Corporate report

NDA group sustainability report 2024

Published 2 September 2024

Introduction

Delivering our mission: Making a difference

“The NDA group’s mission is like no other, and our environmental programme will stretch into the next century. We’re safely decommissioning the UK’s former nuclear sites and facilities, which, over their lifetime, have powered UK homes and businesses and supported national defence programmes. As well as safely and sustainably managing waste arising from the UK’s proud nuclear history, our work is important in helping to build confidence in nuclear as part of a low carbon future.

“I take great pride in leading a group which has sustainability at its heart. From reducing hazards at the UK’s oldest nuclear facilities and protecting land home to fauna, flora and wildlife, to being a major employer committed to creating great places to work in communities up and down the UK. We’re often the dominant economic contributor in those areas, and our footprint spans much wider. We support a supply chain of around 5,000 companies, with around three quarters of UK Parliamentary consistencies home to businesses working on our mission.

“What makes our mission unique is the requirement to take account of the impact of decommissioning on our communities. More than £50 million has been invested over the last four years in socio economic initiatives, creating jobs and making our communities more prosperous for the future. A space port, small business incubation units and renewable power investments have all benefited from our support. And our contribution is more than financial, with STEM ambassadors in local schools, trees planted in community forests and a host of volunteering activities supported.

“Sustainability is the word that brings all this together and it’s what we’re all about. We were delighted to publish our Sustainability Strategy in 2022, making clear that we see our commitments as so much more than our environmental impact and the important work that we’re doing to act on climate change and reduce our carbon emissions, as crucial as that is. It’s about being a good corporate citizen, making the world a better place by supporting our people, communities, industry and the planet.

“I’m delighted to share some of the progress being made in this publication. We can be proud of what we’ve achieved so far, but this is a long-term mission and we have much more to do. Together, we’re making a difference.

David Peattie FREng HonFNucl

Group Chief Executive Officer

Our impact infographic

We’re the NDA group

We’re responsible for keeping the UK’s earliest nuclear sites and facilities, once at the heart of national defence and electricity generation, safe and secure, as we decommission them and overcome the challenges of managing legacy nuclear waste.  It’s one of the most important environmental programmes in the world, protecting people and the planet.

Our 17,000 employees work hard on behalf of the UK, working with partners to innovate and use technology to overcome the challenges of identifying and removing nuclear waste from ageing facilities, so we can store it safely and permanently dispose of it. The work is complex and challenging.

Dealing with the waste, dismantling hundreds of buildings and facilities, and developing a geological disposal facility for England and Wales, to dispose of the most radioactive nuclear waste, will take decades. By investing today in the challenges left over from the UK’s proud nuclear history, we’re removing the burden for future generations and delivering social and environmental benefits through jobs, knowledge, skills, technology and social investment.

Sustainability and our mission

United Nations (UN) World Commission on Environment and Development definition of sustainability

“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Our definition of sustainability

“Creating value through nuclear decommissioning - at pace, affordably, with participation and creatively.”

The global priority placed on sustainability has never been greater, with an increasing focus on decarbonisation, clean growth, social value and a circular economy.

In 2015, world leaders, including the UK, agreed to 17 UN sustainable development goals for a better world by 2030 and we’ve consulted across the NDA group to fully understand our impact on these.

This review helped build a common understanding of our purpose. Our mission includes decommissioning nuclear sites and providing sustainable waste management for nuclear materials, both from these sites and industries such as medicine, defence and nuclear power plants.

We were able to relate this to the goals of good health and wellbeing, affordable and clean energy and industry, innovation and infrastructure.

UN sustainability goal number 3

Radioactive waste is created by many sectors, including medical where radionuclides help diagnose and treat illnesses. We’re responsible for providing safe, secure and sustainable waste disposal for all these sectors, including permanent disposal of higher activity waste.

UN sustainability goal number 7

We’re responsible for decommissioning nuclear sites that generated low carbon electricity, and for providing safe, secure and sustainable waste disposal for those sites and in support of new nuclear projects. This plays an important role in delivering the UK Government’s aspirations for future nuclear energy to achieve next zero.

UN sustainability goal number 9

The scale and complexity of our mission provides a compelling opportunity to invest in technology and innovation. We’re working across our sites and beyond, with infrastructure such as waste management facilities supporting the decommissioning activities of the defence sector.

Contributing to the UN’s sustainable development goals

While our mission clearly links to three of the UN’s sustainable development goals, our assessment showed a direct contribution to many of them, with an indirect impact that stretches even further.

Examples of how we contribute to these goals include:

UN sustainability goal number 1 (indirect impact)

Providing skilled jobs through our sites and supply chain, while creating sustainable communities through socio economic activities.

UN sustainability goal number 2 (indirect impact)

Supporting the International Atomic Energy Agency in its work to create guidance on the use of radioactive substances in agriculture.

UN sustainability goal number 3

Protecting staff and the public from radiological and conventional risks.

UN sustainability goal number 4

Funding academic research and providing skilled apprenticeships across the UK.

UN sustainability goal number 5 (indirect impact)

Exceeding our diversity goals in graduate recruitment, while creating great places to work supported by employee networks.

UN sustainability goal number 6 (indirect impact)

Encouraging efficient use of resources and protecting the water sources we interact with.

UN sustainability goal number 7 (indirect impact)

Supporting the UK’s nuclear power generation fleet by transporting and managing spent fuel, as well as providing sustainable waste management.

UN sustainability goal number 8

Being a significant employer and investing in the supply chain.

UN sustainability goal number 9

Investing in innovation and infrastructure to support delivery of our mission.

UN sustainability goal number 10

Supporting group-wide networks and contributing to activities that benefit the socio economic life of communities living near our sites to reduce economic inequality.

UN sustainability goal number 11

Protecting our communities by performing our mission safely and securely.

UN sustainability goal number 12

Applying the waste hierarchy and circular economy principles to optimise resource consumption and waste management.

UN sustainability goal number 13

Working towards net zero, and developing resilience to the effects of climate change.

UN sustainability goal number 14

Minimising discharges and monitoring our impact.

UN sustainability goal number 15

Protecting and enhancing biodiversity on our land.

UN sustainability goal number 16

Supporting the development of national policies and legislation.

UN sustainability goal number 17 (indirect impact)

Working with others nationally and internationally to support the delivery of these goals.

Our sustainability vision

“To be recognised as a leader in transforming nuclear legacies into opportunities for local, regional and national sustainable development.”

