Better Health for All

National Grid's internal health and wellbeing initiatives for its employees include over 90% of people managers completing 'Managing mental wellbeing in the workplace' training.

The company has received Silver in the MIND Employer Index and is a Beacon EIDA (Employers Initiative on Domestic Abuse) member in 2023. It participates in external working groups through the Energy Network Association, the Business in the Community (BITC) Wellbeing Leadership Team, and the UK Mental Health at Work Leadership Council. The National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) team is leading mental health best practice on construction sites.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

The company received an overall employee rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars from 1,080 reviews.

Specific ratings include 3.8 for pay and benefits, 3.6 for work-life balance, 3.4 for job security and advancement, 3.2 for management, and 3.4 for culture. Employee feedback highlighted fair pay, good benefits, a clear sense of purpose, opportunities for learning and advancement, and a strong focus on safety. However, some employees also noted poor management, issues with contracted-out functions, and a lack of benefits for sub-contractors.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

National Grid's managed contracts are audited annually for compliance.

The company's Global Supplier Code of Conduct, which mirrors its own ethical standards, applies to all suppliers, and they are required to acknowledge it before performing any work. New Purchase Order Terms also include required Human Rights legislation clauses. National Grid's policy is not to use products containing conflict minerals, and it expects suppliers to have controls to prevent their use, requiring documentation of due diligence and origin evidence. As of 2015, nearly 33% of National Grid's US procurement influenced vendor spend was directed to diverse suppliers, with an average of $750 million annually.

Honest & Fair Business

National Grid settled a False Claims Act case for $6 million.

The company has a formal whistleblower protection policy with various reporting channels, including anonymous options and an external hotline, and internal procedures are confirmed effective with communications and training programmes provided to employees. The company notes restatements of information from previous reporting periods in its sustainability report due to progress on data completeness and accuracy, which were subject to third-party assurance. Deloitte provided limited assurance over Responsible Business disclosures integrated within the Annual Report. The company's ESG Risk Rating from Sustainalytics is 16.1, categorized as Low Risk. The Audit Committee comprises three independent Non-executive Directors, and 89% of the Board of Directors are independent. A strong anti-corruption and anti-bribery policy is in place, with guidance on gifts, hospitality, business travel, and political interactions, and the Committee receives annual reports on bribery prevention and detection procedures. The company engaged in a third-party audit of its corporate compliance programs in 2024, and Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions and water withdrawal metrics achieved reasonable assurance from ERM CVS, while select waste and safety metrics achieved limited assurance.

Kind to Animals

The company is service-oriented, operating electricity and gas networks, and therefore has no animal-derived products, animal testing operations, animal husbandry, or animal agriculture, resulting in N/A scores for related KPIs.

For wildlife conservation, the company conducts biodiversity surveys at 40 substation sites and 20 active project sites. It collaborates with Heart of England Forest, resulting in 150 acres of new native woodland and 168 acres of conservation grazing. Documented outcomes include finding 30 brown hairstreak butterfly eggs and positive indicators of lowland meadows at Gravel Pit Meadow, Lower Sagmore, and Long Meadow. Additionally, a 5-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with NOAA focuses on environmental monitoring of offshore wind development to support marine life conservation.

Planet-Friendly Business

National Grid's Scope 1 and 2 emissions were 7.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (mt CO₂e) in 2024/25, with Scope 3 emissions also growing.

The company's near-term Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions targets are aligned with a 1.5°C pathway and were published by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in August 2023. However, formal validation for its long-term net-zero target is not yet possible due to SBTi sector pathway limitations. National Grid purchases 100% renewable energy for its metered estate. The company achieved a total waste diversion rate of 96.52% in 2023/24, and construction waste diversion was 99.4% from landfill. Approximately £51 billion (US$64.7 billion) of its five-year capital plan is earmarked for green investment, aligned with the EU Taxonomy. The company is committed to achieving at least a 10% net gain in environmental value, including biodiversity net gain, on construction projects by 2026, and has improved the environmental value of non-operational land by 7.9% since FY21. In 2023/24, eight minor non-conformances related to ISO 14001 and waste records were identified and resolved. National Grid has an overall commitment to achieve net zero by 2050. The company has publicly committed to implement the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). It employs climate-scenario planning to test its strategic and operational resilience, including 1.5°C, 2°C, and 3°C+ pathways. Tailored fuel poverty programs helped 21,000 customers save £22 million (US$28 million) last year. A new £13.8 million (US$17.5 million) Grid for Good Energy Affordability Fund was launched.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

National Grid achieved a total waste diversion rate of 96.52% in 2023/24.

The company has implemented multiple waste reduction initiatives, including waste segregation at depots, collaboration with waste contractors, tendering process improvements, operating an Investment Recovery facility that recycled over 30 million pounds of assets in 2019, and running refurbishment centers in the UK and US. National Grid has a target to achieve zero waste to landfill by 2028 (excluding hazardous waste) and a 30% reduction in waste tonnage. The company reported eight minor non-conformances related to waste records in 2023/24. Hazardous waste management includes the reduction of PCB-contaminated equipment and compliance with PCB legislation. External ISO 14001 and EU Skills CMS recertification audits are conducted. Supplier waste requirements include codes of conduct, procurement policies, and ISO 14001 certification for suppliers.