Amid the growing urgency to address climate change and its impacts, San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) released a comprehensive sustainability strategy with aspirational goals in the areas of environmental stewardship, clean transportation, grid modernization, community engagement, and company operations to support California's clean energy ambitions.
The company's holistic approach to sustainability builds on environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles, as well as its accomplishments to date. Titled "Building a Better Future: Our Commitment to Sustainability" (available at sdge.com/sustainability), the document will serve as a foundation for SDG&E to work toward key sustainability goals in the years and decades to come. Similar to climate action plans developed by local cities, SDG&E aims to update and evolve its "living" sustainability strategy to reflect stakeholder feedback, regulatory policies and technological breakthroughs.
"It's imperative that we move more quickly to address climate change with strategic investments and partnerships because the stakes are so high if we fail to take collective action now," said Caroline Winn, SDG&E's chief executive officer. "As an energy company, we have an important role to play in the fight against climate change by not only doing our part to reduce emissions from our own operations, but to also develop and encourage the use of energy innovations that can make a difference."
SDG&E aligned its sustainability goals with California's landmark climate policies and the company's own values: "do the right thing," "champion people" and "shape the future." The company recognizes its duties to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy services, as well as the systemic inequities that have existed for many years in society. It's committed to working with regional stakeholders and community-based organizations to help facilitate a just and equitable transition to a cleaner energy economy that does not leave behind vulnerable populations facing disproportionate impacts.