Read our Sustainability Strategy

Through our work, we’re able to deliver sustainable outcomes, including in these five important areas:

• Reducing risks and hazards
• Environment
• People
• Communities
• Supply chain

Reducing risks and hazards

We’re trusted to decommission the UK’s earliest nuclear sites, finding sustainable, permanent solutions to deal with our legacy waste, so that ultimately our land and assets can be available for reuse. Our overwhelming priority is to ensure that we deliver this work safely. 

Decommissioning our sites

Our mission is complex as no plans were developed for how these sites would be decommissioned when they were built. The work consists of thousands of individual projects, all with unique risks and hazards.

We organise our work into five themes and 47 strategic outcomes, with progress reported each year in a Mission Progress Report. Last year we were able to confirm completion of four of these outcomes, following the conclusion of reprocessing at Sellafield.

We’re constantly looking for different ways to deliver our programme. This includes significant investment in technology and innovation, considering the use of robotics and autonomous systems to remove the need for people to enter hazardous environments. For example, a robot recently entered an area of the Dounreay site that had been inaccessible to humans for decades to help plan decommissioning work, while drones are helping undertake important safety checks on buildings to avoid working at height. Collaboration is at the heart of this work, leveraging funding and resources to ensure we deliver work efficiently.

We’re also implementing Government policy to reduce hazards in a way which takes account of sustainability factors. This includes our approach to managing waste, with a commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle. For example, at the LLW Repository in Cumbria, we now divert 99% of the waste that would previously have been destined for disposal at the site. This material is now sent for treatment or alternative disposal, protecting capacity in this national asset. We’re also making waste permanently safe, sooner by working with stakeholders to find a suitable site and willing community to host a geological disposal facility, providing a long term solution for the most hazardous radioactive waste.

Progressing our work safely

It’s our duty to ensure that our people are kept safe, and we’re committed to providing a safe and healthy environment where our employees can thrive.

Our key performance indicator for keeping our workforce safe from harm is known as the Total Recordable Incident Rate, which is a widely used measurement of an organisation’s safety performance. Performance in 2023/24 reduced from the year before, achieving a rate of 0.35 compared to 0.30 previously. While this still represents strong performance compared to similar organisations, we’re committed to improving further.

We also monitor radiological exposures as another key indicator. We strive to remove people from harm wherever possible, and in 2023/24 zero doses above the statutory limit were received.

All events are learning opportunities, with lessons shared across our group and with outside industry where appropriate. Continuous improvement is fundamental, so we’re developing a group-wide improvement plan to inform local arrangements in our operating companies.

Sharing knowledge globally

Our work crosses borders and there is a significant opportunity to share our experiences and learn from others as we aim to deliver our mission safely and sustainably.

From actively engaging with the International Atomic Energy Agency on behalf of the UK, chairing working groups on topics such as radioactive waste, to participating in international co-operation agreements with the United States, Canada and many others, we recognise the importance and value of representing the UK on the global stage.

Our focus:

• Keeping our workforce and local communities safe
• Reducing hazards and permanently treating or disposing of radioactive and conventional waste
• Investing in new technology to improve the way we deliver our programme and keep people safe
• Balancing pace and priority of activities to provide lifetime value for money
• Embedding sustainability in delivery and outcomes

A view from Dr Juliet Long, Chief Strategist for Site Decommissioning and Remediation, NDA

“We often talk about the challenge of reducing risks – but what does that mean? Risk is simply the potential for something to do harm and, across our sites, there are many different things, known as hazards, which could do harm. Most of the hazards and risks we manage are like those encountered by most industrial sites, including working from height or those relating to the presence of substances or chemicals. What’s particular about our challenge are the nuclear risks we manage.

“Nuclear risk refers to the potential for release of radioactive materials from facilities, which could result in radiological consequence. We have a number of facilities where this is possible if they’re not managed properly, which is why safety is our highest priority and why we employ one of the most knowledgeable and experienced nuclear workforces in the world.

“This is a particular challenge for some facilities, not only because of the quantities of radioactive materials, but also because of the age and condition of the buildings themselves. These are our priorities, notably our legacy ponds and silos at Sellafield.

“Dealing with such hazards needs extreme care to be taken and this takes time. While removing the radioactive hazard from an old facility reduces the risk, it doesn’t solve the nuclear risk. Significant effort thereafter is required to ensure the retrieved radioactive material is treated so that it can be packaged, stored, transported and disposed of safely.

“Thankfully, most of the hazards and risks we encounter are more typical of normal industrial activities. Nevertheless they all need careful management, whether we’re removing asbestos from our buildings or remediating chemical contaminants in our soils.

“Understanding the hazards and risks associated with our activities is key to our decommissioning mission. It helps determine the urgency with which work is required, as well as the different ways in which we need to deliver it, to ensure people and the environment are kept safe. Fundamentally our work transforms sites from high risk through to lower risk environments in which our land and assets can be put to further beneficial use. That might mean enabling sites to be used for further nuclear or industrial development or for other uses. Quite how soon we can enable that transformation and release varies from site to site, depending on the particular hazards and risks that we’re managing and also the level of risk which is appropriate for its next use. 

“This is our challenge – working with regulators to ensure that we manage risks safely and securely, hand-in-hand with our communities and governments to understand what future opportunities our sites might enable. And in that sense our mission is all about sustainability – linking to sustainable development goal 11 (sustainable cities and communities) - enabling our workforce and communities to be protected from our nuclear legacy and the work we do by reducing the hazards and the risks they present and releasing our land for further beneficial re-use.”

Case study: New policy sets out approach to manage radioactive waste

UN sustainability goal numbers 3, 7, 12, 16, 17

The challenge

At the centre of our challenge to decommission sites is the need to manage, treat and dispose of large volumes of waste. Established plans are in place, but it’s been almost 30 years since the last major policy overhaul and many technological and sector changes have taken places since then. We’re committed to continually reviewing our plans to take account of the latest developments, from our own workforce, the wider sector and global experience.

The solution

The UK Government and devolved administrations published an updated radioactive substances and nuclear decommissioning policy in May 2024. The update, created with the support and input of the NDA group and our stakeholders, places significant focus on the consideration of sustainability and encourages innovation – from greater recycling to research into extracting isotopes from nuclear materials for use in diagnosis and treatment of cancers, with the option of disposal being the last resort.

