• One of only two companies to attain Platinum award consistently for last six years
• Underscores commitment to the environment, community and employees
• Target to cut emissions raised this year to 80% by 2050

National Grid today welcomed the announcement that it has been awarded Platinum status by Business in the Community (BITC) in recognition of its commitment to the environment, the community and its employees in 2007.

This is the sixth year in succession that the company has received the top tier ranking in the BITC Corporate Responsibility index, a feat it shares with only one other BITC member, Co-operative Financial Services. It is the only company to do so within the Gas, Water and Multiutilities category.

This sixth Platinum award complements the company’s many other top-tier rankings including the US Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory renewable energy programme, and Dow Jones World and STOXX Indices.

In operating its electricity and gas businesses in the United Kingdom and the United States, National Grid’s 27,000 employees take responsibility for protecting its customers and communities.

National Grid’s Chief Executive, Steve Holliday, commented; “While we are delighted to have maintained our strong track record in the BITC Corporate Responsibility Index we are determined not to rest on our laurels. In April we announced our intention to increase our target for cutting emissions to 80% by 2050. We intend to do this by introducing innovative carbon budgets across our lines of business which position carbon reduction alongside our other performance targets. Our unique position as the largest utility in the UK and the second largest utility in the US puts us at the centre of public policy and we see a responsibility across our stakeholders to play a leading role in energy policy. For National Grid the commitment to operating responsibly is not an option, it is a must.”

Stephen Howard, Chief Executive, Business in the Community said: "It is fantastic to see a company receiving platinum ranking in the Business in the Community Corporate Responsibility Index for six years in a row. In achieving this, National Grid have demonstrated that responsible business practice has been fully integrated into the heart of their corporate strategy and throughout their organisation."

BITC Platinum status is awarded to companies which score 95% in the BITC Corporate Sustainability index.

Fore more information about National Grid’s Corporate Responsibility performance, please visit nationalgrid.com/corporate/Our+Responsibility/ 

Gemma Stokes
+44 (0)1926 655273 
+44 (0)7974 198333(m)

Photographs for media are available at www.newscast.co.uk. 

1. National Grid

National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE:NGG) is an international electricity and gas company and one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world.

National Grid owns the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales and operates the system across Great Britain. It also owns and operates the high pressure gas transmission system in Britain and its distribution business delivers gas to 11 million homes and businesses.  National Grid also has a number of related businesses such as LNG importation and storage, land remediation and metering.

In the US, National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island, and manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). National Grid also owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation that provides power to over one million LIPA customers. It is also the largest distributor of natural gas in the northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

2. Carbon reduction

As part of its climate reduction programme National Grid is undertaking a review of its operations following a protocol used by The Climate Registry, based on World Resource Institute (WRI) methodology. This will provide a detailed assessment of the carbon footprint for each National Grid business and enable managers to determine the most effective and economic ways of reducing emissions. Annual and five-year emissions targets, measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, will then be established for each business and integrated into the company’s performance process alongside customer service, reliability, safety, operational and financial targets.

Adopting carbon budgets will allow National Grid to calculate a ‘shadow price’ of carbon and determine emissions costs for future design, construction and maintenance of its electricity and gas networks, management of its fleet and facilities, and any potential new investments. This will ensure the company is prepared for future legislation by properly accounting for the potential cost of emissions under a carbon tax or mandatory cap and trade scheme.

3. Framework for Responsible Business

National Grid’s ‘Framework for Responsible Business’ takes account of economic, environmental and  social factors in all the company’s decisions. It is endorsed at executive director level and applies to all National Grid businesses. It is reviewed on an annual basis and reported on its implementation through the company’s ‘Operating Responsibly’ document. Further information can be found on  nationalgrid.com.

4.  BITC Responsibility Index

The Business in the Community’s Corporate responsibility Index focuses on corporate responsibility risks and opportunities. Companies from the FTSE 100, FTSE250, Dow Jones Sustainability Index Sector leaders and larger Business in the Community Members are invited to participate. Each company is benchmarked against its peers and all Index participants