In 2024, we laid the foundation for many of the initiatives currently in progress for managing our negative impact and risks associated with failing to respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights and ensuring FPIC in our own operations. We began by developing a global guidance for social and human rights impact assessments, which will allow us to proactively manage these risks and impacts before the construction of new projects.

Furthermore, we finalised our internal guidelines for free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), a framework designed to ensure respectful and transparent engagement with Indigenous communities. These guidelines guarantee that we secure consent from Indigenous communities before initiating projects that might impact their lands or cultural heritage.

One of our major accomplishments this year was launching the Hornsea 3 Community Fund to support local groups and organisations in North Norfolk and parts of Suffolk in the UK who work with community facilities or activities, skills and education, or environmental projects. In September 2024, the fund announced its first round of awards, as a total of GBP 249,000 was distributed to 21 local organisations selected for their potential to strengthen community well-being and resilience.

These projects include educational initiatives to enhance skills, environmental conservation efforts, and programmes aimed at improving public health and social well-being. Among the funded projects are community centres, youth initiatives, and environmental programmes focused on boosting local biodiversity. The fund is made available as part of our project to create the world’s single largest offshore wind farm, Hornsea 3, and will award a total of GBP 7 million over a targeted ten-year period.