SSE - Supply Chain Sustainability School

SSE plc is a UK-listed energy company that operates throughout the UK and Ireland. Our purpose is to provide energy needed today while building a better world of energy for tomorrow.

Our vision is to be a leading energy provider in a net zero world.

We are a leading generator of renewable electricity in the UK and Ireland and one of the largest electricity network companies in the UK.

We have set four fundamental goals for 2030, directly linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which put sustainability at heart of SSE’s business strategy.

Our 2030 Goals are:

We believe that the net zero transition should be delivered in a fair and just way. Our first Just Transition strategy outlines the principles which we will implement to support employees, consumers, communities and suppliers as we transition towards net zero. Our second report focuses on moving from principles to action and outlines 20 commitments from SSE, 10 recommendations for industry and 10 recommendations for government. Read our second report here.

Sustainability and Supply Chain

With over 10,000 suppliers and a £7.5bn investment plan across the five years to 2025, we need to work with our supply chain partners to achieve our business goals.

That’s why we have worked hard to help improve the social and environmental sustainability of SSE’s supply chain with a comprehensive sustainable procurement strategy. At the core of this strategy is our Sustainable Procurement Code and accompanying Supplier Guidance.

This is supported by SSE’s Doing the Right Thing guide to good business ethics which supports the adoption of the right values, attitudes and behaviours to contribute to an ethical business culture. The guide covers a wide range of topics, from human rights and modern slavery, to managing data and cyber security. Suppliers and contractors should familiarise themselves with this guide and SSE’s expectations for ethical business behaviour.

The aim is to share the economic, social and environmental opportunities created by SSE as we reach our 2030 Goals. It’s good for the planet, it’s good for society, and it’s good for business too.

Powering Net-Zero Pact

The Powering Net Zero Pact (‘the Pact’) is an initiative created by SSE with 10 other founding partners as a legacy of COP26. It brings together different companies across all tiers of the power sector – including civils, shipping, renewables, electrical engineering and others – that are committed to a fair and just transition to net zero carbon emissions. Together, signatories of the Pact operate across more than 100 countries, had a combined annual turnover in 2021 of more than £55bn, are responsible for the livelihoods of over 240,000 employees, and work with more than 120,000 suppliers globally.

The Pact includes five areas of ambition, five shared commitments and five topics for collaboration, which together encourage the delivery of common ambitions for a sustainable future.

Interested in signing up to the pact?

If your organisation wants to be involved in driving forward a just energy transition to net zero, then there are just a few simple requirements for Powering Net Zero Pact signatories:

You are involved in some part of the power sector (it doesn’t matter which part!);
You meet all five of the shared commitments (detailed below); and
You are willing to participate in an action-focused working group for at least one of the five collaboration topics (detailed below).

To get involved please visit Powering Net Zero Pact | SSE

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SSEN Climate Academy

As a principal partner of COP26, one of SSEN’s key goals is to build a legacy through our involvement with this crucial summit to create a cleaner, greener future for all of us.

SSEN are committed to supporting others on the transition to net zero. As part of our commitment we created the Climate Academy, a series of six online learning sessions available to charities, organisations, and businesses (including our existing and potential supply chain partners) across our licence areas. In partnership with the Supply Chain Sustainability School, the Climate Academy provides a rich knowledge and understanding of climate change issues and what we can do to address them.

Starting on 26 January 2022, the sessions shared insight on safeguarding and enhancing the environment, with an emphasis on education and awareness of climate change. There was also be a strong focus on social inclusion, and creating a more fair, just and inclusive society at local, national and international levels. The workshops are delivered by the Supply Chain School, who are working to create a sustainably built environment.

You can view the recordings and access content from all of the sessions here.

UK Reduction of Capital Carbon in Infrastructure: Transmission (ROCCIT)

National Grid Transmission, Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks Transmission and Scottish Power Energy Networks Transmission have formed a collaborative group – UK ROCCIT (UK Reduction of Capital Carbon in Infrastructure: Transmission) in order to address and manage the capital carbon emissions associated with developing our networks. As each company supports the low carbon transition through the development of a transmission network which will support the integration of renewables onto the grid, it is increasingly important to consider the carbon emissions associated with building this infrastructure.

The aim of the ROCCIT group is to develop a consistent approach and common methodologies to managing capital carbon emissions and to collaboratively work with our supply chain in a consistent way to create an industry wide approach to managing capital carbon emissions.

UK ROCCIT Supplier Letter

An introduction to UK ROCCIT and our position on tackling capital carbon in infrastructure.

read the letter

UK Transmission Operator Carbon Product Calculator + Guidance Document

A spreadsheet tool and associated guidance document to be used by electrical equipment suppliers, which provides an easy way to develop carbon footprints for electrical equipment supplied to the UK Transmission Network.

download the calculator download the guidance document

SSEN Sustainability Data Capture Tool

SSE have implemented a cloud-based sustainability performance reporting system, specifically designed to manage supply-chain sustainability performance.

This short video explains what the SDCT is, and why SSE are asking their supply chain to report into it.

SSEN SDCT: Intro Video

“Collaboration with our supply chain partners, peers and sustainable procurement experts is what helps create credibility in our approach. Our new partnership with the Supply Chain Sustainability School is supporting our business and supply chain to develop and implement a mature sustainability approach. Free access to high quality training modules, workshops, webinars, and other materials provided through the school is a hugely valuable resource.”
Ronnie Fleming, Director of Procurement and Logistics