#BetterTogether First Nations Engagement – What’s authentic? Where do we start? How can we do it better?

Led by First Nations leaders in the energy sector, the #BetterTogether First Nations Engagement focuses on better engagement and collaboration with First Nations people, in partnership with the water industry.

Last month, Energy Charter signatories and collaborators, along with representatives from the water sector, had the opportunity to learn more about Horizon Power’s Aboriginal Engagement Strategy, enabled by the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2022-24, the Aboriginal engagement model and performance and reporting mechanisms, during a First Nations listening session.

“Horizon Power has the privilege to work, live alongside and provide electricity services to Aboriginal people across our region including remote Western Australia.

Our vision for reconciliation is embedded within our current corporate strategy with an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander commitment as one of our four guiding principles.

Aboriginal cultures, histories and participation should be seen, heard, respected and valued as an integral part of our business and we want to have a positive impact on Aboriginal customers, suppliers, employees and communities throughout.” – Aaron Matthews, Aboriginal Engagement Officer at Horizon Power

The Aboriginal Engagement Strategy has been designed to progress and embed better practice Aboriginal engagement across the business and focuses on strengthening their commitment to Aboriginal people with targeted initiatives.

Four key results areas across the business include:

  1. Operating on Aboriginal land
  2. Communication, engagement, and customer relations
  3. Commercial relationship and capacity building
  4. Recruitment, retention and the employment pathway

What’s authentic? Where do you start? How can we do better?

Guiding principles were unpacked with key questions to help demonstrate how principles could be applied to day-to-day business activities and bring them to life. For example:

  • Cultural Safety – Are you recognising & respecting Aboriginal people’s cultural rights & psychological safety?
  • Mutual Respect – Are you being honest and authentic?
  • Self Determination – Have you included Aboriginal voices both during consultation & decision making?
  • Social Impact – How does this impact Aboriginal people?
  • Valuing Culture & Heritage – Are you valuing and supporting the protection of Aboriginal culture & heritage?

The Aboriginal Engagement Strategy also aligns with broader national Aboriginal Closing the Gap targets.

To learn more, download the Horizon Power Aboriginal Engagement Strategy – First Nations Engagement information pack

#BetterTogether First Nations Engagement is Led by TasNetworks, Essential Energy, Energy Queensland, SA Water, Transgrid, EWON, Horizon Power and Greater Western Water with other water and energy businesses and advocates.

The Energy Charter March News Update

Message from the new Chair of the CEO Council – Rebecca Kardos CEO at Aurora, National Customer Code for Energy Comparators & Energy Moving Services, COVID Vulnerable Customer Support Update from Uniting Vic Tas, #BetterTogether Know Your Customers & Communities, and WE Lunch + Learn – Reframing Complaints Read More

#BetterTogether – Energy Brokers, Consultants & Retailers customer-centric approach delivers better outcomes

Signatories of the National Customer Code for Energy Brokers, Consultants & Retailers (Code) are saving commercial and industrial (C&I) energy customers significant time and money by transitioning from a traditional transactional role to providing tailored customer-centric energy support services.

“By ‘thinking outside of the box’ with a ‘customer hat on’ WiseUp Energy Solutions has provided a more holistic service for our commercial and industrial (C&I) energy customers. Critical to this has been connections, and ongoing relationships, with both distribution networks and retailers, with some made through the Energy Charter.” – Sharon Musker, WiseUp Energy Solutions

The National Customer Code for Energy Brokers, Consultants & Retailers is voluntary, and all energy brokers, consultants and retailers are welcome to sign up. In signing up to the Code, they are committing to:

  1. Customer centricity – putting customers at the centre of their business and making decisions based on what is in the customers’ best interests
  2. Transparency – providing clear, accurate and relevant information to help customers make informed choices
  3. Fit for purpose – ensuring that products and services are responsible, accurate and meet customer expectations
  4. Accountability – being responsive to customer needs and taking prompt, appropriate action if a customer makes a complaint to ensure continuous improvement

Through their client energy support services, WiseUp Energy Solutions has provided additional investigation and analysis for businesses unable to make decisions due to the impact of COVID-19. These have included reviewing alignment of seasonal tariff/budgets, value assessments, and seasonal consumption forecasting, enabling them to tailor energy saving solutions for their commercial and industrial (C&I) energy customers. 

Sharon Musker, WiseUp Energy Solutions said, “Better outcomes for customers have been successfully achieved through trusted relationships with energy distribution networks and retailers. Being a signatory to the Code has helped to advocate for these.” 

