SSE Ireland has today been certified for the first time to the Business Working Responsibly Mark, the ‘gold standard’ for Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability across Ireland

Independently audited by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), the Mark is valid for three years and is based on ISO 26000.

SSE Ireland is one of eight companies which have been accredited to the Mark for the first time this year, and is one of just 29 leading Irish companies in total that have now been certified to the standard of the Mark.

The Business Working Responsibly Mark assesses best in class corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability and looks at leadership, policies, practices, performance, and impact in areas such as; employee engagement, innovation, environmental practices, supply chain management and engagement with the local community.

Stephen Wheeler, Managing Director of SSE Ireland, said today:

“I’m extremely proud that SSE Ireland has today achieved the prestigious Business Working Responsibly Mark. The value of the Mark is that it gives an objective assessment of SSE Ireland’s performance on sustainability.

“Sustainability is one of SSE’s core values, and ‘being responsible’ and ‘doing the right thing’ is our way of doing business. We know that to meet business objectives and manage risk over the long-term, SSE must operate responsibly. This Mark shows that when we’re evaluated against objective standards, we’re best in class.

“For SSE Ireland, non-financial indicators are crucial for judging overall business performance. Achieving the Mark gives a clear signal to all of our stakeholders that SSE is committed to strong sustainability performance and continued improvement in everything we do. It says a lot about the kind of company we are and want to be. Our approach is to do all we can to help achieve environmental, social and economic well-being for current and future generations.”

Presenting the Mark certificate today, Tina Roche, CEO of Business in the Community Ireland, commented:

“The Mark is challenging to achieve so I congratulate SSE Ireland and the companies today on getting it. Forward-thinking companies such as SSE Ireland strive to understand stakeholder expectations of them and manage their businesses accordingly. The companies presented with their Mark certificates today are leading in the area of sustainability in Ireland, and the validation of a company’s CSR activities through achieving the Mark is giving many businesses the edge over their competitors.”