This will minimise impact on the environment and help reduce the amount of waste for disposal. In addition to England and Wales existing long-term plans to dispose of the highest risk radioactive waste in a geological disposal facility (GDF) hundreds of metres underground, the option to use a facility closer to the surface for less hazardous radioactive waste will be considered. While a GDF is not expected to be ready until the 2050s, near surface disposal could be available much sooner in England and Wales for some suitable intermediate level waste, allowing for quicker and more cost-effective decommissioning.

The new policy provides a number of opportunities that we will take forward with stakeholders, and which will shape our next NDA Strategy due to be published in 2026. Some examples, which have the potential to support our sustainability ambitions include:

• Solid radioactive waste should be managed using a risk-informed approach, considering all properties of the waste (radiological, chemical, physical) rather than being principally managed on the radioactive waste classification, such as high, intermediate or low level.
• Application of the waste hierarchy for managing all categories of solid radioactive waste rather than just low level waste in the UK.
• A new policy framework for near surface disposal in England and Wales.
• Considering on site disposal on existing nuclear and former nuclear sites, where it is safe to do so.

Case study: Improving safety through innovation

UN sustainability goal numbers 4, 9, 12, 13, 17

The challenge

The scale and length of our decommissioning mission presents many challenges, but it also creates a significant platform for research, development and innovation, with an opportunity to do things differently. In particular, technology and innovation can be used to find ways to deliver our work in a way that reduces risks and hazards.

The solution

We invest more than £100 million in technology and innovation projects each year.

Technical challenges

We’re working hard to find new ways of delivering our programme quicker and cheaper, while upholding the highest standards of safety, security and environmental performance. We’re focusing on a number of areas to help us achieve this:

• Finding new ways to manage our waste, increasing recycling and reuse to reduce volumes sent for disposal.
• Using autonomous technology to manage assets and buildings proactively and efficiently.
• Reducing the need for people to enter hazardous environments using autonomous systems, robotics and wearable technology.
• Adopting digital approaches for capturing and using data, to improve planning, training and aid decision-making.

Research

Our focus extends beyond hands-on technical solutions available today. One of our key sustainability legacies will be to develop the subject matter experts of the future. More than £5 million is invested in academic research each year, funding up to 40 new PhD projects. In total, we’re currently sponsoring around 150 PhD students and multiple post-doctoral researchers at universities around
the UK.

This helps ensure the challenges of nuclear decommissioning are fully understood, pushes the boundaries to explore emerging ideas and innovation, and seizes the opportunities created by the development and demonstration of new technologies.

Our approach is resulting in:

• Safer working environments, through developing  innovative remote technologies, including laser cutting, robotics and improved radiation detection.
• More funding for the supply chain by collaborating with other public organisations.
• A sustained programme of academic research into nuclear decommissioning.

Read our innovation strategy

“Our academic partnerships help us explore emerging innovations to deliver sustainable decommissioning more effectively, efficiently, and for less cost to the taxpayer.”

Professor Melanie Brownridge

Chief Research and Development Officer

Our impact - reducing risks and hazards infographic

Environment

Our mission involves solving a unique multi-generational challenge, reducing complex environmental hazards, to protect and enhance the environment now and for the future.

Acting on climate change

We’re committed to acting on climate change and working to become carbon net zero. Since 2019/20, we’ve reduced scope one and two* carbon emissions by more than a third by adopting different approaches to our work and making greater use of renewable energy sources. We’re also investing in technology such as solar panels and air source heat pumps, as well as improving transport methods. Maentwrog, our hydroelectric plant in North Wales, generated 81.4 gigawatt hours of renewable electricity last year, enough to power 30,150 homes.

Reducing environmental risk

Environmental impact is assessed in all areas of our operations and we work closely with regulators to reduce risk and remain compliant with permits and regulations.

By embedding sustainability and environmental factors into our value framework and as requirements when producing business cases, we’re ensuring that we consider these important areas when making decisions about how we deliver our mission.

Environmental Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) is a measurement of significant environmental events used across the NDA group, similar to the industry standard TRIR measurement for safety. Our performance was 0.06 in 2023/24, a slight improvement from 0.07 the previous year. This represents strong performance, but there remains room for improvement and we seek to drive down the numbers of environmental events. Each event is individually assessed and, in the last year, all have been classed as having minor or no environmental harm.

Valuing natural resources

We’re reducing our use of key resources, seeking opportunities to
re-use materials that would otherwise become waste where sustainable to do so. For example, the NDA has reduced water consumption by 59% since 2017/18 and we continue to have stretching targets to achieve in support of Greening Government Commitments. These commitments also cover carbon reduction, waste, nature recovery, climate resilience and single use plastic reduction. Across the wider group, we’re improving our ability to monitor and track progress.Despite our complex and high hazard mission, we’re working towards zero controlled conventional and non-radioactive waste to landfill by 2035. Our performance continues to improve, with more than 95% diverted in 2022/23.

Protecting and enhancing nature

Stewardship of our land brings the responsibility and opportunity to protect and enhance nature. The variety of regions we operate in gives us the chance to work with some of the most valuable habitats in the UK.

We’re responsible for around 5,000 hectares of land, with around 20% used for nuclear site operations. Of this, around 16% is developed and much of the rest is made up of coastal margins (32%), farmland (30%), freshwater, wetland and floodplains (10%) and woodland (7%). A significant proportion has environmental designations relating to habitats and species of national importance, such as sites of special scientific interest (>1000 Ha) and special areas of conservation (around 1000 Ha). Many of our sites, such as Dungeness in Kent and the LLW Repository in Cumbria, are adjacent to such protected areas requiring careful stewardship.

Some of this land provides valuable habitat for protected species, such as parts of West Cumbria which provide a habitat for protected great crested newt populations, where we have worked with local charities to help protect these habitats. Oldbury Lagoon 3 in South Gloucestershire is a legacy of past operations at the site and the area is home to up to 220 different bird species. Following engagement with the local community we are working to investigate opportunities to provide an improved environment to support these birds and other species.

We’ve established a baseline of the natural capital of all our land holdings, which helps us understand the nature, condition and types of the land we hold and its value to people. We’re producing a nature recovery plan which will identify opportunities we can take across our estate to support nature alongside our mission. Work is also ongoing around many of our sites to improve our understanding of biodiversity and the risks and opportunities associated with it, completing ecological surveys where appropriate. We’re also working across the group to take a coordinated approach to meeting requirements to support and enhance biodiversity during site developments, fulfilling biodiversity net gain requirements.

