How SSE is looking after the environment
The scale of our activities means we interact with the environment in many ways, often in remote and precious habitats. We actively manage our environmental footprint, aiming to mitigate any negative environmental consequences arising from our activities and seek a positive overall impact.
We are also a corporate partner of the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals.
SSE’s Environment Strategy
Our Environment Strategy sets out how we will deliver our key goals through strengthening our governance and strategic approach, making it easier for colleagues and contract partners to do the right thing. By doing this, we can continue to take care of ourselves, each other, and our environment so that we all get home safely and protect nature.
Environmental management and governance
+Environmental management and governance
Providing a framework for the careful risk management of environmental impacts, protecting local environments from waste, pollution and damage to nature.
Circularity and resource efficiency
+Circularity and resource efficiency
Driving efficiencies is critical in our procurement, design parameters, operation and maintenance activities, and end-of-life decision-making towards delivering true sustainability,
creating a more resilient and secure electricity system. Adopting circular economy practices can deliver for us and the customers we serve, presenting an opportunity to improve collaboration, innovation and resource efficiency whilst providing positive climate and nature action. Through maximising resource efficiencies, minimising waste and keeping materials in use at the highest possible value to realise a breadth of social, environmental and economic benefits.
This aligns with the United Nations' 12th Sustainable Development Goal, responsible consumption and production.
Natural environment
+Natural environment
To protect, restore and enhance nature through conservation and restoration.
This aligns with the United Nation's 14th and 15th Sustainable Development Goals, life below water and life on land.
Targeting positive nature outcomes
We have Group-level nature-related targets which aim to ensure that negative environmental impacts are avoided as a result of our activities and, ultimately, that we leave the environment in a better state than when we found it.
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
- 2023
No net loss of biodiversity
On all onshore large capital projects consented from 1 April 2023.
- 2024
No net loss of native woodland
On all onshore large capital projects consented from 1 April 2024.
- 2025
Net gain in biodiversity
On all onshore large capital projects consented from 1 April 2025.
Circular economy
What and how we manage and consume resources has an impact on our climate and nature. Circularity presents an opportunity to improve collaboration, innovation, resource efficiency and sustainable procurement whilst providing positive climate and nature action. This year has seen a focus on developing the SSE approach to circularity, and we will publish our first SSE Circularity Roadmap.
Water management
Water plays a significant role in SSE’s operations, being used primarily as a source for power generation in hydroelectric generators and as a coolant in thermal power stations. Our policies and processes ensure that we use water in a sustainable way in our operations.
Air emissions
A material byproduct of our thermal generation activities is the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur dioxide (SO2). Our environmental teams carefully manage emissions to the air, working closely with relevant environmental regulators to meet their strict licence conditions.