The National Customer Code for Energy Brokers, Consultants & Retailers was launched in December 2020 and aims to give large customers confidence that Signatories are working together in their best interests and delivering value to them. The Customer Code also addresses some of the concerns about third party intermediaries’ selling practices raised in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Retail Electricity Pricing Inquiry Report 2018. To learn more visit: National Customer Code – Energy Brokers, Consultants and Retailers

New Energy Charter CEO Council Chair 2022

Energy Charter signatories have today welcomed the CEO of Aurora Energy, Rebecca Kardos, as the new Chair of the CEO Council for 2022.

“The Energy Charter represents a genuine collaboration across the energy sector to put customers at the front and centre. In committing to the five principles of the Energy Charter, businesses across retail, distribution, transmission and generation work together to deliver tangible customer benefits through #BetterTogether initiatives. I am thrilled to be chairing the Energy Charter CEO Council in its fourth year of operation.” Ms Kardos said.

In early 2022, Energy Charter signatories will conduct a strategic review to reflect on the customer outcomes achieved through the platform of the Energy Charter and identify areas for improvement. Signatories will also further respond to the recommendations of the Independent Accountability Panel last year: additional support for vulnerable customers and coming together to better plan the path to meeting customer and community expectations on net zero by 2050.The Energy Charter CEO Council acknowledged and thanked out going Chair, Managing Director of Jemena, Frank Tudor, for his outstanding leadership during 2021.

Background

Rebecca was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Aurora Energy in July 2014 and appointed as a Director of Aurora Energy in November 2014.Rebecca has significant executive experience in the utilities sector in Australia and New Zealand in both the public and private sector. Prior to joining Aurora Energy, Rebecca held the position of General Manager Retail at Synergy in Western Australia.Rebecca is currently a Board member of the Alannah and Madeline Foundation (since May 2018). Rebecca has a Master of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Computer Science and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Natonal Customer Code December News Update

2021 Annual Report, Customer Code Council Update, Code Champion Anthony Cooper, Executive Manager Energy Program at  Business Australia,  What’s On in 2022 and Call for Customer Code Council nominations by end of Jan 2022  Read More

Energy sector remains focused on transition and affordability

Affordable energy and transition to a decarbonised energy system, in ways that put customers at the centre and leaves no-one behind, have been identified by the Energy Charter as critical ongoing commitments in 2022, following a new report released today.

Energy Charter Full Signatories, made up of 25 energy organisations, including retailers, generators, distribution and transmission businesses, have pledged to work closer together over the next 12 months to focus on these key issues for the benefit of Australian customers and communities.

Following its annual review of Energy Charter signatory disclosures, the Independent Accountability Panel (IAP) released its third annual report today stating:

“The true test of whether Signatories are putting their customers at the centre of their business and the energy system is whether they work together, and with governments and market bodies, to address the clear challenges with ambition and urgency.”

Chair of the Energy Charter CEO Council, Frank Tudor, said 2021 continued to be an extremely challenging year for many energy consumers with the impacts of COVID-19 still being felt across the nation. The unique structure of the Energy Charter allowed organisations from across all areas of the supply chain to collaborate through #BetterTogether initiatives to support customers. This was recognised by the IAP as a critical innovative platform to support customers.

Key achievements through the Energy Charter over the past 12 months have included:

“The Energy Charter provides an open platform for the energy sector to collaborate on key issues for customers, and there is always more we can do,” Mr Tudor said.

“The Independent Accountability Panel’s message is clear. We need to come together with urgency to better plan the path to meeting customer and community expectations on net zero by 2050. We need ambition to do more to support households and businesses in vulnerable circumstances.

“We thank the Independent Accountability Panel for their report and recommendations. The Energy Charter signatories will continue to collaborate across industry and with customer advocates to deliver on these recommendations over the next 12 months to benefit customers.

“We are also proud to have welcomed four new signatories into the Energy Charter this year and look forward to building on that momentum to see more energy businesses joining in the years ahead, particularly retailers.”

During its review, the Independent Accountability Panel analysed the disclosure reports submitted by Energy Charter signatories, interviewed CEOs and held stakeholder and public forums. Led by Clare Petre as Chair, the IAP includes Cassandra Goldie, CEO Australian Council of Social Service and Andrew Richards, CEO Energy Users Association of Australia.

For more about the Energy Charter and the IAP report, visit theenergycharter.com.au

For media enquiries, please contact: Sabiene Heindl, E: director@theenergycharter.com, M: 0412 039 747

Strategies for change makers – Robyn Bailey

For me as a champion of change, it’s all about giving the ‘human’ element the same priority as the process element. In this short blog, I share with you some of the strategies and approaches that I have used to help deliver transformational change projects across large organisations.