By considering the future of our planet our operations can contribute to the preservation of British biodiversity, as well as fostering a powerful and positive environmental legacy.

Our focus:

• Acting on climate change
• Protecting and enhancing nature
• Valuing natural resources
• Preventing pollution, reducing environmental risk and remaining compliant
• Understanding our environmental impacts, risks and opportunities
• Further embedding environment into our culture
• Growing our environmental knowledge and skills
• Embracing new ideas and innovating

A view from Chris Arthur, Environmental Advisor, Nuclear Waste Services

“The NDA group has a duty under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act and the Environment Act to conserve and enhance biodiversity while carrying out our statutory functions, as well as requirements to adhere to legislation for explicitly protected species.

“Delivery against this requirement necessitates a cultural shift to reassess the value of biodiversity as a key consideration, not a hindrance or a ‘nice-to-have’ when undertaking work. It’s something we’re thinking about when delivering work at our LLW Repository site in Cumbria.

“Perhaps the first step to achieving the change of perspective needed is understanding and taking pride in our natural environment. The LLW Repository is a mosaic of habitat types, ranging from easily underappreciated brownfield to species-rich grassland and woodland. These habitats support a rich diversity of fauna that not only includes the conspicuous animals such as roe deer, but also several European protected species and many others that are nationally scarce or rare.

“The diversity of species is far too great to list but includes otters, badgers, foxes, stoats, and weasels; nesting oystercatchers, skylarks, tawny owls, buzzards and may other species of birds; slow worms, common lizards, adders; five species of amphibians including great crested newts; 16 species of dragonflies and damselflies; 21 species of butterfly; and over 40 species of bees. These are things that should be celebrated and protected, and while there is an undeniable need for future development on the site, it needs to be undertaken in a way sympathetic to the species that reside there. Similarly, routine activities like grounds maintenance should be optimised to deliver any genuine operational requirements but not cause undue detriment to biodiversity where there is no need to do so.

“We have produced a pollinator action plan that sets our intention to manage parts of the site sensitively to support invertebrates. This includes revisions to the grass cutting schedule to allow wildflowers to persist through the summer rather than enforcing a ‘tidy’ aesthetic. The acceptance of these proposals by senior management is a strong indicator of the increasing understanding of nature as a priority.

“Looking forward to how the site will be developed, we are finalising our strategy for delivering biodiversity net gain and exploring areas on, and adjacent to, the site which can be enhanced to provide off-setting areas. These would be tailored to provide the habitats needed by species currently present on the site and the nearby Drigg coast which is of international significance its habitats and species.”

Case study: Reducing transport emissions

UN sustainability goal numbers 7, 9, 11, 13

The challenge

Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS) is our specialist subsidiary operating trains and ships to safely move nuclear materials around the UK and the world.

But our use of transport extends beyond this. From moving goods around individual sites, to our people as they travel between locations to undertake their jobs. Transport is a significant contributor to our carbon footprint and we’re working hard to reduce that impact.

The solution

Nuclear Transport Solutions is leading the way in rail and shipping as it looks to improve the sustainability of its services. It’s changing the way ships sail and on one journey reduced fuel use by 14% and lowered CO2 emissions by 19%. This meant an overall saving of 918 tonnes of CO2.

Its home port of Barrow has also installed a mains power link, so ships no longer run generators and can make use of solar panels at the port.

On its rail fleet, NTS subsidiary Direct Rail Services (DRS) is reducing emissions and delivering a plan which:

• Maximises bi-mode technology. Its most modern locomotives produce zero exhaust emissions when running on overhead electricity and have the most efficient diesel engine available when electricity is not possible.
• Takes advantage of alternative fuels. While 38% of the UK’s rail network is electrified, the remainder requires fossil fuels to fill gaps. DRS, in partnership with customers, has used hydrotreated vegetable oil which reduces emissions by up to 90%.
• Invests in new technologies, training and education for employees. This includes start-stop technology.

Similar investments are being made at our sites around the UK. Sellafield recently received its first fully electric locomotive to improve its carbon footprint and the reliability of the rolling stock. The site has one of the largest internal rail networks in the country, with eleven miles of track supporting site operations. The new 40 tonne, fully battery powered loco was built in just four months by Staffordshire based Clayton.

“Nuclear Transport Solutions will be the market leader in efficient, sustainable and reliable rail freight solutions in the UK.”

Gottfried Eymer

Rail Managing Director, NTS

Case study: Driving down impact of energy usage

UN sustainability goal numbers 7, 9, 13

The challenge

For decades our sites produced low carbon electricity. Now we’re undertaking the energy intensive process of decommissioning, with our annual usage estimated at around 500GWh.

Our decommissioning work is critical, but it’s important that we reduce our environmental impact and meet Government targets to be carbon net zero as part of our efforts to act on climate change.

The solution

Tens of millions of trees would be required to offset our total carbon footprint, so our focus is on rethinking what we do and how we do it. We’ve established a group-wide energy programme as one of many steps we’re taking to reduce our carbon footprint, lower the cost of energy we use and unlock the value in our assets.

Work is happening at each of our sites to improve the accuracy of energy usage forecasting to help inform decision making, with each of our operating companies producing energy plans. Audits, metering and modelling will also be used to identify further efficiencies in the way we operate. For example, Sellafield is in the process of installing meter points to monitor steam demand.

Our energy plans commit to investments such as additional insulation in buildings, as well as moving away from assets that are heavy energy users from fossil fuel sources and finding ways of working that minimises the need for heat and energy. At Sellafield, we’re rethinking the way we operate to minimise the emissions from our current steam generating assets, while planning for a low carbon future. This has already saved around 150,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Meanwhile, we’re committed to maximising the energy efficiency of the many new structures that need to be built to support our mission and we’re also reviewing transport strategies and making use of low emission options wherever possible.

A particular area of focus is considering how our land and assets can be used to produce electricity required for our programme, reducing our environmental impact and minimising our exposure to market volatility. We recently announced a masterplan for the future of Chapelcross, showcasing the vision to develop the site in Dumfries into a green energy hub. Part of the proposal is the potential to generate electricity through solar power, including up to 10MW to support our work, which could save around 1,700 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.

“Greater efficiency in energy use and supply is essential if we’re going to become carbon net zero. Working together as one NDA group provides us with a unique opportunity to find modern solutions, make appropriate investments and lower our impact. This work will make a big difference.”

