May News Update II Energy Charter future focus elevates #BetterTogether collaboration

Energy Charter future focus elevates #BetterTogether collaboration

We’re excited to announce that on the back of our recent 3-Year Strategic Review, the Energy Charter will place greater focus on cross-sector collaboration through our #BetterTogether initiatives to continue to deliver better outcomes for customers at a time of unprecedented change in the energy industry.
 
Feedback from customer representatives and stakeholders showed the Energy Charter has delivered value for customers and communities across the whole supply chain. The most valued aspects were collaboration, building trusted relationships and knowledge sharing. There was also a desire to see more and bigger outcomes from the #BetterTogether initiatives. Many thanks to everyone who provided feedback, it has really shaped the continued evolution of the Energy Charter.
 
Many of the challenges facing energy customers such as ensuring an equitable energy transition and improved support for vulnerable customers cannot be meaningfully achieved by individual energy businesses. 

Rather, we need the entire supply chain to come together and identify solutions for all customer segments.  That’s what the #BetterTogether initiatives enable us to do. To ensure that the Energy Charter is set up to meet the new challenges for customers, the elevated Energy Charter #BetterTogether program will enable a ‘whole-of-system’ collaborative approach to achieve this. With CEOs making a public commitment to Priority #BetterTogether initiatives, the Energy Charter will accelerate better customer outcomes into the future.
 
Importantly, Full Energy Charter signatories will continue to focus on accountability publishing annual signatory disclosure reports demonstrating how they performed against the Energy Charter principles. Building on the gains made over the last 3 years, the accountability framework will leverage existing business’ stakeholder consultation structures, rather than through the Independent Accountability Panel. We thank Clare Petre, Chair and panellists Andrew Richards and Cassandra Goldie for their hard work and commitment, and ongoing support for the Energy Charter.
 
The Energy Charter uniquely brings together collective and individual elements of the energy supply chain for whole of system alignment and action, while supporting individual businesses to do better for their customers. We’re excited to continue to work with all of you in this exciting phase of elevated #BetterTogether action and delivery for our customers and communities.

Rebecca Kardos
2022 Chair of the CEO Council
CEO at Aurora

Background

As Chair of the Energy Charter End-User Consultative Group (EUCG), made up of close to 20 consumer and business representatives from across Australia, I welcome the elevation of the #BetterTogether initiatives by the Energy Charter CEO Council.
 
The Energy Charter has achieved better outcomes for customers and community. The EUCG feedback throughout the 3-Year Strategic Review was to encourage Energy Charter signatories to do more. How? With a whole of supply chain focus on delivering customers outcomes through the #BetterTogether initiatives. It needs to be strategic and future-focused. It needs to prioritise emerging customer issues, particularly given the energy transition.

The core proposition of the Energy Charter is that customer representatives can engage with businesses across the energy supply chain, with a sharp focus on customers. We look forward to co-designing ways in which Energy Charter signatories can better support and build capacity within consumer advocacy. We are keen to collaborate on setting the agenda for #BetterTogether initiatives that align with consumer priorities. Finally, we encourage Energy Charter signatories to think strategically about how to resource meaningful consumer engagement through the new approach to decentralised accountability.

Cath Smith
Independent Chair of the EUCG

Energy Charter logo

A national CEO-led collaboration that supports the energy sector towards a customer-centric future. Our core values of “Be invested, make a difference”, “Be open, learn and improve”, and “Think big, be bold” are brought to life through #BetterTogether initiatives focused on delivering better customer outcomes for all Australians.

#BetterTogether Collaborator: SA Power Networks and Simply Energy.
Energy Charter Supporter: Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).

Visit www.theenergycharter.com.au and follow us www.linkedin.com/company/the-energy-charter.