Over the last 6 months, the Energy Charter teamed up with Good Shepherd’s Financial Inclusion Action Plan on a four-part series called Champions of Change. The series explored strategies to arm Changer Makers with the tools and insights to make change in and outside of organisations.

Robyn Bailey, previously the Executive General Manager, Transformation and Portfolio Management, nbn co., talked about how leadership and alignment were critical elements of enabling transformational change and the strategies that can be successfully used to drive such change.

My approach to change involves three simple, but key insights:

  1. Assume no bad intent – As human beings it is a requirement for us to constantly make assumptions because we rarely, if ever, have all the information at hand. It can be easy to assume that others might not support what we are working on, particularly when we are all working under time & budget constraints towards complex and ambitious goals. However, it is critically important to remember that we never really know exactly what others are thinking or what is going on in their world. More often than not over the years I have found that other people actually want the same or a similar outcome after I have taken the time to clarify my intent and demonstrated that I am open to hearing their considerations.
  2. Genuine collaboration – Do not underestimate the value of truly listening to others and making changes to incorporate feedback into the way that an outcome is being delivered. It can be easy to ignore the risks, concerns and suggestions that others raise in order to save time up front however ultimately it will end up costing more time at the end. Genuine collaboration is hard work but if it is done well, it saves time and reduces unnecessary frustration.
  3. Social capital – Business leader Margaret Heffernan in her “Forget the Pecking Order at Work” TED Talk challenges the roles of the workplace pecking order and suggests that a community focussed model will help achieve the highest levels of success in business and the world. How do you make sure outside your transactional work, that you are creating connections with other people in your workplace? I still recall the first time I saw Margaret’s video. It joined so many dots for me and I have been a strong advocate for social capital ever since.

From my experience you need to dedicate time towards getting to know other people beyond their roles in the workplace. It is a worthwhile investment which helps to build trust and empathy. Ultimately it enables change to occur more effectively because it is easier to drive and align behind the change agenda if you already have the human connections. After all, organisations don’t change, people do.

In my recent role we had a monthly meeting between senior leaders without any agenda except understanding others’ perspectives and what was going on for them. Open questions to get to know others are great at driving social capital and modelling this approach to others.

Ultimately, change involves people. Always remember: the human element is critical in any positive change process. Investing time in people and building connections is critical.

Robyn Bailey, previously Executive General Manager, Transformation and Portfolio Management, nbn co.

The Energy Charter December News Update

Message from the Chair of the CEO Council – Frank Tudor MD at Jemena, Transition & Affordability, Customer Voice Cath Smith – Independent Chair of EUCG, #BetterTogether initiatives, Champions for Change – The Series, welcome to new Energy Charter Full Signatory TasNetworks Read More

Energy affordability remains an ongoing challenge

Energy affordability remains a key issue for consumers and communities across Australia.

“We continue to look at how we can support our customers into the future. We have purposely been changing our systems, our processes and our ways of working – feeding into the Aurora way – which is around our values and our purpose, and how can we be better for our customers?…. We’ve learned that there’s always more you can do. The job is never done. It’s a journey, not a destination. – Rebecca Kardos, CEO Aurora Energy

Over the last month, the Energy Charter’s Independent Accountability Panel (IAP) has reviewed full signatory disclosure reports, interviewed CEOs and held a series of national Stakeholder Forums across Australia. In doing so, two issues for the energy sector have been highlighted:

  • Energy affordability, especially for those most vulnerable in our communities
  • The energy transition and the importance of not leaving anybody behind.

In our last short blog, we looked at the energy transition. In this short blog we will look at the issue of energy affordability.

In interviews with CEOs, Cassandra Goldie, consumer panellist and CEO of the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) highlighted that over the last 12 months COVID had continued to impact the community. She reinforced concerns about the increasing cohort of people who simply cannot afford their energy. This presented a key area for potential collaboration for support from signatories, and also called for sustainable solutions from regulators and government.

In response, Energy Charter CEOs raised examples of better practice embedded their businesses to deliver energy more affordably, including:

  • Increased solar connections in regional areas of Western Australia and more automated processing of concession entitlements (Stephanie Unwin, CEO Horizon Power)
  • Longstanding relationships with community organisations such as Uniting to deliver support to the most vulnerable customers (Frank Tudor, MD Jemena) which culminated in the commitment of $1.5 million across Energy Charter signatories for supporting customers in vulnerable circumstances over the next 12 months
  • Extension of Energy Support Programs to Tasmanian residential and business customers through COVID (Rebecca Kardos, Aurora Energy)
  • Proactively using energy data and analytics to better understand energy usage profiles and target customers in hardship (John Knox, ActewAGL)
  • Targeted campaigns to encourage customers to claim their energy concessions and rebates (Rod Duke, CEO Energy Queensland)
  • The development of a Vulnerable Customer Assistance Program (Ben Wilson, CEO AGIG)
  • The innovative #BetterTogether “train the trainer” program with Voices for Power, Sydney Alliance that offers energy literacy training in Western Sydney for culturally and linguistically diverse communities (Richard Gross, CEO Ausgrid, Frank Tudor, MD Jemena, Guy Chalkley, CEO Endeavour).