Alan Cumming

Group Chief Assurance and Performance Officer

Our impact - environment infographic

People

Our work supports thousands of jobs in some of the most remote parts of the UK. Across 17 sites we employ around 17,000 people, and they are at the heart of what we do. 

Creating great places to work

We’re developing a workforce that better represents modern Britain and enables us to meet the complex needs of a decommissioning programme that spans into the next century.

Across the group, we’ve reduced our gender pay gap with the latest statistics showing a mean average gap of 11.5%. Stretching targets have also been set as part of our Inclusion Strategy, focusing on inclusive culture and leadership, workforce diversity, respect dignity and employee voice, and flexibility, agility and smarter working.

Wellbeing

Mental health and wellbeing of our people is a priority, with the aim of providing a supportive working environment. A group-wide strategy is supported by an executive sponsored delivery group.

In 2021 we took part in the MIND Workplace Index which provided us with insights to develop our ongoing focus and we’ve introduced support mechanisms to help staff, including a digital help app, employee assistance programme and speak up arrangements. Moving forward, we’re working to align our processes to ISO 45003:2021 covering psychological health and safety at work.

Developing our staff

By investing in our people, we’re ensuring we have the skills to deliver our mission. Our aspiration is also to ensure that our communities are known for their high skills base, attracting other employers and future opportunities.

In addition to locally led training, we’re investing in group-wide schemes such as our Leadership Academy and Future Leaders Programme to build networks across the group and offer high quality opportunities. Around 150 people have so far participated in these programmes, helping many secure promotions within the group.

Attracting talent

Our work is growing and, with around 38% of our workforce over the age of 50, we need to ensure we have the right skills to deliver our longer-term mission.

In addition to attracting the brightest minds from other industries and sectors, we’re investing £45 million each year in early careers, with more than 1,000 people following structured apprentice and graduate programmes at any one time. This includes the NDA group graduate programme, launched in 2022 and offering 120 opportunities across a number of different professional disciplines in 2024. We also continue to run the sector-wide Nuclear Graduates scheme and fund around 150 PhD students.

We’re taking a significant role in the implementation of the National Nuclear Skills Plan, a joint endeavour across civil and defence nuclear sectors to address skills shortages and increase workforce demand. Worksteams include doubling the intake of graduates and apprentices, increasing the number of PhDs and addressing key skills challenges. Part of the plan includes a programme of sponsorships and bursaries, aimed at supporting those from more socially disadvantaged backgrounds to study at undergraduate and post graduate levels in key STEM subjects.

Apprenticeships are also important, with more than 300 joining the group last year. Energus, our subsidiary specialist early careers provider, was recently ranked 42 in the Top 50 SME employers for apprentices 2024. Meanwhile Sellafield increased its ranking from 67 to 59 in the 2024 top 100 apprenticeship employers.
Our focus:

• Protecting the wellbeing of our colleagues
• Building an inclusive and diverse workforce
• Sustaining thousands of jobs in many regions of the UK and increasing the skills base in the communities in which we operate
• Recruiting the next generation of employees and developing our own staff to create great places to work and deliver our mission
• Building the curiosity to innovate and implement sustainable approaches and learn from one another across the group

A view from Morgan Thomas, Graduate at Nuclear Transport Solutions

“I decided to begin my graduate career with the NDA group because of my long-standing interest in the nuclear industry and supply chain management, which I studied as part of my degree. Growing up on Anglesey in North Wales, a region with a nuclear heritage, I always wanted to work in the sector, despite my lack of scientific experience.

“Since joining, my experience with the NDA group has been extremely fulfilling, with various opportunities to learn and make valuable contributions. One of the most rewarding aspects has been the secondments I’ve been able to take part in. Each one has increased my understanding and abilities. I’ve recently had an amazing opportunity, undertaking a secondment in Japan with Nuclear Transport Solutions and International Nuclear Services Japan. This trip was eye-opening, providing insights into the Japanese nuclear industry and culture. Exposure to international ideas has improved my approach to projects and emphasised the global significance of our mission.

“Now I’m excited to join Nuclear Restoration Services as a procurement professional based at Wylfa, Anglesey. This is exciting as it allows me to return and make a direct contribution to my local community. I then expect to complete the final secondment as part of my graduate programme at Sellafield as a buyer in manufacturing. These secondments are all unique experiences that are extending my knowledge and helping me prepare for my future career.

“As I reflect on my wider experience on the programme, one particularly memorable opportunity was speaking at the group’s graduate recruitment event earlier this year. It was an honour to share my journey with around 600 potential graduates, all looking to follow a similar path as me and start their career within the nuclear sector. It allowed me to reflect on the NDA group’s future possibilities and obstacles, while also inspiring the next cohort to join us.

“There are plenty of opportunities for those interested in working in the NDA group, ranging from hazard reduction projects to community or environmental efforts. The organisation’s emphasis on sustainability and innovation guarantees that new ideas are encouraged and supported.

“However, our journey to sustainability is ongoing, and there are areas where we can improve. Improving communication and collaboration across departments and sites will help us progress towards our goals. Additionally, increasing possibilities for even more professional development and training would be beneficial.

“As I look to the future, I’m particularly interested in pursuing ideas that will improve our community engagement and reduce environmental impact. NDA’s support and opportunities have laid a solid basis for my development, and I’m looking forward to what comes next.

“I’m proud to be a part of an organisation that is committed to making a positive change, and excited to continue this path towards a more sustainable future.”

Case study: Attracting and retaining the right skills

UN sustainability goal numbers 4, 5, 8, 10, 17

The challenge

Maintaining the right level of skills is a growing priority. Our work is evolving, as we progress decommissioning and undertake new projects that require specialist knowledge, while around 38% of our workforce is now over 50. Resourcing challenges are not unique to us and, as global focus on energy security grows, there is increasing competition for talent. A 49% growth is estimated in the nuclear sector across civil and defence by 2030, with an estimated 40,000 new jobs needed in that time.
Our challenge is to attract and retain talent at all stages of their career. 

The solution

We’re prioritising our work on attraction and skills, assigning it as a group ‘beacon project’. Each year a small number of high importance areas are selected, with all parts of the group working together to deliver change. We’ve also taken a leading industry role in the creation of a National Nuclear Skills Plan, working with the UK Government and other sector representatives.

The NDA group graduate programme offers a two-year structured opportunity nationwide. In 2023 the scheme exceeded aspirations for diversity goals, with 47% of graduates being female, 26% identifying as an ethnic minority, 18% as LGBTQ and 13% reporting being a person with a disability.

