EirGrid plc Annual Report 2011

EirGrid plc Annual Report & Accounts 2011
Corporate and Social Responsibility
EirGrid believes that Corporate and Social
Responsibility is important across all of our
businesses. In addition to our regulatory and
commercial obligations, we are committed to taking
CSR into account in our work with customers in
the marketplace, in our work with communities, in
ensuring we care for the environment, and in our
engagement with our staff. We believe that having
robust policies and implementation in the area of
CSR is very important for the successful operation
of our business, as well as being a vital part of our
participation in society.
EirGrid recognises the importance of having
management and communications processes and
procedures in place to ensure our commitment to
CSR is a real and living one, and we have put in
place an active CSR Group within the company
with representation from staff in all areas.
This group, reporting to an Executive Director,
monitors, analyses and drives initiatives and
programmes within EirGrid, SONI and SEMO in
the area of CSR.
The following is a summary of our work across key
areas:
How we do Business
EirGrid has a Customer Charter which is publicly
accessible on our website. In the past year we
implemented a programme of Customer Service
Improvements across all areas of the company,
which are part of operational business plans.
Targets in relation to our service are in place
from a system operational perspective. A major
contribution to CSR is through the publication of
expert reports and papers which enable debate and
informed decisions by policy-makers. We share
information with other utilities and co-operate on
research within Ireland and internationally, and
regularly facilitate visits by groups interested in our
operations. Public engagement and consultations
are key areas of our business in relation to the
development of large infrastructure projects and
our commitment to this continued during 2011 on
projects throughout Ireland.
Contributing to the Community
EirGrid and SONI and our staff support charitable
causes throughout the year, through fundraising
and other initiatives. A key area of our support for
those in need is through the donations by staff and
the company to ElectricAid, the electricity industry
charity which provides strong support to people in
over 40 countries. EirGrid and its staff have also
contributed in the past year to organisations involved
in helping the most disadvantaged in Ireland, the
homeless, those at risk of suicide, and cancer
sufferers. We also maintain contact with schools,
facilitate visits and provide speakers and this work
continued during 2011. Our Schools Programme is
being intensified in 2012, with a regional programme
of events.
We have processes in place to ensure that customers
can make complaints and we carry out a survey of
the views of customers on a bi-annual basis, which
enables us to identify ways of improving our service.
In addition to our Group Customer Conference held
annually, open days and customer forums or panel
sessions are held regularly during the year.
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