Gas transmission system operator Amber Grid was recognised as a Nasdaq ESG Transparency Partner. This title is awarded to companies that have achieved a high level of transparency in environmental, social, and governance performance. Currently, eight companies in Lithuania and 16 companies in the Baltic States have this distinction.
Amber Grid aims to contribute directly to the sustainable development goals. The company focuses on ensuring access to clean and modern energy, combating climate change, developing modern infrastructure and innovation, safe working conditions, employee well-being and a sustainable supply chain. Green energy is at the heart of our strategy and strategic plan.
We will implement it along the following lines:
We aim to make a direct contribution to the UN’s sustainable development goals. We will ensure access to clean and modern energy to combat climate change. Amber Grid’s professionals focus on the development of modern infrastructure and innovation, the well-being of our employees, and the creation of a stable supply chain.
We contribute to each of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals through:
Amber Grid’s sustainability objective is to transform the energy sector by striking a sustainable balance between environmental, social, and economic objectives. In doing so, we want to contribute to the creation of a climate-neutral economy.
The Company has integrated sustainability principles into its business processes, and the management of sustainability domains by competency covers all levels.
The Company’s Board is responsible for setting, reviewing the long-term strategic sustainability objectives and monitoring indicators. The Board also approves policies on the environment, equal opportunities, health and safety of employees, anti-corruption, remuneration, performance evaluation and development. Within its remit, the Board also approves the Company’s annual objectives, which include sustainability-related objectives.
EPSO-G Sustainability Development Manager is responsible for monitoring and coordinating the achievement of sustainability objectives. Meanwhile, within the Company, the relevant environmental, social and governance objectives are delegated to the Company’s different functional units (e.g. environmental, occupational safety, human resources, risk and compliance management, etc.) according to their competences. The Company has delegated a separate person responsible for ensuring equal opportunities within the Company.
The Company aims to integrate sustainability principles into all its activities and processes.
The Company aims to transform the energy sector by striking a sustainable balance between environmental, social and economic objectives.
Sustainability risks are treated as an integral part of the Company’s day-to-day operations and are integrated into the risk management process. The Company assess all the risks against the criteria set for the sustainability risks. Risks that meet these criteria are assigned to the relevant sustainability risk type.
Disclosures on compliance with the EU Taxonomy Regulation that relate to Amber Grid's taxonomic economic activities are provided in the consolidated annual report of EPSO-G.
In 2023, the following risks were assigned to sustainability (environmental, social and governance) risks:
Risks that meet environmental criteria:
Risks that meet social criteria:
Risks that meet governance criteria:
In 2023, corruption, compliance, going concern risks are not included in the Company’s key risk register. All of these risks are medium or low level because of applied effective risk management measures. However, the Company, being aware of the importance of these risks for the achievement of the sustainability objectives, pays particular attention to the management and disclosure of these risks (see ‘GOVERNANCE SUSTAINABILITY’).
More details on the main risks, their description and management measures can be fount the section ‘Key risks and their management’ of the Company’s consolidated annual report.
The sustainability-related policies mentioned in this report are publicly available. Details on the policies are available:
Sustainability Policy. In 2021, EPSO-G adopted a new sustainability policy of the Group. The policy defines the sustainability guidelines and principles that are common to the Group’s businesses and guide the Group’s activities. EPSO-G strengthens its sustainability management at a strategic level and develops a progressive organisational culture. The implementation of this policy is the responsibility of the heads of the companies of the EPSO-G Group and the supervisors of the sustainability functional area.
Environmental Policy. EPSO-G Group aims to contribute to the implementation of UN’s goals for 2030. It also aims to meet the commitments set out in the Paris Agreement, the European Green Deal, the National Energy Independence Strategy, and the National Climate Change Management Agenda. This policy defines the environmental principles to be applied across the EPSO-G Group. The implementation of the Environmental Policy is the responsibility of the heads of the companies of the EPSO-G Group and the supervisors of the sustainability functional area.
Occupational Health and Safety Policy (OHS). It defines the principles of occupational health and safety and guidelines for their implementation. The implementation of this policy is the responsibility of the heads of the group’s companies and the supervisors of the OHS functional area.
Code of Ethics. It defines the principles and standards of business ethics that underpin the group’s companies and the behaviour expected of employees and partners in their daily work.
Corruption Prevention Policy. It defines the principles and requirements for the prevention of corruption and the guidelines for ensuring compliance with them, the application of which creates the preconditions and conditions for the implementation of the highest standards of transparent business conduct.
Support Policy. It sets out the key principles for the provision of support, clear and transparent criteria for the selection of projects and activities to be supported, and essential requirements for the transparency and publicity of the support provided. The policy sets out the specific purposes for which support may be granted. Decisions on the overall level and direction of support are taken by the boards of the group’s companies. Decisions on the specific level of support to be granted to beneficiaries are taken by the heads of the group’s companies. The group’s company that granted the support must ensure transparency by announcing the support within one month at the latest. The announcement must be published on the company’s website.
Equal Opportunities Policy. It defines the key principles within the company to ensure that equal opportunities and non-discrimination are respected in all areas of the employment relationship.
The Selection Policy, which was updated on 01/08/2022, defines the Group’s overall selection principles and practices to select transparently the best candidates who have the right qualifications, skills, experience, and values for collegial bodies and for managerial and professional positions at all levels and who will contribute effectively to the achievement of the Group’s objectives.
On 25/10/2022, Amber Grid signed up to a new group policy that defines clear and transparent principles for the remuneration and performance assessment of the Group’s employees, and the corresponding employee remuneration system, the principles of learning, refresher courses, and professional development.
