Key performance indicators

This section contains performance metrics showing our performance for some of the key safety, environmental and employee issues covered in the Chief Executive’s Review of this report. Additional metrics, together with targets and, where available, trend data are available on our Group website, www.ngtgroup.com/responsibility.

Safety performance

Over the last year, the rate of injuries resulting in lost time has decreased across the majority of the Group’s businesses, the exception being an increase in our US Distribution operations.

We regret to say 254 of our employees were involved in work-related incidents which led to them taking time off work.

Environmental performance

During 2003/04, our total greenhouse gas emissions amounted to some 10.6 million tonnes CO₂ equivalent. Our largest source of greenhouse gas emissions continues to be methane leakage and venting from the UK and US gas networks, accounting for approximately 49.5% of our total emissions.

Significant environmental incidents arising directly from the Group’s activities increased from 32 (2002/03) to 46 (2003/04), principally as a result of better monitoring in our UK Gas Distribution operations.

Employment performance

We have continued the merger and integration programmes and restructuring of our transmission and distribution businesses. At 31 March 2004, our total headcount stood at 24,527, a reduction of 10% compared with the previous year.