Adaptation involves changing our behaviour, systems and processes to respond to the impacts of climate change and to minimise the effects of climate change on our business.
Adaptation means protecting our business against the negative impacts (risks) as well as making us better able to take advantage of any benefits (opportunities) that a changing climate may bring.
Our Strategic Direction Statement sets out the risks and objectives for the whole business over the 25 years from 2010 to 2035 and climate change is identified as playing a key part.
In addition, we have set out the Climate Change Adaptation Strategy which lays down our approach and monitors the progress we are making against its objectives.
We have assessed the vulnerability of our critical assets, sites and infrastructure to potential changes in flood risk and sea- level rise.
We are working with the Met Office to understand how future changes in rainfall might affect the way we design our sewers.
Leading by example
As a founding member of the Prince of Wales' Corporate Leaders' Group (CLG) for Climate Change, we were at the launch of the CLG's Copenhagen Communique in July 2009. We were among one of the first businesses to endorse the Communique, which sets out the business case for an ambitious, robust and effective UN framework on climate change.
Our Managing Director, Peter Simpson, and other business leaders from major UK, EU and international companies in the CLG share a commitment to develop new and longer-term policies for tackling climate change.
Our climate change charter
We have written our climate change charter which has been signed by our Managing Director, Peter Simpson and Nick Herbert, the then Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. In the charter we promise to:
- become the most water-efficient region in the UK
- be innovative and develop more sustainable ways of working
- encourage employees and customers to take action on climate change
- embed climate change mitigation and adaptation into decision making processes