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United Utilities publishes updated 2026 version of sustainable finance framework

27 Mar 2026

We have today published an updated 2026 version of our sustainable finance framework, which is available here.

Our £13 billion investment plan, covering the five-year period to 2030 (AMP8), is our largest investment in water and wastewater infrastructure in over a century and will help to improve rivers and seas, bring a more resilient service to customers and support economic growth in our region. Financing this and subsequent investment plans under our sustainable finance framework provides investors with a clear means of aligning their capital with our environmental and sustainability objectives.

Our inaugural sustainable finance framework was published in 2020 and we have now updated our framework to reflect evolving market practices and to ensure it remains fit for purpose in anticipation of the funding requirements that lie ahead in AMP8 and beyond.

Our updated framework enables us to issue sustainable financing instruments including green, blue, sustainability and social bonds and/or loans to finance eligible projects. This supports our purpose to provide great water for a stronger, greener and healthier North West, with environmental, social and governance considerations being integral to everything we do.

Our sustainable finance framework has been developed to align with the 2025 Green Bond Principles, 2025 Social Bond Principles and 2021 Sustainability Bond Guidelines as published by the International Capital Markets Association (ICMA), as well as the 2025 Green Loan Principles and 2025 Social Loan Principles published by the Asia Pacific Loan Market Association (APLMA), Loan Market Association (LMA), and Loan Syndication and Trading Association (LSTA).

We intend to communicate in a transparent manner on the four key pillars outlined by these principles:

• Use of proceeds
• Process for project evaluation and selection
• Management of proceeds
• Reporting

Projects eligible for blue financing are expected to align with the IFC’s Guidelines for Blue Finance Version 2.0.

DNV have provided a Second Party Opinion on this framework which is available here.

Sustainable financing instruments issued from today on will follow our updated 2026 sustainable finance framework, with sustainable financing Instruments raised before this date continuing to follow our 2020 sustainable finance framework, which remains available here.