Firstgroup PLC

Lobbying Transparency and Governance

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Direct Lobbying Transparency
Overall Assessment Comment Score
Comprehensive FirstGroup provides comprehensive transparency around its climate lobbying activities. It clearly identifies the specific policies it engages on, noting that it “actively engage[s] with DfT on its Transport Decarbonisation Plan,” and participates in the UK Government’s National Bus Strategy and the Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) program, where “First Bus and our local authority partners have been successful in securing government co-funding to boost their existing ZEBRA projects in four locations.” The company also outlines its lobbying mechanisms and targets, explaining “We engage with policymakers and seek to influence the development of policy both directly, and through the membership of sector trade organisations in the UK,” with engagements targeting the Department for Transport, ministers, parliamentary committee members and local councillors. Finally, it articulates the outcomes it seeks, advocating for “more measures to facilitate modal shift to public transport” and to “advocate for innovation and investment in sustainable mobility, and to make the case for transport infrastructure decisions that help reduce congestion, enhance customer experience and decrease journey times,” while supporting rail electrification and a fully zero-emission bus fleet by 2035. 4
Lobbying Governance
Overall Assessment Comment Score
None FirstGroup PLC provides extensive disclosures on its internal climate-related governance—its Responsible Business Committee of the Board “meets four times a year to review ... decarbonisation transition” and “Executive responsibility for sustainability matters is held by the CEO”—but there is no evidence of any structured process, policy or oversight body specifically for managing or aligning its direct or indirect lobbying with climate objectives. The company describes stakeholder engagement, noting “we engage with policymakers and seek to influence the development of policy both directly, and through the membership of sector trade organisations,” and reports that “we comply with the Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016 regulations and key personnel are registered with the UK Lobbying Register,” yet it does not disclose any review, sign-off or monitoring mechanism, nor identify any individual or formal committee tasked with ensuring lobbying alignment with its climate policy. 0