Corporate sustainability framework

Our overall company goal is to deliver competitive and sustainable renewable energy. Three main sustainability pillars contribute to achieving this goal:

  • Managing social and environmental impact
  • Being a trusted business partner
  • Contributing to local value creation

Our sustainability framework is designed to incorporate all material topics of importance to stakeholders and our company with key ambitions and targets.

A summary of key results from the past year and targets for the upcoming year are presented in our annual ESG Performance Report 2022.

Reporting on material ESG topics

Material topics are identified and prioritised based on the principle of double materiality, ensuring that both the impact on the business and the impact of the business are considered. Further, stakeholder expectations and internal strategic priorities inform our analysis.

 

 

 

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Stakeholder engagement

Regular engagement with internal and external stakeholders to understand what types of topics and issues concern them is key to determining our sustainability priorities. Scatec’s key stakeholder groups include co-investors and partners, financing partners, shareholders, employees, suppliers, contractors, governments and regulators, and local communities.

Stakeholder expectations are mapped through formal interviews, and in dialogue with our local stakeholders as part of our daily business on the ground. We also receive stakeholder feedback at the corporate level through dialogues with investors, regulators, and financiers.

 

Internal engagements comprise workshops with colleagues from various business units, including health, safety and security (HSSE), compliance, supply chain, people and organisation (P&O), operations and maintenance (O&M), environment and social (E&S), among others. Further, discussions are facilitated with the Executive Management team and Board of Directors via the ESG Committee. We assess identified topics for the significance of their environmental, social and economic impacts.

In 2021, we reviewed our materiality assessment to incorporate new technologies, including hydropower and wind, and focusing on both impacts and risks, which was revised in 2022. In 2023, we will develop our materiality approach to align with the double materiality principle in the upcoming Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

National governments and customers

Close dialogue with national governments is a natural part of our operations. This dialogue is usually conducted by our project development team or community liaisons.

The main concern of governments in host countries, that will often also be our customers, is local impacts and value creation, which usually includes the economic value of the projects, increased access to energy, the potential for direct and indirect job creation.

Local government and communities

A social impact assessment is conducted for all projects and based on this a plan for stakeholder engagement is developed. Scatec emphasizes continuous dialogue with local and regional communities in order to manage and meet expectations. A dedicated community liaison officer is appointed to all our locations.

The main concern of local governments and communities is local impacts and value creation, specifically job creation, local content and education/training.

Co-investors and partners

A detailed dialogue with regards to expectations is the starting point for all partnerships and detailed in our agreements. Co-investors and partners are concerned that we are a trustworthy business partner that applies international best practice standards such as the IFC Performance Standards and the Equator Principles in order to manage environmental and social impacts.

Investors with a specific impact investment focus are also concerned with the local value creation and promotion of green energy.

Financing partners

Financing partners are mainly engaged prior to providing capital, and often have very specific requirements with regards to how environmental, social and governance factors are assessed and managed.

Financing partners also focus on our business conduct and efforts to ensure that we are a trustworthy business partner. Local financiers and financiers with an impact focus are also concerned with our local impact and value creation in terms of for example access to energy and job creation.

Shareholders

Existing and potential shareholders are engaged on a regular basis and often express their concerns and expectations directly with top management.

Shareholders are concerned with the ability to create value in the short and longer term and governance aspects such as anti-corruption and being a trustworthy business partner.

Employees

Our employees make up our company and who we are. Many of our employees are proud of our social and environmental impact through promoting renewable energy and our ability to demonstrate local value creation.

Employees are also concerned with own working conditions, health and safety, and opportunities to develop competencies and career path.

Contractors

Contractors concerns are heard as part of project they are involved with and our contractors are considered as if they were our own employees when on our sites.

Contractors that work on our projects are concerned with their working conditions, fair wages, health and safety and opportunities to develop competencies.

Norwegian government and regulators

The Norwegian government is engaged through the various institutions that are interested in our efforts in Norway and in other countries.

The Norwegian government regulates our efforts and is also interested in supporting the positive impacts of our efforts in Norway and abroad.

Suppliers

Supplier visits are undertaken each year to monitor and establish a platform for good dialogue and feedback.

Our suppliers are concerned with fair pricing, working conditions, and health and safety.

NGO’s

NGO’s that represent local communities are engaged through each phase of the project. Environmental NGOs in Norway are engaged through collaboration with regards to promoting renewable energy.

NGOs in the local communities are concerned with our ability to create local value. Norwegian environmental NGOs support us in our efforts to promote renewable energy.