The Procurement Policy, which was updated on 21/02/2022, defines the key principles and objectives of procurement, guidelines for procurement planning and preparation, the conduct and coordination of group procurement, implementation of procurement principles and best practices, supply and supplier management, contract management control, and review of disputes and decisions.
The Supplier Code of Conduct, which was approved on 25/11/2022, defines the standards of conduct that the Company expects all its Suppliers and Sub-suppliers to adhere to in order to promote legitimate, professional, sustainable and fair business practices that incorporate the objectives of environmental protection, human rights, labour standards, and business ethics. The Supplier Code of Conduct is based on the principles of the United Nations Global Compact.
We are continuously developing our sustainability goals and their implementation programmes in priority areas. This Report disclose the information on the implementation of the sustainability principles in the Company and its progress in 2023 through each of the following priorities identified in the materiality assessment. The content of the Report has been prescribed by analysing the views, opinions and expectations of key stakeholders and taking into account the current business objectives as set out in the Company’s strategy and strategic plan. The Report contains material information that is relevant to the stakeholders in assessing the Company’s performance or in making decisions concerning the Company.
A double materiality assessment will be carried out in 2024, replacing the materiality matrix of sustainability topics that the Company has used to date.
Explanation of environmental, social, and economic impacts.
Amber Grid assessed the materiality of 19 impacts, which were determined in accordance with the specifics of the Company’s operations, its long-term strategy until 2030, and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board’s (SASB) and GRI guidelines for determining the materiality.
High and medium values
In order to reduce negative environmental impacts, the Company carried out a greenhouse gas inventory and a general environmental impact assessment in 2021, and in 2022, based on the results of the inventory, an Environmental Impact Mitigation Plan was prepared and approved until 2030. In order to ensure timely implementation of mitigation measures, an investment and cost plan for mitigation measures until 2030 was drawn-up, assessed and agreed in 2023. The plan of measures to be implemented was also reorganised to prioritise the measures in terms of both the highest mitigation potential and value for money.
The inventory of direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 shows that the most significant environmental aspects have changed compared to 2022 and include new indirect Scope 3 emissions, and
emissions from natural gas combusted during the incident in Pasvalys district on 13 January 2023. The incident was not originally planned, and significant environmental impact which, if every effort is made to prevent such incidents, should not happen again in future and should be eliminated from the assessment of significant environmental aspects. The impact of purchased non-renewable electricity is also eliminated from the significant environmental aspects, as all the electricity consumed by the Company comes from renewable sources.
The information provided covers the period from 1 January to 31 December 2022 and the indicators should be considered in conjunction with the Sustainability Report. The data for the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) indicators presented below have not been verified by external organisations and reflect information available at the time of disclosure.
Monitoring, recording and communicating changes in important indicators is a crucial part of our company’s sustainability activities. We are transparent and provide detailed information, so every consumer and investor have public access to a comprehensive report on our activities and plans.
Preparation of reports is guided by international requirements: the principles of the UN-initiated Global Compact and the recommendations of the Global Reporting Initiative. This helps to measure performance against relevant economic, environmental, staff, human rights, market, and public relations indicators.
Sustainability reports of Amber Grid
Amber Grid’s development and projects of economic importance to the country, as set out in the strategy, may have an impact on the quality of life of communities or their environment. We therefore allocate a portion of our profits to support the local regions and/or communities where these projects are located.
Such support may be given to education, culture, sport, social services, healthcare or other areas of community well-being. Amber Grid may also support students in programmes related to the company’s direct activities.
We encourage voluntary involvement of employees in activities that are important to society or the local community, and may provide support accordingly.
In granting support, we are guided by the following principles:
Alignment with operational objectives. We aim to provide support to those whose stated and duly justified objectives for the use of the support are most closely aligned with our operational objectives and support granting criteria.
Transparency and impartiality. The process of evaluating support applications and deciding whether to grant support is carried out in accordance with the highest standards of transparency and impartiality. In cases where the evaluation of a support application presents or may present a conflict of interest, the person involved in the evaluation process must withdraw from the evaluation of the application and the decision. Decisions to withdraw are noted in the documentation recording the evaluation.
Equal treatment. The evaluation of all submitted applications is based on consistent, clear, and comprehensible evaluation criteria and does not discriminate. Decisions to award support to specific projects must be reasoned.
Confidentiality and publicity. Confidentiality of the applicant’s data and of the data contained in the application are ensured prior to and during the evaluation of the application and are used only for evaluation purposes. Once the decision regarding support has been taken, information on granting support will be published on the company’s website and, where appropriate, by other means as well. Any confidentiality agreements restricting the public disclosure of information on the support granted by the company are prohibited.
The share of profits to be granted as support is determined annually by the ordinary general meeting of shareholders. The share of the profit allocated to support may not exceed 1% of the net profit for the reporting financial year and may not exceed EUR 50,000, of which no more than 10% may be allocated for the intended use.
Support is granted for the following public benefit purposes:
Support is not granted and any support granted may not be used for:
The support granting procedure is available here.
Please send the completed support application form (a guidance form is provided here) to: r.kazlauskiene@ambergrid.lt.
In October 2024, Amber Grid handed over to public institution Memorabilis 9 vehicles previously used in Amber Grid activities. The total residual value of vehicles is EUR 1948.88. The purpose of using the support is to help rebuild Ukrainian energy facilities damaged by the war.
In 2024 Amber Grid has allocated 75,000 euros for long-term incentive scholarships for advanced and motivated first- and second-year engineering students of VILNIUS TECH and Panevėžys College. The scholarship awarded to students will amount to 300 euros per month.