This year we’ve doubled the opportunities on this programme, with around 120 places available, in addition to our other graduate programmes such as Nuclear Graduates and the Sellafield Graduate programme. More than 600 candidates attended our largest ever recruitment and assessment centre.

We’ve championed and co-funded Destination Nuclear. This national campaign is raising the profile of the industry, with a message that whatever you can do, you can do nuclear.  We’ve also created a new NDA group careers website, bringing together opportunities from all our operating companies in one place for the first time with the ambition of explaining the scale and complexity of our work to new audiences.

Our priority is to retain existing staff and provide great places to work. Our focus includes career pathways, improved learning and development and facilitating secondments or permanent moves across the group. Our award-winning Leadership Academy is just one example of investing in high quality programmes to stretch and grow existing staff.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled with the success of the NDA group graduate programme, it’s fantastic to see the wealth of diverse young talent that see the NDA group as an attractive employer.”

Jacq Longrigg

Group People Development Director

Find out more about career opportunities with us

Case study: Creating great places to work

UN sustainability goal numbers 3, 5, 10, 16

The challenge

We want to create great places to work. We want leaders to create environments that encourage inclusion and enhance performance, while ensuring our workplaces are safe, accessible and promote health and wellbeing.

The solution

Our Inclusion Strategy sets stretching goals for 2025, visible to all employees. Colleagues have the greatest power to make change and we’ve committed to strengthen employee voice and grow membership of our employee networks by 20% year on year.

Employee networks are led by staff with a particular interest in a making a change. There are a variety of employee-led networks across the group, as well as group-wide communities for disability awareness, LGBTQ+, race equality, gender balance and menopause awareness.

LGBTQ+

LGBTQ+ allies have facilitated involvement in Pride events across the UK, helping to build awareness, and demonstrate the allyship of a major employer in different regions of the country.

Gender balance

Activities, from training courses to awareness events and mentoring are delivered by our gender balance groups. Network members support improvements across the sector, working closely with Women in Nuclear UK. Overall, we’re seeing our gender pay gap reduce, with a mean gap of 11.5%. We’re committed to reducing this even further.

Meno Hub

Membership of Meno Hub has continued to grow, climbing 139% in just one year. This is a space to connect with colleagues, share experiences and access menopause support. We’ve been highly commended in the best support group category and Gill Thomas, Meno Hub co-chair, won the community award at the 2023 Menopause Friendly Employer Awards.

Enable

Our disability network has helped introduce workplace adjustment passports to ensure any adjustments needed for staff with disabilities are captured. Passports are intended to be used to record any informal agreements that are made between employees and their managers to assist with accessibility.

Race equality

The Race Equality Network (REN) has raised awareness of issues faced by holding townhalls, webinars and informal catch-up sessions on topics, such as ‘Small Behaviours, Big Impact’ about microaggressions and the importance of names and pronunciation.

“Being an inclusive workplace brings huge benefits. Diversity of thought results in better business decisions and this in turn creates better outcomes.”

David Vineall

Group Chief People Officer

Our impact - people infographic

Communities

We’ve been active members of our communities for decades and will continue to be so into the future. Our employees and their families live in these locations across the UK and our economic contribution is substantial, with many local businesses and infrastructure reliant on our investment and that of our workforce.

Engaging communities

Open and transparent engagement is at the heart of how we operate and we could not make progress without the confidence and input of our stakeholders. Each of our sites has an independently chaired site stakeholder group, made up of local representatives, and acting as the primary route for providing updates, representing views and holding us to account.

Investing in a positive future

Our staff are supported to undertake a range of activities, from volunteering to structured STEM activities in local schools.

What makes our mission unique is a legal obligation to consider the impact of our work on communities. Our Social Impact and Communities Strategy has been developed setting out how we will work with communities, providing investments in projects that create a lasting positive legacy.

Informed by local economic impact assessments and working in close partnership with local and regional leaders, we’ve invested £50 million in projects during the last four years that have helped leverage millions of pounds from others, creating and sustaining employment.

Our focus:

• Operating in an open and transparent manner
• Helping to ensure our local communities are good places to live and work, now and in the future
• Investing in socio-economic projects to create sustainable communities and leave a positive legacy
• Supporting our employees to volunteer and help to make a difference

A view from Magnus Davidson, Dounreay Socio Economics Manager, Nuclear Restoration Services

“For many decades our sites have been social and economic pillars of their local communities. Many are found in rural and coastal locations which rarely benefit from the same economic opportunities found in more populous areas, highlighting the importance of our industry as a catalyst for a more just transition to a sustainable clean energy future.

“The embedded benefit of well skilled and productive jobs within our own workforce, and that of the supply chain, are vital for sustainable economic growth across the country and in many of our communities which face deprivation, depopulation and other challenges.

“Continued support to schools and community groups through our communities fund, larger investments in cultural heritage and community assets from our socio economic fund, including large strategic investments like Scrabster Harbour and the Sutherland Spaceport, demonstrate our multi-tiered and flexible approach to socio economic development. Group funding provided to the independent Caithness and north Sutherland Fund continues to support a range of initiatives with decision making in the hands of the community. 

“While Dounreay’s decommissioning is ongoing, a range of strategic awards into local infrastructure at Scrabster and Wick harbours are helping to sustain, grow and diversify the economy into net zero industries and beyond. Both harbours are supporting gigawatts of clean energy in the form of renewable offshore wind being delivered to meet UK energy security needs, with Scrabster St Ola pier redevelopment unlocking the potential for hundreds of new jobs in the burgeoning offshore wind sector.

“The flagship multi-year investment into Sutherland Spaceport is helping to realise tens of millions of pounds of private and public sector investment into the UK space industry, while delivering tangible social, economic, and environmental benefit. Innovative space rocket launches will soon join 70 years of experimental nuclear research and cutting edge decommissioning in the north of Scotland.

“Our area, like many across the group, looks set to benefit from a positive changing economic outlook as we progress to net zero. The opportunities for facilitating the generation of renewable energy and connection to the grid are also underpinned by the retention, attraction, and training of the transferrable and skilled workforce required over coming decades in decommissioning, new build, and net-zero industries.

“Fundamental to this changing social and economic outlook is our commitment to embrace these opportunities to mitigate and resolve our many challenges. We’re continually evolving our socio economic journey, in partnership with public and private sector organisations through Focus North, to ensure a sustainable and just transition, for both our local communities and the country at large.”

