Sustainability
Responsible industrial practice, governed at board level.
Updated April 2026
Our approach to ESG
Data as at 31 December 2023
Utterwick Group plc's sustainability strategy is structured around three pillars: environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and governance and ethics. These pillars reflect the material topics identified through the Group's stakeholder engagement programme and are reviewed annually as part of the board's strategic planning cycle.
The Group's ESG framework is overseen at board level. Patricia Vane, Non-Executive Chairman, provides strategic oversight of the sustainability agenda. Sunita Mehrotra, Non-Executive Director and former Chief Digital Officer of Severn Trent, chairs the ESG committee, which reports to the board on a quarterly basis. This board-level accountability ensures that ESG considerations are integrated into the Group's operating decisions rather than treated as a reporting exercise.
Environmental stewardship
The Group has set a target of operational net zero by 2035, covering Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. This target was approved by the board in 2022 and is supported by divisional decarbonisation plans with annual milestones.
Utterwick published its first TCFD-aligned climate disclosure in the 2023 annual report, setting out the Group's climate-related risks and opportunities, governance arrangements and emissions data. This disclosure will be updated annually.
The environmental division's carbon and sustainability advisory service, launched in 2021 under the leadership of Claire Doveridge, Managing Director, serves a dual mandate. The service provides decarbonisation strategy, carbon accounting and net zero transition planning to external clients, and its methodologies and expertise directly inform the Group's own decarbonisation pathway. Claire Doveridge leads both the client-facing advisory practice and the internal sustainability workstream for Utterwick Environmental.
The instrumentation division's Sondrel sensor platform enables clients across water utilities, chemical processing and food manufacturing to monitor environmental parameters in real time. By providing continuous data on emissions, effluent quality and resource consumption, the platform contributes to broader environmental outcomes beyond the Group's own operations.
In the engineering division, the Beeston facility holds ISO 14001 environmental management certification. A waste reduction programme at the site achieved a 92 per cent waste diversion rate from landfill in the financial year ending 31 December 2023.
Social responsibility
Health and safety
The Group operates a zero-harm ambition across all sites and divisions. For the financial year ending 31 December 2023, the Lost Time Incident Rate was 0.31 per 100,000 hours worked. The target is to reduce this to below 0.25 by 2025. Health and safety performance is reported to the board monthly and is a standing agenda item at divisional management meetings.
Diversity and inclusion
Female representation at senior management level across the Group stood at 31 per cent as at 31 December 2023. The target is 35 per cent by 2026. At board level, three of six directors are women: Judith Crane, Chief Financial Officer; Patricia Vane, Non-Executive Chairman; and Sunita Mehrotra, Non-Executive Director. The board is committed to maintaining gender balance as part of its succession planning.
Community engagement
The engineering division operates an apprenticeship programme in partnership with Nottingham College, providing structured training for young people entering careers in fabrication, machining and mechanical and electrical installation. The instrumentation division runs STEM outreach activities with schools in the Nottingham area, introducing students to sensor technology and data science. The environmental division's staff volunteer with local conservation groups as part of the division's community engagement programme.
Employee wellbeing
The Group has trained mental health first aiders at all operating sites. An employee assistance programme is available to all employees and their immediate families, providing confidential support for personal and professional challenges.
Governance and ethics
The board of Utterwick Group plc comprises six directors: three executive directors and three independent non-executive directors. This composition provides independent oversight and challenge in accordance with the UK Corporate Governance Code.
The ESG committee, chaired by Sunita Mehrotra, Non-Executive Director, reports to the board quarterly on progress against the Group's sustainability targets, emerging regulatory requirements and stakeholder expectations. The committee's terms of reference are reviewed annually.
Howard Briggs, Senior Independent Director and former partner at Eversheds Sutherland, oversees governance and compliance matters on behalf of the board. His legal background provides assurance that the Group's governance arrangements remain robust and aligned with evolving regulatory expectations.
- Anti-bribery and corruption policy aligned to the UK Bribery Act 2010
- Modern slavery statement published annually in accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015
- Whistleblowing policy with an independent, confidential reporting line
- Annual board effectiveness review
Key ESG metrics
As at 31 December 2023
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Net zero target (Scope 1 & 2) | 2035 |
| Lost Time Incident Rate | 0.31 per 100,000 hours worked |
| Female senior management representation | 31% |
| Waste diverted from landfill (engineering division) | 92% |
| First TCFD-aligned disclosure | 2023 annual report |
| Board gender balance | Three of six directors are women |