Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

SSE serves 1 million Priority Services Register (PSR) customers out of a total of 3.9 million customers, representing 25.64% of its customer base.

These PSR customers receive additional assistance during power cuts, severe weather, or emergencies. In 2023/24, SSE invested £12.2 million in communities across the UK and Ireland. This community investment represents 0.5028% of the company's reported operating profit of £2,426.4 million for the same period. As an energy company, SSE does not offer consumer lending or deposit services, and therefore, KPIs related to APRs, loan books, financial product complexity, or debt burden ratios are not applicable.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

SSE achieved Living Wage accreditation in 2013, ensuring all direct employees and contracted workers receive at least the real Living Wage.

At that time, it was the UK's largest accredited Living Wage employer, covering nearly 20,000 staff. Since April 2021, SSE has been an accredited Living Hours employer, providing at least four weeks' notice for shifts, guaranteed payment for cancelled shifts, and a minimum of 16 working hours weekly. In 2023, SSE became an accredited Living Pension Employer, committing to a 12% Living Pension savings target with employer contributions of at least 7%.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

The company reported zero substantiated forced or child labour incidents for the period of April 2022 to March 2025.

Proactive risk assessments are ongoing, and child labour is identified as a risk in the supply chains of major components, renewable technologies, and in high-risk countries.

Honest & Fair Business

SSE incurred total ethics-related regulatory fines of approximately $15.8 million in the past three years. This includes a £9.8 million fine in July 2023 for securing excessive payments during transmission constraints

, and a £2.1 million fine in February 2026 for delays in publishing information on generation capacity . The company received a 30% discount on the latter penalty due to early settlement and cooperation . Regarding anti-corruption, SSE has a formal zero-tolerance policy and adheres to the UK Bribery Act . Its latest Anti-Corruption Program audit scored 100% , and 94% of its employees recently completed ethics training .

Kind to Animals

SSE, an energy company, has no animal-derived products, animal testing, or animal agriculture operations, making several KPIs non-applicable. For wildlife conservation, SSE achieved its biodiversity net gain (BNG) target earlier than 2025

, with 10 out of 11 sites achieving a minimum of 10% BNG since 2021 . The company planted 878.8 hectares of native woodland, significantly more than the 1.51 hectares felled , and a 'no mow' policy resulted in a 503% increase in Biodiversity Units across approximately 10 hectares . These efforts have led to increases in common scoter breeding pairs . SSE also monitors puffin populations using AI and conducts marine mammal monitoring . In public policy engagement, SSE actively influences the development of a Scottish BNG metric , shapes emerging Marine Net Gain (MNG) policies , and co-develops monitoring plans with government bodies, conservation agencies, and NGOs . It also participates in national industry forums , contributes to industry position papers on BNG in Ireland , and joined the Offshore Coalition for Energy and Nature .

No War, No Weapons

SSE plc operates exclusively in the utilities sector, focusing on energy generation, transmission, and distribution, with no involvement in arms manufacturing, military contracts, or products related to conflict facilitation.

As such, the company has no revenue from arms or defense contracts and does not develop or sell dual-use technologies for military applications. There are no documented activities or initiatives by SSE plc that directly promote peace or nonviolent solutions, indicating 0% revenue invested in peacebuilding. The company also has no defense assets to divest, no exposure to controversial weapons, and no surveillance or intelligence activities. Its procurement policies require suppliers to comply with sanctions and respect internationally recognized human and labor rights.

Planet-Friendly Business

SSE has four near-term Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) verified targets, aligned with a 1.5°C pathway.

The company aims to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 and Scope 3 emissions by 2050. SSE also has TCFD-aligned disclosures. For its Renewables division, 39.4% of suppliers by spend had set or committed to SBTs in 2024/25. In terms of biodiversity, SSE Renewables planted 878.8 hectares of native woodland in 2024/25. It delivered No Net Loss on 11 sites since 2021, with 10 of those achieving a minimum of 10% Biodiversity Net Gain. A 'no mow' policy across approximately 10 hectares resulted in a 503% increase in Biodiversity Units. The company also engages in marine research projects and monitors a puffin colony using AI. Regarding environmental compliance, SSE Renewables reported 0 major environmental incidents in 2024/25, alongside 4 serious and 24 minor incidents. For social aspects of climate action, SSE launched a pilot project promoting upskilling in peatland restoration as a climate justice initiative. It also supports a just transition by working with regional governments and communities, focusing on good green jobs, consumer fairness, building and operating new assets, looking after people in high-carbon jobs, and supporting communities.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

SSE has developed Cultural Heritage Management Plans to protect cultural heritage during its operations

, which include protocols for community relations and preservation of cultural sites . No incidents disrupting cultural or heritage sites are reported in the provided articles. Additionally, no cultural appropriation incidents are mentioned in the articles.

Safe & Smart Tech

SSE has not experienced any data breaches in over 5 years, with the last reported incident in May 2018,

and has strengthened its cybersecurity with a comprehensive policy and regular testing. The company demonstrates an industry-leading approach to AI ethics, utilizing governance frameworks, human oversight, and regular testing for accuracy, fairness, and non-discrimination, collaborating with Data Assurance and Legal experts to mitigate bias. AI systems undergo regular validation testing and manual cross-checks for accuracy. SSE maintains strong data governance, preventing unauthorized use by limiting access to those with a business need and keeping AI-processed data internal, not for public AI training. Users can object to data processing. The company practices good data minimization by asking users to avoid introducing personal data and defining retention periods for feedback. SSE also shows good compliance with regulations like UK GDPR/EU GDPR and the NIS Directive, proactively reviewing and incorporating changes.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

In 2024, SSE recovered 25.47% of its total waste generated.

Hazardous waste constituted 1.58% of total waste in 2024. , with its share increasing by 7.96% from 2023 to 2024. The company has implemented several waste reduction initiatives, including the 'Plastic Free' project launched in January 2020 to eliminate single-use plastics, and SSE Renewables' participation in the SusWIND initiative and the Coalition for Wind Industry Circularity. SSE Renewables also strengthens contractual requirements for key waste contractors and conducts deep-dive audits at hydro operational sites. Circular design principles are applied to several product categories, such as designing batteries with end-of-life in mind and embedding circularity in wind farm designs. SSE Renewables has quantitative waste reduction targets for its wholly-owned operational sites, aiming to divert 95% of site waste from landfill and recycle at least 55% by 2024/25. The company has a sustainable procurement strategy that includes enhancing contractual requirements for key suppliers. No waste disposal violations were explicitly mentioned.