United Utilities Group PLC, commonly known as United Utilities, is a leading water and wastewater services provider based in Great Britain. Headquartered in Warrington, the company primarily operates across the North West of England, serving millions of customers with essential water services. Founded in 1995, United Utilities has achieved significant milestones, including the successful integration of various water companies and a commitment to sustainability. The company offers a range of core services, including water supply, wastewater treatment, and environmental management, distinguished by its focus on innovation and customer service. United Utilities is recognised for its strong market position, consistently ranking among the top water companies in the UK, and has received accolades for its efforts in environmental stewardship and community engagement.
How does United Utilities's carbon action stack up? DitchCarbon scores companies based on their carbon action and commitment to reducing emissions. Read about our methodology to learn more.
Mean score of companies in the Water Distribution industry. Comparing a company's score to the industry average can give you a sense of how well the company is doing compared to its peers.
United Utilities's score of 79 is higher than 89% of the industry. This can give you a sense of how well the company is doing compared to its peers.
In 2024, United Utilities Group PLC reported total carbon emissions of approximately 273,983,886 kg CO2e. This includes 134,199,496 kg CO2e from Scope 1 emissions, which encompass direct emissions from owned or controlled sources, and 39730 kg CO2e from Scope 2 emissions, related to indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity. The company also reported significant Scope 3 emissions, totalling approximately 419,372,000 kg CO2e, which includes emissions from the supply chain and other indirect sources. United Utilities has set ambitious climate commitments, aiming for a 90% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by FY2050, using FY2020 as the baseline. Additionally, the company targets a 90% reduction in absolute Scope 3 emissions within the same timeframe. Near-term goals include a 42% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by FY2030 and a 25% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by FY2030. The company also commits to sourcing 100% renewable electricity by 2023 and ensuring that 66% of its suppliers in Scope 3 capital goods have science-based targets by 2025. These targets align with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and reflect United Utilities's commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain by FY2050. The company is actively working towards these goals, demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainability and climate action within the water utilities sector in Great Britain.
Access structured emissions data, company-specific emission factors, and source documents
2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scope 1 | 111,925,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 |
Scope 2 | 11,789,000 | 0,000,000 | 0,000,000 | 0,000 | 00,000 |
Scope 3 | 426,039,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 |
Companies disclose and commit to reducing emissions to show they are serious about reducing emissions impact over time. They can also help a company track its progress over time.
United Utilities is participating in some of the initiatives that we track. This may change over time as the company engages with new initiatives or updates its commitments. DitchCarbon will update this information as it becomes available.