Community performance
The table below details our community value measures and targets to 2025. It reports our performance and demonstrates progress in supporting communities to be stronger as part of delivering our purpose.
Performance highlights in 2023 include:
- This year our direct community investment totalled £2.88 million, achieved through increased investment in environmental and community partnerships, delivery of education in schools, and volunteering by our colleagues.
- 23,000 children benefitted from our educational programmes over the past 12 months, exceeding our 2025 target of 20,000.
- As part of our £300,000 Catchment Systems Thinking (CaST) fund, we provided funding to community groups across the North West, focused in particular on community engagement with nature or helping shape and promote natural capital markets.
- Supporting our Better Rivers: Better North West pledge to create more opportunities for everyone to enjoy rivers and waterways, stand-up paddleboarding is now a firm part of our access and recreation proposition, delivered through collaboration with the RYA and our licenced recreation clubs.
To understand the verification process for our data, please see CR reporting.
The progress we have already made to operate in a responsible manner is demonstrated in our 2015-20 measures and targets performance.
| Measure | Target to 2025 | 2022/23 Performance | 2021/22 Performance | 2020/21 Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community investment | 10% increase (£2.82 million) | £2.88 million | £2.82 million | £2.15 million |
| Partnership leverage | 1:4 | 1:4 | 1:4 | 1:7 |
| Percentage of participants who remain employed six months after completing an early careers or outreach scheme with United Utilities | 50-60% | 91% | 75% | 83% |
| Number of children benefiting from education materials | 20,000 | 23,000 | 12,998 | 19,120 |
| Visitor experience/satisfaction measure at recreation sites | Maintain position above 50% | 49% | 57.3% | Baseline in 2021 |
The progress we have already made to operate in a responsible manner is demonstrated in our 2015-20 measures and targets performance.