Communicating with stakeholders and understanding their opinions enables companies to develop better-informed policies and strategies that are more likely to be successful.
We engage with our many stakeholder groups regularly, to build and maintain positive relationships and listen to their opinions on our business.
Stakeholder analysis and mapping is undertaken as part of the communication planning processes at corporate, business and site levels and stakeholder management plans are developed in connection with specific projects.
ScottishPower is represented on IBERDROLA Group’s Reputation Committee, which provides a forum for discussion on stakeholder engagement and the key issues emerging at Group and geographic levels.
Our CSR Steering Committee fulfils a similar function in the UK.
Customers
We continue to carry out regular Voice of the Customer surveys to gather feedback on the customer experience and focus our efforts on addressing any issues raised.
During the year our Energy Networks business moved from quantitative research to qualitative customer journey mapping among customers who had experienced loss of supply and those enquiring about new connections. Feedback will be used to change practices and improve the customer experience.
We also engage regularly with our regulator, Ofgem and Consumer Direct.
Environment
Our Environmental Forum challenges and informs our environmental policies and actions. The Forum meets at least twice a year and includes academics, policy experts and representatives from environmental organisations. We engage with many environmental stakeholders on a daily basis. Some examples can be seen in the Biodiversity section of this report, under Environment. Examples include the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish Natural Heritage, as well as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Scottish Wildlife Trust.
Community
We maintain close links with communities at our existing sites and conduct significant community consultation on any new developments. Examples include community councils and other local groups and charities, which are important to our local communities.
Employees
We gather employee feedback throughout the year through formal and informal channels and use the results to improve the employment experience. We also engage with trade unions formally, through the Company Consultative Council and informally.
Government
We continue to engage with the UK and devolved Governments and their agencies on all aspects of energy policy and other industry issues. We also engage with MPs and MSPs who represent areas where we have operations. We make representation to public powers through meetings and responses to government and regulatory consultations to explain ScottishPower's stance and provide the necessary information.
We are also represented through the following organisations: Energy UK (formerly the Energy Retail Association); Energy Networks Association (ENA); Association of Electricity Producers (AEP); United Kingdom Business Council of Sustainable Energy (UKBCSE), the UK Business Council Sustainable Development and the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI).
Regulators
We maintain regular dialogue with our industry regulators including Ofgem, the Environment Agency and Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA).
NGOs/Special interest groups
We consult extensively with a variety of Non Governmental Organisations and where appropriate work closely with them on developing our projects. Examples include the RSPB, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Galloway and Ayrshire Fisheries Trusts, as well as charitable organisations such as Energy Action Scotland, National Energy Action and Citizens Advice.
Suppliers
We engage in regular feedback sessions with all major suppliers, and maintain close communications both at contract award stage and during contract delivery.
Stakeholder Sessions
In addition, we run stakeholder sessions annually in Glasgow and Chester that are linked specifically to our reporting of CSR activities. We invite a cross-section of organisations to these sessions, representing social and environmental stakeholders, and invite them to provide us with feedback on our previous year’s CSR Annual Review. We also seek feedback on our CSR reporting online, via our website.
We are always prepared to consider the viewpoints of key stakeholders in relation to our reporting to ensure that our CSR Annual Review is fulfilling our stakeholders’ needs for information about our business. A summary report from the stakeholder sessions is available here.
Basis for identification of stakeholder groups
ScottishPower is prepared to engage with any stakeholder on any material issue, from Government and regulators to NGOs and individual customers or householders who have an enquiry or complaint, but in the main we have mature, on-going dialogue with a wide variety of stakeholders from the groups outlined above.
The stakeholders we engage with are too numerous to list in their entirety in this review, however, we engage with groups and individuals whose decisions and opinions have a direct bearing on the way we do business and, in turn, groups and individuals on whose interests our business operations have an actual or potential impact.
Engagement takes place in a variety of ways, ranging from monthly or quarterly meetings, to emails, telephone contact and letters. Examples of engagement with key stakeholders are described throughout this Review.
Associative Bodies
ScottishPower is a member of many organisations, including the following:
Energy UK (formerly the Energy Retail Association)
Energy Networks Association (ENA)
Association of Electricity Producers (AEP)
United Kingdom Business Council for Sustainable Development (UKBCSD).
United Kingdom Business Council for Sustainable Energy (UKBCSE)
Scotland’s 2020 Climate Group
May Day Network
All Party Parliamentary Fuel Poverty & Energy Efficiency Group (Associate member)
Fuel Poverty Advisory Group
Scottish Business in the Community
Carbon Capture and Storage Association
Arts & Business Scotland