Case study: Maximising our support for communities

UN sustainability goal numbers 1, 8, 10, 11, 16, 17

The challenge

The Energy Act (2004) provides us with a legal duty to have regard for the impact of our activities on communities living near our sites, as well as the wider responsibilities all public bodies have under the Social Value Act (2012). This requires organisations, when spending public funds, to consider social, economic and environmental impact as well as value for money.

The solution

In 2024 we published a new Social Impact and Communities Strategy, developed with representatives from our communities, reflecting their priorities wherever possible.

This is aligned with our wider NDA Strategy as well as the group’s Sustainability Strategy. It takes account of the UN sustainable development goals and UK socio economic priorities, including those set out by the Just Transition Commission (Scotland) and in the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.

It’s underpinned by independently produced economic impact assessments. These evidence where socio-economic interventions are most beneficial. Investments are then co-created with local stakeholders, operating companies and the NDA.

The Social Impact and Communities Strategy sets the following six strategic themes for delivery:

Resilient economies – enabling and supporting the conditions for local economic output, improved productivity, and growth.

Thriving communities – enabling and supporting the conditions for social cohesion, supporting disadvantaged groups and other social benefits.

Sustainable incomes – improving aspirations and access to work through a programme of high impact education, skills, personal development and employability support activities.

Sustainable growth – reflecting the importance of the climate agenda and working to achieve economic, social and competitive advantage for our nuclear communities by integrating sustainable growth into our socio-economic interventions.

Social value chains – working closely with our suppliers to create social impacts with our supply chain.

Collective impact – leveraging social impact and investment. Read our Social Impact and Communities Strategy

Case study: Making a difference in our communities

UN sustainability goal numbers 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 17

The challenge

At the heart of our Social Impact and Communities Strategy is working with regional regeneration agencies and other stakeholders to fund socio economic projects in the areas in which we operate. The intention is to help deliver a positive and sustainable future for those communities.

The solution

Across the NDA group, we’re supporting dozens of initiatives each year, with many transformational projects delivered thanks to our support.

Community investment funding is also available for communities participating in the siting process for a geological disposal facility. This aims to provide economic opportunities, enhance the natural and built environment or improve community wellbeing.

Morlais Tidal Energy Project

~£1 million investment, leveraging over £48 million of Welsh Government and WEFO funding into a major, innovative green energy project on Anglesey.

Spaceport Sutherland

~£3 million investment into a project to launch small satellites which has secured millions of pounds of additional investment into the area.

Western Excellence in Learning and Leadership

~£4 million investment into a transformational project to improve educational outcomes for young people, particularly those facing disadvantage.

Industrial Solutions hub (ISH)

Investment of £7 million which has helped to leverage £22.5 million of Government investment in the Cleator Moor Town Deal and a further £20 million from the Levelling-Up Fund

Romney Marsh Business Hub

£700k investment into a £2 million project to provide a new business hub, with ambition to support 500 new jobs over 10 years.

Beyond Chapelcross

£500k to develop a proposition for the reuse of NDA land at Chapelcross which has helped to secure an offer of £21 million from Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal.

Theddlethorpe playground and community garden

£382k allocated to Theddlethorpe Village Hall to build an adventure playground and create a community garden.

“The NDA believes that decommissioning activities should benefit local communities and that we must provide a positive legacy once our work is completed. We’re immensely proud of our work with local communities to date and are very ambitious to make further progress.”

Jamie Reed

Director of Socio-Economics, NDA

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Our impact - communities infographic

Supply chain

Around half our £4 billion annual budget is spent with the supply chain, 38% of which is with small and medium sized enterprises.

Our intention is to build and maintain a resilient, sustainable, diverse, ethical and innovative supply chain that optimises value for money for the UK taxpayer when sourcing goods and services.

We procure a wide range of goods and services from complex one-of-a-kind nuclear projects to stationery, with values ranging from billions of pounds to tens of pounds. Durations also vary from one-off purchases through to projects and programmes lasting decades.

We work with businesses of all shapes and sizes, from micro and small and medium sized enterprises, to some of the largest organisations in the world.

Work on our sites sustains many local businesses based in the communities in which we operate, but our impact stretches further. Around 75% of UK parliamentary constituencies are home to businesses that are supporting our mission.

Our focus:

• Helping sustain and grow supply chain companies and
  their workforces
• Engaging with the best skills and technologies available
  to help deliver our mission
• Developing the capability of the UK supply chain to support other nuclear and energy projects
• Setting clear targets to ensure we engage small and medium sized enterprises
• Contributing positively to the national and international agenda

A view from Eirini Etoimou, Head of Corporate Sustainability and Supply Chain Development, Sellafield

“Sustainability is part of our core. It reflects our values and exemplifies how we engage in responsible business practices as a considerate neighbour and as a conscientious citizen. Every aspect of our organisation is geared towards fostering a sustainable mindset, with decisions aimed at creating long-term value and contributing to the greater good.

“At Sellafield, our goal is to make sustainability easy, accessible, and meaningful. We have three core principles:

• Integrate sustainability into all our activities.
• Expand our influence, including workforce, suppliers, local communities, authorities, industry professionals, and academic institutions.
• Inspire members of our business community to collaborate with us for the greater good, actively supporting sustainability objectives.

“Given that our operations heavily depend on suppliers, it’s only logical to work together with them—both directly and indirectly—to achieve our sustainability ambitions.

“We take a comprehensive approach by embedding sustainability throughout the procurement cycle. This begins with supplier awareness, progresses to bidding processes, includes a new engagement strategy introducing the ‘principles alignment’, and meaningful questions during tendering.

“Additionally, we have launched the MENU, an initiative that ensures that socio economic and environmental benefits are delivered through procurement specifications.

“With the MENU, suppliers can actively contribute to the priorities identified by local authorities and organisations that we support within our communities.

“Our recently introduced volunteering platform, is accessible online and via mobile apps. It provides equal visibility to all the organisations we support, allowing employees and partners to register corporate and personal accounts and volunteer according to demand. Additionally, the platform enables partners to report progress on their social impact plans as part of contractual commitments.

“We’ve also initiated a Social Impact Roundtable, a workshop that brings together all our partners focused on social value plans tied to their contracts. This forum fosters collaboration, alignment, and impactful outcomes while creating a supportive network for all participants.

