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NETWORK / 13 / SEPTEMBER 2018 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT INDUSTRY VIEWS: Alex Wilkes, stakeholder engagement manager, Western Power Distribution The Ofgem stakeholder engagement and customer vulnerability incentive is designed to encourage electricity, gas and transmis- sion network operators to engage effectively and proactively with stakeholders and deliver a socially responsible and inclusive service. The reward is based upon the as - sessment of an annual submission covering each DNO's strategy and resulting outcomes that evidence how the company is collabo- rating with stakeholders to achieve positive results. Networks have to demonstrate they meet minimum requirements which include ensuring a variety of engagement mecha - nisms are broad and inclusive and include hard-to-reach stakeholders. A thorough, independent audit is completed and the process culminates in an Ofgem panel interview. WPD demonstrated that its engage - ment last year led to 195 positive outcomes for customers. Key highlights included an extensive fuel poverty support programme that helped 15,229 customers to save over £5.4 million per year, an expanded network of Priority Service Register referral partners leading to over 23,000 new vulnerable customers identified and nearly one million vulnerable customers contacted proactively to update their details. Other engagement featured in our submission included our flagship annual stakeholder workshops, a successful customer panel and a variety of bespoke engagement initiatives undertaken with MPs, community energy groups and local authorities, for example. The awarding panel commended the senior buy-in at WPD and the embedded na- ture of our programme. They applauded our focus on measurable outputs and benefits to customers, our huge social obligations programme and the use of social indicator mapping to target our schemes to the most in need. They said we are leading the indus - try when it comes to measuring the social value of our actions. WPD has been rated first in the industry for stakeholder engagement and customer vulnerability for an unprecedented seventh year. Patrick Erwin, policy and markets director, Northern Powergrid In our stakeholder engagement we look to properly understand a stakeholder's needs, help them understand our constraints and then collaboratively look for opportuni - ties to improve and innovate. We have a four-step circular approach: identify and understand, engage, act and feedback and measure and report. We aim for a genuine, continuous learning and improvement pro - cess across the business and a better service for customers in our region. We think this is how we stay relevant, build a sustainable business and be seen as a valued partner in the regions we serve. In the last year we've led a series of 'knotty issues' roundtables where stake - holders quizzed our executive team directly on hot topics, carried out research to un- derstand how our Priority Services Register might change and delivered fuel poverty training to 36 Energy Agent volunteers to be passed on to around 1,000 people a month through Warm Hubs. Our stakeholder base is broad, so we need to engage in a variety of ways, from large forums to intimate settings. Internally, we challenge all our business leads to begin engaging as early as possible in the planning process. At the moment, these discussions are particularly funda - mental to delivering our customer-led distri- bution system operator (DSO) transition. We would engage with our stakehold- ers and look a™er vulnerable customers whether this assessment was there or not. However, we do see a value in providing a competitive edge, validation and visibility. It stimulates innovation in engagement. The way people consume and share informa - tion is constantly changing so you have to run to stand still in this process – we have to continuously build on our successes, maintain progress and look for new oppor - tunities that will benefit our customers, our business and the communities we serve. In short, it has helped keep us on our toes. We've had great feedback including our best ever customer satisfaction rating (86.4%), a 95 per cent satisfaction rating on our webinar engagement and 85 per cent of stakeholders felt better informed on the DSO transition a™er our events. When it came down to the panel, it was great to be scored 7.5/10 and come second overall. The panel clearly recognised our mean - ingful stakeholder engagement, noted the impact of our work co-creating plans with stakeholders and highlighted the passion that is embedded across our business. Julie Minns, head of customer engage- ment, UK Power Networks This year we broadened and deepened our stakeholder engagement - ranging from our formal mechanisms such as our Critical Friends' Panels, CEO panels, Roadshows, focus groups and forums through to bilater - Engagement is key Following on from Network's interview with Akshay Kaul, director of network price controls at Ofgem, we sought the views of network operators and the Energy Networks Association (ENA) on the regulator's stakeholder engagement and consumer vulnerability incentive. See the latest results and the industry's views below.