Verification Statement
This is the third year that Acona Limited has been retained by the Corporate Responsibility Committee of Pennon Group to undertake an independent review of the Viridor Corporate Responsibility Report and provide assurance that:
- The quantitative data is materially accurate
- The qualitative statements can be supported by evidence and properly represent activity across the company
- The report gives a balanced picture of performance
- Performance in respect of previously published targets is accurately reported
Responsibilities of Viridor and Acona Ltd
The information and statements contained within Viridor's Corporate Responsibility Report for 2010 (hereinafter the Report) are the responsibility of Viridor. This statement is the responsibility of Acona Limited and represents our independent opinion of the content of the report and is addressed to Pennon Group's (Viridor's parent company) Corporate Responsibility Committee.
Scope and process
The review covered Viridor's operations for the period specified in the Report. Information subject to verification by other third parties - such as financial data included within the Annual Report and Accounts - was outside our scope. However, we have relied on it in forming our conclusions.
In performing our work we adopted the following approach:
- Desk-top evaluation and detailed analysis of the raw data used to construct the report, including comparisons with previous years. We focused particularly - though not exclusively - on data relating to waste, greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and production, and fuel usage.
- Review of internal and external documents relating to Corporate Responsibility management, including policies, procedures and stakeholder comments, particularly ensuring that evidence was made available to support substantive comments and claims made in this report.
- Detailed interviews with employees involved in compiling the report to test the accuracy of the data and underlying processes.
The work was undertaken by a multi-disciplinary team whose members have expertise in the areas of CR assurance and reporting, and of wider aspects of CR both within the water sector and more broadly. Biographical information - including details of individuals' experience and backgrounds - are available on our website (www.acona.co.uk).
Opinion
Based on our work we conclude that:
- The Report correctly identifies the company's material social and environmental impacts and provides a balanced and comprehensive account of its performance in these areas.
- With a very small number of exceptions, the data, and inferences drawn from them, are accurate. For those issues where we were unable to reconcile final reported totals with underlying data, the margins of difference were no greater than +/-1%. Consequently, we do not regard them as material.
- Substantive statements are materially accurate and are supported by a range of evidence from internal and external sources. Progress against a wide range of targets was accurately presented.
The company's Corporate Responsibility reporting has developed considerably over the last few years. Data management systems are increasingly robust and, where appropriate, align with other internal management processes. This Report provides a clear insight into the company's main social and environmental impacts and how it is addressing them. Moreover, these impacts and responses are placed within the wider context of climate change, the drive for resource efficiency and the need to develop alternative sources of energy.
Recommendations for future reporting
Our comments on the reporting process and report itself, together with suggested areas for improvement, will be raised in a letter to Pennon Group's Corporate Responsibility Committee. Neither the comments nor recommendations contained therein affect our opinion on the Report as set out in this statement. Our main recommendations are provided below.
In future Reports, the company may wish to consider the following areas for inclusion:
- Details of how it is promoting recycling within its various contracts and the extent to which it is transferring examples of good practice from one area to another.
- Information on how the company is seeking to improve Health & Safety performance, particularly with regard to how it integrates acquisitions into its approach.
- A description of how it is influencing its business partners and suppliers to improve their social and environmental performance.
Paul Burke
Senior Partner
20th July 2010
Acona Limited Acona Limited is an independent consultancy, based in London but with staff all over the UK. We have broad expertise and advise large, mainly corporate, clients on the full range of social, environmental and ethical matters. More information on Acona can be found on our website - www.Acona.co.uk
With the exception of this work, Acona has no commercial relationship with Pennon Group and/or its subsidiaries. The total fees payable in respect of this work accounted for less than 10% of Acona's annual turnover.
