Communities

Over the last year, we have conducted a wide ranging review of our approach to corporate responsibility. The review covered everything from our corporate responsibility strategy down to the partnerships we have developed with community organisations.

As a result, we are placing greater emphasis on two particular areas:

- climate change, where the water sector faces tougher challenges than most other industries

- developing and attracting the skills we need to successfully meet the future challenges of running our business

We continue to support our employees’ activities by providing volunteering opportunities, match-funding and community grants for those that volunteer in their own time.

We are continuing to work in partnership with Groundwork to re-generate neighbourhoods and our work with the Mersey Basin Campaign on the Water Framework Directive is helping our business shape its next price review submission to our regulator.

Over 20,000 children currently participate in our education programme and in 2008, we will launch an enhanced education programme focusing on a new climate change programme and supporting the development of engineering skills.