Severn Trent Plc is today hosting a Capital Markets Day, focusing on the company’s approach to sustainability and the benefits it can deliver both for the environment and for wider stakeholders.

The water company is making a number of ambitious long-term commitments - the commitments are integral to the delivery of the customer outcomes agreed in Severn Trent’s AMP7 business plan for the next five years and also in securing a sustainable long-term future for the business. The utility is set to invest £1.2 billion between now and 2025.

Liv Garfield, Chief Executive of Severn Trent, said:

"We firmly believe that businesses with a strong social purpose can deliver better and more sustainable outcomes for all stakeholders over the long term. To truly make a difference we need to look after nature and the precious resources it provides, we need the most talented and engaged minds helping us to drive performance and innovate, and we need customers who trust us to do the right thing for their communities.”

“ We're incredibly proud of the work we have done so far when it comes to sustainability and excited that our stakeholders support the approach we are taking for the future. By committing to invest £1.2 billion in the next five years we believe we can make a real difference to the environment and people we serve while delivering strong business outcomes at the same time."

Severn Trent will:

• Deliver its Triple Carbon Pledge of Net Zero emissions, 100% energy from renewable sources and 100% electric fleet, all by 2030:
• Committing to develop science based targets with real reductions in carbon across scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions;
• Achieving its 100% renewable energy target by 1 April 2020 with over 50% coming from self- generation and the balance purchased through REGO-backed renewable sources1;  
• Purchasing only electric cars from now, and only electric vans from 2023;
• Enhance the biodiversity of 5,000 hectares of land (1% of the national target) by 2027;
• Work with around 9,000 farmers - 63% of the farmers across its region - to adapt working practices and adopt nature based solutions to reduce pollutants in 44 catchments;
• Reduce leakage by 15% by 2025 and by 50% by 2045;
• Extend the commitment to paying the living wage to anyone who works with Severn Trent in its supply chain, not just direct employees;
• Annually supporting 195,000 customers who struggle to pay their bill, by 2025;
• Donate 1% of Severn Trent Water's profits (over £10 million) over the next five years into the Severn Trent Community Fund, investing in projects in our local communities, while;

Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, commented:

"This very significant contribution from Severn Trent toward the creation of a national Nature Recovery Network could not be more welcome. If we are to achieve our goal to be the first generation to leave nature in a better state than we found it then this is exactly the kind of leadership, vision and partnership working that we will need. We hope that other major companies will soon come forward with comparable ambition, leading over time to an historic turnaround in the fortunes of our wildlife and natural environment."