In an increasingly complex energy landscape, the ability to genuinely connect with customers and communities is no longer optional – it’s essential. The Energy Charter’s new Community of Practice builds on our foundational work to create deeper, more meaningful engagement with diverse communities throughout Australia’s energy transition.
Our vision
Energy is an essential part of everyone’s life. We believe the energy system can only succeed when every person is included. This Community of Practice brings together community advocates with energy sector professionals who are committed to placing humans at the heart of our work, ensuring energy services are accessible, equitable, and responsive to the diverse needs of all Australians.
Building on our foundation of better practice
Since 2019, The Energy Charter has pioneered collaborative approaches to better understand customers and communities. Now, we’re working together to take this work to the next level – moving beyond understanding to creating genuine partnerships that centre the lived experiences of those we serve, especially those facing barriers or vulnerabilities.
2025 Program: From Knowledge to Action
Our 2025 program features three specialised forums designed to transform knowledge into meaningful action:
May: Co-Designing Energy Solutions: The Power of Lived Experience
29 May 2025
In this insightful session we learned alongside experts from Better Together Collective and Carolyn Campbell-McLean of our Life Support in the Home Lived Experience Panel, discovering approaches to co-design and collaboration that place lived experience at the centre of energy solutions.
Watch the recording of the session and view the slide pack:
Shared learning: supporting vulnerability
Tuesday 19 August 2025
Dr. Lois Shedd from the Australian Energy Regulator took us through the Consumer Engagement Toolkit, a collaboratively developed resource designed to help energy businesses and stakeholders identify and assist those at risk. Troy Moulder from Horizon Power shared insights into their evolving Vulnerability Framework, which takes a holistic, data-informed approach to identifying and supporting customers in remote and regional Western Australia through staff training, community partnerships, and proactive engagement.
Both speakers reflected on the sector’s growing maturity in addressing vulnerability, highlighting a shift from compliance-based practices to values-driven strategies. They emphasised the importance of continuous improvement and adaptability as societal and market conditions change, reinforcing the need for inclusive, responsive, and collaborative approaches to consumer support.
Meaningful Accessibility: How true accessibility goes beyond compliance
1-2pm AEDT, Monday 17 November 2025
Through real-world case studies with Cornerstone Alliance and the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG)’s, discover how embedding accessibility into the customer experience can enhance trust, engagement and equity across the energy sector.
Learn how improving accessibility isn’t just about meeting standards — it’s about:
• removing barriers that prevent all customers from accessing essential energy information and support
• improving digital inclusion and customer confidence
• strengthening community trust through fairness and accessibility
• building a more resilient and customer-centred energy future
By learning from these case studies, energy businesses can design services and communications that reflect the diversity of their customers and communities — ensuring that every customer can participate fully in Australia’s energy transition.
Meet the chair
Allison Winter, TasNetworks
Allison Winter has more than 20 years of experience in strategic communication and engagement, with 10 years serving in senior roles with three Tasmanian Premiers, and over a decade in the energy sector.
As Leader of the Strategic Engagement Team at TasNetworks, she leads a broad portfolio of community and stakeholder engagement initiatives. Her work spans community partnerships and education programs, First Nations engagement and engagement with their Customer and Stakeholder Advisory Groups — all with a focus on building trust, deepening relationships, and ensuring all voices are heard.
Deeply committed to social equity, Allison has a strong understanding of the challenges faced by vulnerable communities. She is especially proud to have led the co-design of TasNetworks’ inaugural Vulnerability Plan, a key step toward making essential services more accessible and inclusive, and is currently leading the development of the organisation’s first Aboriginal Engagement Guideline – another milestone in building trust and enduring relationships.
For Allison, creating opportunities for people to influence the decisions that affect their lives is one of her passions.
Outside of work, you’ll often find her at Kingston Beach, where she enjoys spending time with her young family.
Know Your Customers + Communities Resource Library
Discover session recordings, insights and additional resources in our Know Your Customers + Communities Resources Library below that highlight examples of better customer and stakeholder engagement across the energy and water sectors.
Better Practice Toolkits & Guides
The Better Practice Customer Engagement Toolkit helps drive robust processes to determine customer and community needs and to encourage energy businesses to be accountable on how feedback has been considered and incorporated into their decision making. This is an important commitment under the Energy Charter (principle 1.4).
The Better Practice Consumer Advocacy Support Guide was put together to encourage Energy Charter signatories and others to better support consumer advocacy efforts. This is an important commitment under the Energy Charter (Principle 1.4) and was reinforced by a recommendation from the Independent Accountability Panel in its 2020 Report.