Energy affordability is likely to remain an ongoing key concern for consumers, as highlighted in our COVID-19 Customer Vulnerability research by Deloitte. Therefore, the focus of many of the Energy Charter #BetterTogether initiatives will continue to be upon how to better support those customers facing hardship in our communities.

Energy Charter CEOs also recognise the growing intersection between the two themes identified by the Independent Accountability Panel: namely affordability and transition. As Guy Chalkley, CEO Endeavour Energy stated:

“I don’t think Net Zero is about leaving people behind, I think Net Zero is our opportunity to at last, get people to catch up.”

To watch the IAP interviews with Energy Charter signatories, please visit the IAP website.

Independent Accountability Panel identifies key customer issues: Transition and Affordability

“Previously it was all about Affordability, with a big A, now its Affordability with a big A and Resilience with a big R, and we’re trying to balance the two in a better way.’ – Guy Chalkley, CEO Endeavour Energy

Over the last month, the Independent Accountability Panel (IAP) has reviewed signatory disclosure reports, interviewed CEOs and held a series of national Stakeholder Forums. In doing so, two key issues for the energy sector have been highlighted:

  • The energy transition and the importance of not leaving anybody behind
  • Energy affordability, especially for those most vulnerable in our communities

Energy transition

In this short blog, we look at the challenge of the energy transition and reflect on some of the responses of the CEOs in their interviews with the IAP.

In both the IAP’s Stakeholder Forums and interviews with the CEOs, Andrew Richards, panellist and CEO of the Energy Users Association of Australia, reinforced that energy transition had implications for all customers and that it was critical we ensure that no customer was left behind.

In addition, during his interview with Andrew Bills, CEO of CS Energy, Andrew Richards suggested that the Callide Futures Group could be a blueprint for managing the transition, or more aptly described, the transformation.

Andrew Bills explained how CS Energy was working with its people and unions through the Callide Futures Group to assess how to best position the Callide B workforce to take up new opportunities as the energy sector transforms over the coming decades. This included a demographic study of the workforce to help identify pathways based on choice and inclusivity.

“Our customers happen to own us.  We have five million Queenslanders and they are our owners.  If you ask our shareholders would they prefer a slightly enhanced dividend or slightly lower electricity price, I think we all know they are going to prefer money in their pocket rather money in pockets of a central Treasury.” – Paul Simshauser, CEO Powerlink Queensland

Paul Simshauser, CEO of Powerlink Queensland and Brian Salter, Acting CEO of Transgrid reflected on the importance of the community-led transition to transmission businesses. It’s not just what these businesses do, but how it is done: including engaging early with customers to test ideas, grounding those ideas in consumer research and ensuring that the transition aligns with goals of affordability.

Community engagement was identified as critical to the building of infrastructure for the transition, with the Energy Charter #BetterTogether Better Practice Landholder and Community Engagement Guide helping to ensure more consistency across jurisdictions for customers. A social impact lens also helped with authentic and early engagement and in driving mutual or shared value outcomes. It was about creating long-lasting benefits to customers and communities.

Part of this is culture change – transitioning from an engineering and asset-based business to a customer centric organisation. Transmission businesses haven’t always directly engaged with mums and dads and small businesses, so the approach was shifting to bring the customer into the discussions and decision making. This included performance indicators for senior executives on customer-centricity, understanding the hierarchy of what’s most important for customers and identifying pain points for customers. The Energy Charter was identified as a key internal change agent.

“We’re very committed to the Energy Charter and the principles that underpin it. We’ve formally adopted this year ‘customer centricity’ as a goal of the organisation.” – Brian Salter, Acting CEO, Transgrid

Andrew Richards reinforced the importance of the emerging issue of social licence regarding the transition.  Australia’s energy sector is undergoing rapid change. Pressure is building to deliver reliable, affordable, safe and sustainable energy for consumers, while making the necessary investments to support transformation from fossil-fuelled centralized generation to renewable and distributed energy. 

Within this transition, Energy Charter signatories acknowledge that there is a unique opportunity to align with social licence and consumer expectations. This is an ambitious cultural change piece and requires transparency, accountability and #BetterTogether collaboration.

To watch the IAP interviews with Energy Charter signatories visit the IAP website.