Biodiversity

Our commitments are

• To comply with all national and international biodiversity legislation and plans either directly or through our contractors;
• To integrate the management of biodiversity into appropriate business policies and processes, including day to day operations;
• To protect biodiversity and enhance it where possible on all land owned by the business;
• To communicate, share and embed where possible best practise in biodiversity across our employees, partners and contractors; and
• To work with external partners and stakeholders to actively influence the development of policy and future developments affecting biodiversity.

What is Biodiversity?

Biodiversity is shorthand for biological diversity, the variety of life on earth from the exotic to the ordinary. It includes the variety of different ecosystems, habitats, species, and the genetic variation within species. It is therefore an important aspect of life on Earth, and provides part of the natural support systems human beings depend on.

(Left: Roe Deer grazing, a common sight on our land around Rivington and Macclesfield)

Why is it important to us?

We impact on biodiversity through owning and operating utility infrastructure and we aim to manage these impacts in a responsible manner, whether that be direct stewardship of habitats and species on our land, forming effective partnerships with wildlife organisations, or investing in our assets to improve water quality and quantity. 

We also need to have regard to the relevant international, european and national  legislation relating to biodiversity. The most recent in the UK is the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, which  requires us to "have regard, so far as is consistent with the proper exercise of our functions, to the purpose of conserving biodiversity."

In addition to the legal requirements, we believe that there is business value in effective biodiversity management. We can realise benefits including smoothing the steps we need to take to deliver our capital investment programme, helping us manage our sites in an environmentally sound and cost-effective way, supporting employee engagement and meeting stakeholder expectations.

For further information on how we are endeavouring to be a responsible steward of the environment, safeguarding biodiversity, visit the Biodiversity section of our Corporate Responsibility Report 2010.

Biodiversity Policy

The policy was signed off by the Executive Leadership Team in February 2008. It sets out the key biodiversity aspirations and provides guidelines on the management of biodiversity within United Utilities. Visit the Biodiversity Policy page to find out more.