An initiative led by a power-sector partnership to promote a fair and just transition to net zero has almost doubled in strength.

The Powering Net Zero Pact, which was created as a legacy of COP26, and saw a group of companies with a combined turnover of more than £75bn promise to uphold a series of social, environmental and corporate commitments celebrated a year of growth at the All Energy Conference in Glasgow yesterday [May10].

The initiative was originally created by SSE plc with 10 other founding partners.

It brought together companies across all tiers of the power sector globally – including civils, shipping, renewables, electrical engineering, and others – to achieve a fair and just energy transition to net zero.

Over the last year the pact has almost doubled in size, with 9 new companies collaboration across the five areas of ambition:

• achieving net zero carbon emissions;

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• protecting and enhancing the natural environment;

• transitioning to a circular economy;

• guaranteeing fair work and sustainable jobs; and

• adding value to local communities.

SSE's Chief Sustainability Officer, Rachel McEwen, said: "We launched the pact last year as a perfect example of companies taking matters into their own hands to drive enhanced sustainability standards through the power sector value chain.

"Huge credit must go to the partners for their enthusiasm in helping drive the pact forward. We are pleased to have almost doubled our numbers and welcome nine new members on board.

"The race to net zero is relentless – the pace of climate change and the need to create a more secure homegrown energy system demands it.

SSE's Chief Sustainability Officer, Rachel McEwen, said: "There are many things that members of the Pact have in common – not least our collective determination to ensure no-one is left behind and people benefit from a fair and just transition too. What we have most in common though, is our ability to take practical action.

"So, if there are other power sector business out there that want to play a part in tackling the trickiest and most intractable sustainability challenges in our sector, you would be most welcome to join."

Between them, the founding partners are working on some of the largest low-carbon infrastructure projects in the world; including Dogger Bank, which will be the world's largest offshore wind farm, Scotland's largest offshore wind farm Seagreen, and the Viking onshore wind farm, which will be the UK's most productive onshore wind farm as well as billions of pounds in investment on the electricity transmission and networks.