Our strategy
SSE's core purpose is to provide the energy people need in a reliable and sustainable way. In fulfilling this purpose, SSE requires the support of the shareholders who have invested in its shares, and it believes their investment should be remunerated through the payment of dividends, for four key reasons:
- receiving and reinvesting dividends is the biggest source of an investor's return over the long term;
- dividends provide income for those investors who do not wish to reinvest them;
- dividend targets provide a transparent means with which to hold management to account; and
- a long-term commitment to dividend growth demands a disciplined, consistent and long-term approach to operations, investment and acquisitions.
As a result of this, SSE's strategy is to deliver sustained real growth in the dividend payable to shareholders through the efficient operation of, and investment in, a balanced range of economically-regulated and market-based businesses in energy production, storage, distribution, supply and related services, mainly in the UK and Ireland.
The delivery of annual above-inflation increases in the dividend paid to shareholders is a clear, measurable and practical goal which sets the long-term financial context for SSE's operational and investment decisions.