An Electric Britain: Powering business progress and the road ahead

EDF has published its 2025 Sustainability Progress Update, providing customers and communities with an update on our sustainable commitments and the progress we’ve made in clean power, electrification, and reducing the UK’s carbon footprint reflecting our dedication to making a real impact.

This guest blog is written by Josh Buckland, EDF’s Strategy and Policy Director, who shares what the report means for businesses. In his role, Joshua connects the work of EDF’s five families to deliver impact and guides the business through a complex policy and regulatory landscape, managing risks, driving sustainability, and shaping the external environment.

An Electric Britain: Powering business progress and the road ahead

For over 26 years, EDF has been at the forefront of the UK’s energy transition. From nuclear to wind, solar, and smart customer solutions, we continue to be Britain’s biggest generator of zero carbon electricity. In 2024, we invested £4.3 billion in the UK – strengthening energy security, cutting emissions, and supporting thousands of jobs.

Looking ahead, our ambition is clear: to help build An Electric Britain - a country with a resilient electricity system that is affordable for businesses and secure for the nation. We want to build an electricity system that helps deliver the nation’s climate and net zero ambitions with a transition that creates lasting economic and social value across the UK, with a thriving and diverse workforce.

Here’s how we’re contributing to that future and where we see the greatest opportunities for impact.

 Why this matters for businesses

Electricity is the key to a secure, affordable and clean future. Switching more activities – heat, transport, industrial processes – from fossil fuels to electricity and building the infrastructure to produce low carbon power in this country is how Britain can meet its energy, security and climate goals.

EDF is delivering on all fronts across generation, flexibility, and customer solutions. We operate 6GW of nuclear capacity, generating 13% of the UK’s electricity, with Hinkley Point C construction progressing and plans to extend Sizewell B supporting our goal to deliver 35TWh of nuclear power by 2035. Our renewables business is expanding fast too, with 2GW currently in operation, a 14GW development pipeline, and ambitions to deliver 10GW of generation and storage by 2035. Since 2018, we’ve invested £2 for every £1 earned, reinforcing our long-term commitment to the UK’s clean energy future.

Beyond generation, we’re helping businesses electrify operations and optimise energy use with partner acquisitions like Pod solutions and SAS Energy from EV fleet charging and onsite solar to demand-side response and energy efficiency strategies, we help organisations take control of their energy future while powering a cleaner, more resilient Britain.

Protecting our planet

A secure, low carbon future isn’t only about producing clean power, it’s about protecting the planet in the process. EDF has committed to achieving net zero across all operations by 2050, while reducing emissions across our supply chain in line with the Paris Agreement.

In 2024, our zero carbon generation avoided 13 million tonnes of CO₂e, equivalent to removing 6 million cars from the road. The life extensions we’ve secured for our four AGR nuclear stations mean they will collectively deliver up to 45 TWh of additional clean power over their lifetimes, cutting emissions and reducing reliance on imported gas.

Nature and biodiversity are also central to our approach. EDF Nuclear Operations remains the only UK energy company certified to the Biodiversity Benchmark, recognising the work we are doing across six sites to deliver positive biodiversity outcomes. At the same time, we are embedding circular economy principles into our operations, recovering or recycling 99% of conventional waste and exploring innovations such as recycling solar panels and reducing water consumption across sites.

For large businesses, partnering with EDF means aligning with a sustainability leader. Our approach to biodiversity, circular economy principles, and waste reduction helps organisations meet ESG commitments and demonstrate environmental stewardship at scale.

Improving people’s lives for the energy transition 

The transition to net zero must be fair and future ready.  For large businesses, this means access to skilled talent and robust supply chains. In 2024, EDF recruited 2,000 people across Britain, with plans for 3,000 more in 2025 - including 600 apprentices and graduates - helping build the workforce needed for the energy transition. 

We’re also driving diversity and inclusion across our workforce. Representation of diverse senior leaders rose to 36% in 2024, up from 30% the year before, and women in management roles increased to 31%. Since 2022, diversity has been part of senior leadership incentive targets, embedding accountability at the highest levels. For business customers, this translates into working with a partner committed to innovation, resilience, and social impact.

Our call to action

At the heart of our strategy is a simple belief: electrification is key to improving affordability, strengthening energy security, and tackling climate change. We’re investing, innovating and delivering, but we cannot do it alone. To realise this shared ambition, we call for:

• Rapid transition to a decarbonised power system: Create a stable investment environment for renewables, accelerate grid upgrades, and promote innovation through smart grids, digitalisation, and flexible system operation.
• Skilled workforce for the energy transition: Build diverse talent pipelines, establish common skills pathways across nuclear and construction, and support a just transition that delivers green jobs and regional regeneration.
• Electricity market and system reform: Support national pricing reform and improved transmission signals to drive efficient investment, alongside operational changes to reduce network costs and improve system efficiency.
• Energy system transformation and policy engagement: Work with government and regulators to tackle grid constraints, speed up connections, and unlock investment to keep the UK’s clean power transition on track. 

 Read more about EDF’s journey here

An Electric Britain isn’t just EDF’s ambition, it’s a shared journey. Together, we can create a cleaner, stronger, and fairer energy future.
 Sustainable business progress update | EDF