Northumbrian Water has become the first water company in the world to achieve the ISO Innovation Kitemark for Innovation Management, awarded by BSI (British Standards Institution).

The North East-based utility has been formally certified to the ISO 56001 standard, surpassing the core requirements by meeting additional Kitemark test measures.

The ISO 56001 Innovation Kitemark recognises a systematic, company-wide framework for turning ideas into tangible benefits for customers, communities and the environment.

That includes adopting new technologies, developing platforms, using data-driven learning and nature-based solutions, and running its renowned Innovation Festival, which has generated about 300 new ideas over the past decade.

Among those outputs are Smart Sewers, which is helping to cut storm overflows in Tyneside; PipeBot, a robot that monitors sewers for blockages; and the National Underground Asset Register, a comprehensive map of underground assets designed to reduce utility strikes, since adopted by the UK Government.

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Angela MacOscar, Head of Innovation at Northumbrian Water, said: "This accreditation is so important to us, because innovation is genuinely at the heart of everything we do.

"It's not just down to our technical teams, everyone across our business has adopted and contributed to the culture of innovation here, which shines outwards and allows us to be creative in our approach.

"The Kitemark accreditation recognises that innovation here isn't ad-hoc, it's actually built into how we operate as a business.

"It gives our customers, partners and regulators confidence that we have a consistent, mature approach to developing and delivering innovation that makes a real difference."

The independent, internationally recognised certification examines how organisations manage innovation—from leadership, strategy and culture, through governance and planning, to developing, testing and embedding ideas into day-to-day operations.

As part of the audit, assessors reviewed the strength of Northumbrian Water's innovation culture and how colleagues across the business are encouraged to contribute ideas.

It also reflects a focus on real-world outcomes, including smarter use of data and digital tools, approaches that help reduce pollution, improve resilience and enhance customer service.

Angela added: "Having the ISO accreditation in place now means that we will be able to innovate even faster and bigger than before.

"It's made even more special by the fact that this year we are celebrating our tenth Innovation Festival, which is a real milestone for us.

"It means that after almost a decade of doing everything we can to adopt new ways of working, we can officially say we are standing way ahead of the industry with this qualification. It shows that we are aligned with global best-practice, and we couldn't be prouder."

ISO 56001 is an international standard for innovation management systems, designed to help organisations innovate effectively, respond to change and create long-term value.