Strategic report
Governance
Financial statements
65 OCU Group Annual report and financial statements 2026
Social continued Creating benefits through our social activities
A safe, inclusive and fair place to work – building the workforce of the future Overview OCU’s people, partners and supply chain are central to the safe, reliable delivery of critical infrastructure. We aim to provide a workplace where people can develop, feel supported and be fairly rewarded. In FY26, priorities were an inclusive workforce and supply chain, an empowered safety culture, support for our people, and fair pay for comparable roles. Key achievements Healthy, diverse and inclusive workforce and supply chain OCU strengthened its EDIB program through training, leadership engagement and partnerships, supporting a workforce that better reflects the communities we serve. EDIB training: OCU RISE, our learning management platform, provided training to 96.2% of UK employees, reinforcing inclusive behaviours and respect across teams. Female leadership: The first cohort will complete their program in September 2026 where all participants are predicted to receive distinction, and with 9% women joining a second cohort in FY27. The Women’s Utility Network partnership provides further mentoring and development.
Stop Work Authority: Everyone working for OCU may intervene where an activity appears unsafe, putting safety before program, cost or productivity. Safety Action Awards: Introduced in January 2026, monthly awards recognise positive interventions by employees and the supply chain. Return-to-work stand-downs continued to reinforce safety and wellbeing at key points in the year.
Safety Climate Survey: During the year, we completed our first Safety Climate Survey as part of our annual back-to-work stand-downs. More than 2,000 employees and subcontractors actively participated in the survey, providing a robust evidence base to assess the maturity of our safety culture across the business. The insights gained have established a valuable baseline for measuring future progress, identifying strengths and targeting improvement initiatives, helping to further embed our proactive, people-led approach to safety and drive continuous improvement in operational performance. We will replicate this in future years and also target our ANZ operations in the coming year.
Inclusive partnerships: The Care Leavers Covenant, Armed Forces Covenant and Disability Confident scheme widen access to careers for people who may face barriers to employment. OCU retained Gold status under the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme. Its Military Transition Program, delivered with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), supports service leavers into civilian careers. Supply chain responsibility: OCU’s Procurement Framework reviews competence, subcontracting, methods and assurance before work begins, supporting safe and consistent delivery. OCU maintains zero tolerance of forced labour, human trafficking and child labour, supported by its Human Rights Policy and Modern Slavery Program. Training, reporting, risk assessment and monitoring support these controls. OCU’s annual Modern Slavery Statement is available on its website. Empowered safety culture Safety is fundamental to OCU. ‘Think Safe + Work Safe = Home Safe’ empowers colleagues and partners to protect themselves and others. OCU Mindset and Life Saving Rules: In January 2026, OCU introduced twelve UK Life Saving Rules addressing its most significant risks; rollout across ANZ is under way.
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