Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/525327
UTILITY WEEK | 12TH - 18TH JUNE 2015 | 5 The G7 summit in Germany ended this week with a call to completely remove all fossil fuel use from any part of the economy by the end of the century. Ahead of the global climate talks scheduled for the end of this year in Paris, the world leaders also called for a transformation of the energy sector through greater use of renewable energy and nuclear by the end of 2050. "They are talking about the end of the century, and I don't think climate science says we have got that long" Former energy secretary Ed Davey slams the G7's 2100 climate targets A YouGov study, commissioned by SSE and Icas, this week found that only a third of people think most big businesses in the UK pay their fair share of tax, compared to four out of every five people believing small businesses do. The study found that just 6 per cent would trust a com- pany to provide accurate information on whether it is pay- ing the right amount of tax and only 10 per cent think it is acceptable for companies to move their base of operations abroad to avoid paying corporation tax in the UK. The findings reflect concern that, seven years aer the economic crash, big business has still not done enough to rebuild trust and recognise its essential role in contributing to the society it relies on to be successful. SSE chief executive Alistair Phillips-Davies said: "These findings from YouGov offer an alarming insight into the relationship between company behaviour on tax and consumer trust. Big business has a major job on its hands to convince the public that it is paying taxes fairly. The con- sequences of not doing so go to the heart of our legitimacy within the societies we serve." Many people believe big business avoids paying its fair share of tax 43% IET research published this week finds that almost half of those surveyed are more concerned about protecting the environment than the short-term price of electricity Business development director for Horizon Horizon Nuclear Power has appointed David Stearns as business development direc- tor to drive forward the project's progress. Horizon Nuclear Power's chief operating officer Alan Raymant said Stearns' appointment would "accelerate" the development of the flagship project Wylfa Newydd in Wales, which if built would have a minimum generating capacity of 2.7 GW. SSE chief to help mentor women in energy Alistair Phillips- Davies, chief executive of SSE, is among a group of influential lead- ers in the energy sector who have agreed to mentor ambitious women who want senior roles in the sector within five years. The Powerful Connections scheme is part of the Powerful Women campaign, which was launched a year ago by Baron- ess Verma – then parliamentary undersecretary of state for the Department of Energy and Climate Change. The campaign aims to see 40 per cent of middle management and 30 per cent of executive roles in the energy sector held by women by 2030. For more details, see story on p6. APPOINTMENTS Photo: PA