Sustainability and our stakeholders
For Ellevio, sustainability is an important part of the business and is considered in every decision we make. We view sustainability as a balance between financial, social and environmental responsibility and the basic work involves ensuring that we comply with strict requirements and expectations in all of these areas.
Our stakeholders
Our closest stakeholders are our customers, employees, shareholders, investors, contractors, suppliers of products and services, government agencies, policy-makers, the media, organisations within the energy sector, stakeholder organisations and the local communities in which we operate.
Through collaboration and cooperation, we are able to understand the expectations our most important stakeholders have of us, and we are able to share our knowledge and offer our viewpoints. By means of surveys and meetings, and by following public debates in society, we gain an additional understanding of what is expected of us, and this allows us to advance our industry's development in the right direction.
Our sustainability targets
Ellevio has a number of overarching, long-term sustainability targets, which guides us in our will to drive and develop our operations in a sustainable and responsible manner. By 2023, we are to have achieved the following:
- Sustainability will be an integral part of our business processes and organisation, and our strong results will be noted externally. There will be a high level of awareness about our environmental and climate impact and we will be a driving force behind the energy transition, which involves a reduced carbon footprint and a positive contribution to counteracting climate change.
- Our safety culture will be well-established at the company and everywhere out in the field. This will lead to improved safety and will bring us closer to our “zero vision” for accidents. Our proactive efforts relating to safety analysis, safety requirements and implementation of effective and functional solutions will protect our assets, information and staff.
- Our customers will see us as reliable, committed and sustainable. In addition to a reliable supply of electricity, our customers will be offered a digital platform that enables efficiency enhancements. Our customers will value the fact that we encourage and drive the transition forward to a fossil-free society and show how they too can make more of a contribution.
- Investments will be prioritised to ensure the very best security of supply for our customers. All investments will be conducted as efficiently as possible. We will have reduced the risk of long power outages. Automisation and remote management of the network will have increased and the fault repair process will be more efficient. The total amount of connected renewable energy production in Ellevio’s electricity network will have increased significantly.
- We will be an attractive company and the first choice of experienced engineers, highly qualified employees, managers and recent graduates. We will be an inclusive company where diversity leads to success. We will live up to our values, respect each other and our external stakeholders and will have created an environment free from discrimination.
Managing sustainability and Code of Conduct
Ellevio’s business operates as a monopoly, which means we have a profound responsibility to the wider community. It is important that we live up to the demands and expectations of our customers and other stakeholders, as we want to earn their trust. The way we should conduct ourselves is described in our Code of Conduct. Varied training courses, workplace meetings and internal audits ensure that the Code of Conduct is followed.
To qualify as a contractor or major material supplier, we apply extensive sustainability requirements that we specify in a special Code of Conduct for suppliers
Both Ellevio’s Code of Conduct and the special Code for suppliers are based on the UN Global Compact’s ten principles and contains clear requirements relating to human rights, labour law, the environment and anti-corruption.
Managing sustainability from project start-up to implementation
- Ellevio conducts sustainability analysis of the investment
- Ellevio sets sustainability requirements for/ reviews suppliers
- Suppliers conduct sustainability plans
- Ellevio follows up compliance in planned audits
- Ellevio carries out unannounced site visits
Global Compact (UNGC)
The Secretary General Kofi Annan formed UNGC in 1999. He wanted to create international principles on human rights, labour law, the environment and corruption. Today, more than 13,000 companies and organizations around the world are connected.
During 2017, Ellevio signed up to the UN Global Compact (UNGC). Our sustainability report contains information about Ellevio’s work involving the UN Global Compact’s ten principles in the areas of human rights, labour law, environment and anti-corruption, and fulfils the requirement to report the progress of our sustainability initiatives.
Global Compact’s 10 principles
- Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; and
- Make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.
- Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;
- The elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour;
- The effective abolition of child labour; and
- The elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.
- Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges;
- Undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility; and
- Encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.
- Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.
The UN’s global sustainable development goals
The UN and world leaders have adopted seventeen global development goals, which together will lead to peaceful and sustainable development by 2030. The objectives integrate and balance social, economic and environmental sustainability, and it is our responsibility together to contribute to achieving them.
Ellevio stands behind all of the 17 global development goals. During 2017, Ellevio analysed all of the global development goals and sub-goals in order to understand where we have the best opportunity to make an active contribution. Thanks to our skills and core operations, we believe we have the opportunity to make a difference to Goal 7 “Affordable and clean energy”, Goal 9 “Industry, innovation and infrastructure” and Goal 5 “Gender Equality”.
Goal 5 “Gender Equality
Ellevio focuses actively on Goal 5 “Gender Equality” in order to develop the company, industry and offer support outside our sphere by way of social responsibility initiatives and sponsorship. For Ellevio, equality is both a goal in itself and a prerequisite of sustainable development. By working towards a more equal Ellevio, our ambition is to contribute to an equal industry and, in the end a more equal society.
Goal 7 “Affordable and clean energy”
Goal 7 “Affordable and clean energy” essentially represents our mission in society and is the focus of our long-term investments. In cities, this is principally a question of increasing capacity while greater security of supply by way of weather-proofing is the main focus outside the cities.
Goal 7 also contains guidelines for realising energy efficiency enhancements, which is largely the focus of our work on the next generation of smart electricity meters. The next generation of meters will allow producers, electricity network companies and consumers to all monitor their electricity production and consumption in real time.
Goal 9 “Industry, innovation and infrastructure”
Goal 9 “Industry, innovation and infrastructure” forms part of our mission in society. Efficient infrastructure is currently dependent upon an efficiently functioning electricity network; for instance, it allows people to get to work or school in a smooth and reliable way. It also ensures everyone has access to information and communication technology and that companies can rely on robust transport systems and energy services. Sustainable infrastructure is accessible, reliable, environmentally friendly and robust.
Sustainability reporting
As from 2017, Ellevio’s sustainability report is produced in line with Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI) standards ”core” level. Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI) is a tool that helps companies understand and communicate about their impact on sustainability issues such as climate change, human rights and the well-being of their employees.
