SCOTTISHPOWER has retained its Platinum status in Business in the Community’s (BITC’s) 2009 Corporate Responsibility Index (CRI) for the fourth consecutive year.

The Index is the UK’s leading voluntary benchmark of corporate responsibility. ScottishPower achieved Platinum status in the CR Index 2006 and again in 2007, after which it was eligible to retain this banding for the next two Index cycles with the company holding the same business structure and demonstrating its continued board-level commitment to Corporate Responsibility.

Achieving Platinum status highlights that ScottishPower has integrated corporate responsibility in its business model and demonstrates that it has clear CR responsibilities at board and operational levels.

The CRI helps companies to integrate and improve corporate responsibility throughout their business operations, by providing a systematic approach to managing, measuring and reporting on business impacts in society and on the environment.

Platinum companies have a structured approach to data collection and social and environmental impact assessment.  They demonstrate 3-4 years of performance improvement across their key impacts. They act and report with a high level of transparency and stakeholder engagement, and the materiality, completeness and responsiveness of their published data is often third party assured.

Ann Loughrey, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at ScottishPower, said: “It is a great achievement for ScottishPower to retain our Platinum status in the Corporate Responsibility Index.

“We are delighted to be recognised by Business in the Community for the fourth year running, highlighting our long-term commitment to corporate social responsibility. We understand that in order to build a successful and sustainable business it is vital that we demonstrate our commitment to responsible business practices.   Our relationships with stakeholders and the hard work and dedication of our staff allows our CSR policy to be a success and I would like to thank them for their ongoing support and commitment.”

Stephen Howard, Chief Executive, Business in the Community said: “I congratulate ScottishPower on achieving Platinum in the 2009 Business in the Community Corporate Responsibility Index. Companies participating in the Index may be at different stages of their responsible business journey, but they have all demonstrated that they take these issues seriously and are leading the field in ensuring this is just how they do business. We believe this is imperative if we are to strengthen and stabilise our businesses and economy.” 

ScottishPower was recently awarded Business in the Community’s coveted National Big Tick at the UK Awards for Excellence for two of its projects and reaccreditation with an additional Big Tick for a third project.

The awards reward businesses who demonstrate the positive impact they have had on society, and also the business benefits created by ensuring that being responsible is integral to their business model.

The company received a Big Tick in the Employability award category for its Skillseeker Programme and in the Education award category for its PowerWise project and was reaccredited with a Big Tick for the Power in Partnership category for its partnership work with the National Grid in the North Staffordshire Warm Zone.

For more information please contact:

ScottishPower - Susanne Grant, The BIG Partnership, 0141 333 9585 / 07824388472 susanne.grant@bigpartnership.co.uk

Business in the Community - Clare Haines, PR Manager, 020 7566 8758 clare.haines@bitc.org.uk

Notes to editors:

About Business in the Community
Business in the Community mobilises business for good.

Our approach to responsible business provides a clear framework to support and challenge business to improve its performance & benefit society through its four areas of expertise – community, environment, workplace and marketplace.

We inspire employers to take action on the key issues - be they people or planet - and to integrate, collaborate and communicate responsible business.

Business in the Community is proud to have United Utilities as our Company of the Year 2009. www.bitc.org.uk

About the CR Index
Business in the Community's CR Index is the UK’s leading voluntary benchmark of corporate responsibility (CR). It helps companies to integrate and improve CR throughout their operations by providing a systematic approach to managing, measuring and reporting on business impacts in society and on the environment

For the past seven years the CR Index has inspired and challenged over 350 companies to continuously improve their impact on society and the environment. This year we expect to have more than 100 companies participate publicly and use our tool to both improve their management practices and communicate to stakeholders how seriously they take their CR agenda.

The Index bandings explained:

Platinum Plus
Platinum Plus was a new process introduced in 2009 to evaluate the extent to which the commercial business strategy is underpinned by thinking around long term sustainability.  

Platinum
Companies achieving the Platinum performance band tend to have corporate responsibility (CR) integrated into their business model and clear CR responsibilities and incentive structures at both board and operational levels. These companies have a structured approach to data collection and social and environmental impact assessment.  They can demonstrate 3-4 years of performance improvement across their keys impacts. They act and report with a high level of transparency and stakeholder engagement, and the materiality, completeness and responsiveness of their CR reporting and published data is often third party assured.

Gold
Companies that have achieved the Gold performance band tend to be able to demonstrate openness and transparency through effective public reporting of their material environmental and social issues, CR programmes and performance. They also expand and adapt their risk management processes by incorporating relevant aspects of corporate responsibility risk and opportunity, and their CR strategy is articulated in an effective manner, including clear and measurable targets.

Silver
Companies that have achieved the Silver performance band tend to conduct effective stakeholder engagement, having the right processes in place in order to identify and manage social and environmental risks and opportunities. They also tend to have reliable baseline data which enables them to demonstrate both management and performance improvement.

Bronze
Companies achieving the Bronze performance band tend to be at the early stages of environmental and social data collation as well as public reporting. A clear outline of their mission, values and corporate responsibility principles tends to be manifest, with clear roles and responsibilities being allocated across the business.