“The new Supplier Relationship Management model, endorsed by the Cabinet Office, incorporates sustainability and collaborative working. This model provides further opportunities for identifying ways to work together retrospectively to support local communities.

“We recognise the significance of collaboration with our supply chain in fulfilling our mission and achieving our sustainability objectives. To be a role model, we need more allies within our ecosystem—individuals and organisations that share our principles of responsibility, care, and ethical practices—to ensure that we create positive and exponential benefits for our communities.”

Case study: Partnership created to collaborate on asbestos solutions

UN sustainability goal numbers 8, 9, 12, 15

The NDA and Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) have established an Asbestos Innovation Partnership enabling closer working with the supply chain to test and develop to new ways to treat asbestos waste across all of our sites.

The challenge

Given the age of some of our facilities, large quantities of radiologically-contaminated asbestos waste must be managed as we decommission our sites.

Non-nuclear contaminated asbestos waste goes to hazardous landfill, some contaminated asbestos is allowed in very small quantities in the Low Level Waste Repository in Cumbria, and the bulk is destinated for disposal in a future geological disposal facility.

The solution

Two contracts have been awarded, establishing an innovation partnership, to look at how legacy and future waste is managed sustainably and efficiently, utilising innovation and technology development. NWS will oversee the work that is expected to lead to many environmental and sustainability benefits, as well as helping to realise multi-million pound cost savings through new techniques and reducing use of landfill.

Innovation Partnerships are a new procurement approach for the NDA, providing ways to harness the power and expertise of the supply chain from research and development through to deployment.

Contracts have been awarded to two consortia which now make up the partnership:

• AminTech: Veolia Nuclear Solutions (UK) Ltd, Cyclife UK and Waste2Glass
• REACT-2: Galson Sciences and Thermachange

Establishing the partnership demonstrates that we’re delivering on our strategy on integrated waste management. Namely to drive technology development to deliver suitable treatment routes so we can manage the variety of wastes in the NDA’s inventory in the best way.

It also marks the delivery of one of the key NWS strategy milestones to ensure that the right waste form, in the right package, is managed or disposed of at the right facility. Establishing the partnership is one of 10 key successes it aims to deliver by 2030 to improve the way waste is managed as part of our mission.

The partnership is already receiving recognition, having been shortlisted for the ‘Innovative Commercial Project’ award at the Government Commercial Function awards in November 2023.

Case study: Maximising social value from our procurement

UN sustainability goal numbers 4, 8, 10, 11, 13

The challenge

We’re committed to improving the economy, environment and social wellbeing through our procurement activities, delivering on our commitments and in line with the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012.

The solution

We’ve built on UK Government themes and outcomes to develop NDA group focus areas, where we believe that our procurement activities can help deliver social value. Companies bidding for work are asked to demonstrate how they can contribute in areas such as skills development, volunteering schemes, engagement with small businesses and make commitments to reduce carbon emissions.

Working with BT

Sellafield Ltd signed a £32m contract with BT for its communication network. The scope covers the operation and maintenance of the company’s entire network services as well as upgrades and updates to current equipment.

As part of the five-year contract, BT has committed to provide £2m of funding for local social impact initiatives in the West Cumbria area which will be distributed by Sellafield’s social impact team to activities and projects that align with its strategy.

Working with Mitie

As part of a facilities management contract, Mitie launched Business Boost in West Cumbria last year. Six finalists were supported to develop business plans and pitch ideas to a panel. Two winners secured £10,000 investment into their catering businesses, alongside long-term commitments of mentorship, networking and business connections.

Mitie also committed to recruiting apprentices, upskilling at least 30 colleagues each year via an apprenticeship and supporting 20 apprentices within its supply chain and wider business.

“The Mitie Business Boost is a great demonstration of alignment to our social impact strategy, co-creating a project and involving multiple tiers within their supply chain.

“The lift through the donation and support the businesses receive will make a huge difference to their growth and taking those next steps.”

James Riddick

Supply Chain Director, Sellafield Ltd

Our impact - supply chain infographic

Making a difference: Our future

“Our decommissioning mission is expected to be completed by 2300s, although our work is expanding as we’re being trusted to do more, including the decommissioning of the UK’s fleet of advanced gas-cooled reactor sites.

“This means we’re an organisation that thinks in decades, rather than months. This provides an opportunity to take actions now that will shape our future. Things are likely to change, just as the world we operate in today is very different to the one which built our sites. That’s why we’re working now to prepare our sites and communities for decommissioning in a changing climate. We owe it to our communities to act responsibly now to ensure that our shared future is a positive one.

“In all areas of sustainability, we’ve taken steps forward but we recognise this is just the start and that we need to maintain focus throughout our long-term programme. The decisions we take today and tomorrow will shape our future and we remain committed to leaving behind a positive legacy when our work is eventually completed.”

Davide Stronati

Chief Sustainability Officer, NDA

We’re committed to leaving a positive legacy

From our decommissioning work

• We remain focused on safely, securely and cost effectively decommissioning our sites and remediating our land. We’ve changed our processes so that sustainability factors are taken into consideration and this will be critical as we move forward.
• Any safety incident that occurs is one too many, so we’ll remain committed to continuously improving our safety performance.
• We’ll continue to invest in technology and innovation, with the aim of enhancing our own programme delivery and growing the capability of our supply chain and industry partners.

For the environment

• We recognise that remediating sites has an impact on the environment, from energy use, to materials associated with construction and waste disposal. We remain committed to supporting Government targets to be carbon net zero. We’ve taken a number of steps to reduce our emissions and we’re developing ambitious plans to do more.
• We’ll continue to be responsible stewards, protecting the unique biodiversity that our land enjoys.
• It’s our responsibility to ensure the delivery of our mission today and tomorrow, adapting to the impacts of climate change and ensuring our assets, operations and people are climate resilient.

As a result of our socio economic footprint

• We’ll continue to employ a highly-skilled workforce and invest in their development.
• Our investments in socio economic projects will help our communities thrive in the future as we leverage additional funding from others and encourage job creation.
• The supply chain will continue to play a significant role in delivering our programme. In doing so, we’ll help them build sustainable businesses, supporting the wider sector and gaining maximum social value.

Through our culture

• We’re committed to creating great places to work.
• We want our workforce to deliver work sustainably, so we’re investing in training and embedding sustainability considerations in the way we plan and manage work.
• We’ll continue to develop mindsets that are future focused and conscious of wider impacts, so that we can deliver our responsibilities now and in the future.