Energy giant tops guide to ethical firms

Zoe Wood
The Observer, Sunday November 16 2008

A scottish energy company has been named as the most environmental and ethical company on the London Stock Exchange in The Observer Good Companies Guide.
Perth-based Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) topped the list of 350 companies, scoring 93 out of a possible 100. The company, which plans the world's largest offshore windfarm by the Suffolk coast, was praised for work in the renewable energy field as well as its attitude towards customers. In a year that has seen household fuel bills soar, SSE was slower to pass on higher wholesale gas and electricity prices to customers and first to cut tariffs as they fell back.
The credit crunch has forced environmental and social issues down the business agenda as the slowing economy and rising unemployment takes centre stage. But The Observer guide, compiled with the help of Co-operative Asset Management (CAM), aims to inform those who wish to invest, or even just shop, with companies that behave ethically and care for the planet.
'Tremendous challenges like climate change and poverty require ingenuity and investment,' said Ian Jones, CAM's head of responsible investment. 'People want companies to be part of the solution, not forever part of the problem.'
SSE, which trades as Scottish Hydro Electric, is not without controversy, however, as its plans to upgrade the power line from Beauly, near Inverness, to Denny in central Scotland has triggered an inquiry.