Performance

A summary of Veolia Water's Social, Environmental and Economic performance in the UK in 2008-9

 

Social Performance

  • Veolia Water Central improved their customers' experience, with 91% (2007-8: 81%) of customers surveyed highly or fairly satisfied with the overall service provided
  • Veolia Water East was judged second best performing company by Ofwat for water supply and customer service
  • We continued to develop programmes to support education
  • We continually update our Safeguard Register to ensure we continue to satisfy the individual requirements of vulnerable and special needs customers
  • We adopted a group-wide target of'zero harm' to anyone as a result of our activities
  • We introduced a Chairman's Award for Health & Safety for employees of our commercial business
  • We recorded 23 reportable accidents in 2008, the same number as the previous year despite an increase in scope to include 625 additional Outsourcing employees. There were no fatalities

Environmental Performance

  • Veolia Water was fined for two water pollution offences in 2008, which occurred in 2006 as a result of sewage overflows. Veolia Water inherited the liabilities on purchase of the commercial businesses of Thames Water in November 2007
  • We supplied our customers with drinking water of the highest quality
  • We reduced the risks of incidents principally through catchment protection and upgrading treatment works
  • Veolia Water Central was fined £12k during the year for supplying water unfit for human consumption to three properties
  • Veolia Water Central brought two successful prosecutions under the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations for contamination of the drinking water supply
  • All three water supply companies achieved leakage rates better than their targets
  • Veolia Water East has the lowest leakage level in England and Wales
  • We won a Business in the Community'Big Tick' award for environmental leadership

Economic Performance

  • Turnover for the 12 months to March 2009 was £336.8m, compared to £355.7m for the previous 15 months
  • Capital expenditure to improve water quality and supply was £113.4m (15 months to March 2008: £147.6m)
  • The Group participated in and benefited from research undertaken by other companies within the Veolia Environnement Group
  • The Group complied with its policy to settle terms of payment with suppliers when agreeing terms of business and to pay in accordance with contractual and other legal obligations. The payment policy applies to all payments to creditors for revenue and capital supplies of goods and services
  • Donations for charitable purposes made by Group companies during the year amounted to £671,000 (15 months to March 2008: £131,000)