Severn Trent: Communicating with purpose

This case study has been created from the Finance for the Future Awards. This entry was a finalist in the ‘Communicating integrated thinking’ category.

Severn Trent is a regulated water and sewerage company in the UK. In 2017, the company refocused on its social purpose, integrating this throughout its strategy and business decisions. The company also consulted widely with stakeholders when developing its regulated business plan for 2020–2025. Communicating its integrated approach clearly and credibly to investors and other stakeholders was critical for the company. To do so, it has centred sustainability throughout a range of communications, showing how social purpose creates long-term value. It has found that the needs of stakeholders – including investors, customers and the environment – can be mutually reinforcing.

‘The judges were particularly impressed with the social purpose that Severn Trent has embraced. The suite of communications clearly articulates their commitment to this, and also provides examples of how integrated thinking has been embedded.’

Finance for the Future Awards judges