Severn Trent chief proposes ‘social purpose’ water firms amid utilities crisis

Liv Garfield seeks backing from Labour for reforms as government considers temporary renationalisation of Thames Water

The chief executive of the water company Severn Trent is seeking backing from industry and the Labour party for British utility firms to be reformed as social purpose" companies that would stay in private hands but give greater weight to the needs of customers, staff and the environment.

Liv Garfield, who has run the FTSE 100 company since 2014, has this week written to the chief executives of utility companies in the water, energy and telecoms sectors inviting them to an off-the-record roundtable" chaired by Will Hutton, a columnist for the Observer and the co-chair of the Purposeful Company.