ESG performance
Sustainability report
Assurance of metrics
Assurance statement for 2024/25 remuneration report
Assurance statement for 2024/25 greenhouse gas inventory and the underlying energy data
Benchmarking
The below indices provide us with a framework to tackle global, national, local and industry challenges across environmental, social and economic factors, and/or offer an external perspective on how we are doing.
The growing interest in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance by many global investment institutions has increased the need to understand the relationship between responsible business performance and shareholder value.
| Index | Description | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| S&P Global |
The S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) is an annual evaluation of companies’ sustainability practices. It covers over 10,000 companies from around the world. The CSA focuses on sustainability criteria that are both industry-specific and financially material. |
We continue to report through the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, partcipating for more than 25years. For 2026, our overall performance was 65%. |
| CDP | CDP runs the global environmental disclosure database for organisations to share and manage their environmental impacts across environmental themes of climate change, water security, forests, plastics and biodiversity. To earn leadership status, organizations must demonstrate best practice in environmental policy, the strategies they utilize and the actions they undertake and demonstrate alignment with the best-practice reporting standards and frameworks from the ISSB and TNFD. | In our latest 2025 assessments United Utilities achieved a leadership ratings across all 3 assessments made. As well as 'A-’ score for the Climate and Water security United Utilities also attained ‘A’ list status for supplier engagement. |
| FTSE4Good | The FTSE4Good Index Series measures the performance of companies who demonstrate strong ESG practices against globally recognised responsible business standards. |
United Utilities Group PLC has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series since June 2001. Latest review December 2025. |
| Sustainalytics |
Sustainalytics, a Morningstar company, is a leading independent ESG research, ratings and data firm. Its ESG Risk Ratings measure a company’s exposure to industry-specific material ESG risks and how well a company is managing those risks. |
In February 2026, United Utilities received an ESG Risk Rating of 10.1 and was assessed by Sustainalytics to be at low risk of experiencing material financial impacts from ESG factors. |
| Corporate Knights |
Corporate Knights has been ranking the world’s most sustainable corporations since 2005. |
Included as one of the 50 Most Sustainable Corporations in Europe by Corporate Knights as of March 2026. |
| Moody's ESG Solutions |
Moody’s ESG Solutions is a business unit of Moody’s Corporation that serves the growing global demand for ESG and climate insights. The group’s comprehensive offering includes ESG scores, climate data, Sustainability Ratings and Sustainable Finance certifier services that help fulfil the broad spectrum of ESG-related goals in risk management, equity and credit markets. |
We received an overall score by Moody's ESG Solutions of 61/100 in year 2023. |
| MSCI | Provides ESG ratings on an AAA to CCC scale for over 6400 companies according to exposure to industry specific ESG risks and ability to manage those risks relative to peers. | As of November 2024, United Utilities Group PLC received an MSCI ESG rating of A. |
| ISS ESG | ISS ESG's Corporate ESG Rating provides investors with comprehensive portfolio company research on social, environmental and governance factors to help identify and mitigate ESG risks and to capitalize on investment opportunities. |
In the review of July 2023 our status was assessed as Prime. |
| GRESB | Rates the quality of information, available in the public domain, about our sustainability governance, implementation and operational performance data, and of our stakeholder engagement practices. |
Rated A in October 2024 with a score of 90%. |
| World Benchmarking Alliance | World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) develops transformative benchmarks that compare companies’ performance on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). |
Among the top 10 companies making progressive efforts as ranked in the 2024 Urban benchmark assessment of 300 influential companies on their commitment to ensuring a safer, inclusive, and sustainable environment for all. |
| Business for Societal Impact | We collate our community investment data using the Business for Societal Impact (B4SI) model. We assess spend in terms of employee time, cash and in kind contributions. | Our total investment in 2025/26 was £3.84 million. |
Measures and targets
To measure progress on delivering our purpose and creating value for all our stakeholders, we monitor our performance. We report on the issues shown to be of material interest to each stakeholder group.
- Supporting communities to be stronger – our work puts us at the heart of local communities in the North West.
- Caring for customers through trusted relationships – we put customers at the heart of everything we do.
- Creating a great place to work for all our employees – our employees are the face of the company and we could not deliver our services without them.
- Protecting and enhancing the environment – we rely on the natural environment and play a key role in improving the water, land and air of the North West.
- Delivering a sustainable return to investors – through prudent financial risk management and a strong track record of performance across all components of ESG.
- Innovating in partnership with suppliers – we rely on suppliers to deliver our services and to help identify ways to make them better.
The progress we have already made to operate in a responsible manner is demonstrated in our 2015-20 measures and targets performance.