Severn Trent is one of the founders of the Basic Services and Human Rights Network, which focuses on combined industry action to understand and respond to human rights issues. This latest report details the work of the network over the last 12 months in improving supplier chain assessments, learning from best practice on diversity in the workplace and considering the human rights implications of climate change. Basic Services and Human Rights Network Report (PDF) »
A business's approach to the issue of human rights is an increasingly important dimension of
corporate responsibility. Investors are beginning to use human rights risk assessment as a tool to understand
a company's potential social impacts. The ongoing international discussions regarding the draft United Nations
Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises with Regard to Human
Rights has added energy to the discussion of how a business should approach issues of human rights within its
sphere of influence.
Severn Trent supports the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a helpful framework within which businesses can explore their connections to human rights, in the context of the primary responsibility of governments. Our Code of Conduct covers issues of human rights and we are committed to a regular review of our performance in line with the code.
Severn Trent expressed support for the Global Compact in June 2004. We believe the Global Compact provides a useful platform for dialogue on corporate accountability, and its ten principles covering labour relations, environment and anti-corruption in addition to human rights, reflects our integrated approach to corporate responsibility.
From 2004 to 2007, Severn Trent was a member of the three-year Basic Services Human Rights Network project, which was facilitated by a leading human rights consultancy, TwentyFifty. The Network explored a number of topics including vulnerable customers, supply chain, the social impacts of climate change, diversity and inclusion, fuel sourcing, and ethical leadership. It also provided a valuable forum for shared learning and debate among member companies, and has been a useful source for Severn Trent as we develop our approach to human rights.
Following lessons learned through the Basic Services Human Rights Network, Severn Trent Water has developed a risk management matrix which enables us to identify potential human rights risks in our supply chain [LINK]. Over the course of the 2007/08 all suppliers defined as high risk will be analysed in order to check that the correct systems ad culture are in place - or are being put in place - to manage those risks.
