, Safety & Wellbeing 3.2 Our People 3.3 Responsible Business 3.4 ESB Networks 3.5 Generation & Wholesale Markets 3.6 NIE 3.7 BSC & Electric Ireland 3.8 Innovation 3.9 Chapter 4 APPENDICES Charters to which Organisation Subscribes 4.1 Principle Associations to which Organisations belongs 4.2 Awards and Recognition 4.3 Independent GRI G4 In Accordance Level Check 4.4 GRI G4 Cross Referencing Table 4.5 Glossary of Terms 4.6 WE WELCOME REQUESTS AND COMMENTS RELATING TO THE REPORT AND OTHER SUSTAINABILITY MATTERS VIA OUR CONTACT MAILBOX: [email protected] or by CONTACTING OUR SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR: [email protected] Follow us on Twitter: @ESBGroup | www.esb.ie 4 ESB Sustainability Report 2016 ABOUT THIS REPORT hereinafter referred to as ESB Group, and sustainability and how sustainability seeks to Aimed at customers, investors, analysts, policy has been prepared in accordance with GRI G4 support our corporate strategy and minimise makers, the public and other stakeholders, both Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, as well as the and mitigate the impacts from our business internal and external to ESB Group, our annual Electric Utilities Sector Supplement. operations. sustainability report focuses on those issues of greatest concern to our stakeholders and our The report content is based on the output from We have undertaken an exercise to align our activities business, which drives our strategy, activity and a materiality process, including both operational with the principles and broad direction of the UN progress onwards. and strategic engagements with internal and Sustainable Development Goals, an alignment which is external stakeholders and we seek to address highlighted where relevant throughout the report. Our reporting is guided by the principles of the issues of greatest material importance to our materiality, inclusiveness and responsiveness. stakeholders and to ESB. REPORT BOUNDARY We use leading standards and methodologies for In defining the boundary of this report, taking into measuring and reporting impacts, such as the The 2016 Sustainability Report meets account all registered entities of ESB Group (see Note Greenhouse Gas Protocol, CDP and the Global our commitment to report annually on our 33. ESB Annual Report 2016) (www.esb.ie/who- Reporting Initiative (GRI). Further details on GRI Sustainability endeavours. (www.esb.ie/docs/ we-are/investor-relations/annual-reports), we have indicators are available in the report appendices. default-source/sustainability/esb-sustainability- focused on those entities where ESB has control and report-2015) those activities that are significant for ESB Group from This report has been independently assessed by an economic, environmental and social standpoint. DNVGL to meet application level Core Disclosures Where scope boundaries pertain to specific against GRI G4. material aspects of the business, this is detailed in The businesses outlined in section 3 of this report the specific sections of the report. and their key activities, form the basic boundary of SCOPE OF REPORT the contents of this report. Given the diverse nature This report includes data for the fiscal and Readers of this report may also view the ESB of activities across the business areas of ESB calendar year 2016, which has been approved Group Annual Report 2016 (www.esb.ie/who-we- Group, the material issues identified, generally have by ESB Group’s Sustainability Committee. This are/investor-relations/annual-reports). Together a specific business unit focus and establish a clear report pertains to the full activities of ESB and its these reports illustrate a coherent picture of aspect boundary that correlates to the business unit’s subsidiary companies, including NIE Networks, ESB Group activity, how we are embedding operational limits themselves. ESB Sustainability Report 2016 5 01 STRATEG EX ECUTIVE Y AND S U MM 01 PEFOR Executive Summary, AR strategy and peformance Y, M ANCE 1.1 1.2 Highlights Welcome from Chief 02 Executive MATERIALIT S TA K E H OLDER Y AND E 1.3 1.4 NGAGE Strategy Sustainable D ISCLOSURES Development Goals M ENT 1.5 , Governance 03 A ROUND T H E B USINESS 04 A PPENDICES 6 ESB Sustainability Report 2016 HIGHLIGHTS ENVIRONMENT OPERATIONAL CUSTOMER CORPORATE SOCIAL 1.63 TWh RENEWABLES COMMERCIAL AND MARKET RESPONSIBILITY GENERATED IN 2016 OPERATION OF FROM 2014- CARRINGTON GENERATION 2016 OVER MARKET 28,000 HOMES % 885 MW CCGT SHARE IN MANCHESTER, UK IN THE ENERGY 47% POVERTY FUEL SEGMENT HAVE POVERTY BENEFITTED ENOUGH POWER TO Supply FROM ENERGY Supply 325,000 HOMES MARKET EFFICIENCY FOR A YEAR SHARE RETROFITS VER O 26,000 NEW CUSTOMER 37% VOLUNTEERISM CO2 CONNECTIONS INTENSITY OVER 30,000 VOLUNTEER HOURS HAVE BEEN RECORDED 5% ANNUAL 6% BY EMPLOYEES REDUCTION IN PRICE REDUCTION CO2 INTENSITY TO 560G CO2e/ TO RESIDENTIAL KWh ELECTRICITY CUSTOMERS SIRO – third price decrease – BRINGING HIGH IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS SPEED BROADBAND ACCESS TO OVER CHAMBERS IRELAND OUTSTANDING 50,000 5% ACHIEVEMENT IN PREMISES PRICE REDUCTION CSR AWARD 2016 AROUND IRELAND TO RESIDENTIAL GAS INSTALLATION OF OVER CUSTOMERS – third CONTRIBUTION PRICE DECREASE IN THE THE ENERGY FOR 1,200 kW TO THE IRISH LAST EIGHTEEN MONTHS GENERATIONS FUND SOLAR ECONOMY OVER DISTRIBUTED OVER LAUNCH OF €10 MILLION SMART ENERGY IN THE PAST DECADE TO COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES INITIATIVES IN IRELAND 196GWh IN ENERGY SAVINGS DELIVERED FOR EXTENSIVE ELECTRIC DOMESTIC, COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVING AND INDUSTRIAL NETWORK IN IRELAND €2 BILLION CUSTOMERS DURING 2016 ESB Sustainability Report 2016 7 01 S EX TRAT E CUTIV E GY AND P E 1.1 WELCOME FROM CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SUMMARY, E PAT O’DOHERTY FORMANC E ESB has always worked to create a brighter future for Ireland and the communities we serve around the world. We are committed to maintaining the sustainability and performance 02 of our business, and using our assets so M STAK that we can continue to play a positive and AT E E RIALITY AND progressive role in society. Today, our ambition HOLD is to ensure a smooth transition to a low carbon future. E R ENGAG D PERFORMANCE IN 2016 I S CLO 2016 was characterised by strong operational E M E performance across all areas of the business, S NT, UR which resulted in an operating profit of ES €597 million. The successful operation of the new Carrington Plant in 2016 along with excellent plant availability at 93%, resulted in strong performance from the Generation and Wholesale Markets (G&WM) business notwithstanding its challenging operating 03 A environment. ROUND TH The networks businesses continued to successfully deliver significant capital and E BU maintenance programmes in accordance with S their regulatory contracts, and Electric Ireland, IN ESS ESB’s retail arm, delivered solid financial performance while maintaining its strong focus on customer service and providing value for all its customers. Pat O’Doherty Chief Executive This healthy financial performance has enabled ESB to invest €897 million in energy infrastructure during 2016 and to pay a dividend 04 of €116 million bringing total dividends paid over A PP the past 10 years to almost €1.5 billion. Reducing the carbon intensity of our E operations while maintaining energy NDIC CUSTOMER-BASED INNOVATION ES ESB innovates to deliver value to our customers affordability and security of supply and continues to focus on competitive pricing.