Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | MARCH 2021 | 17 Utility Week Awards The 2020 Utility Week Awards Winners Industry Champion Tony Smith, former CEO, CCW Net Zero Award Winner: Anglian Water: Highly commended: Cadent Gas Customer Vulnerability Award Winner: Western Power Distribution Customer Engagement Award Winner: Cadent Gas Community Investor Award Winner: National Grid Digital Transformation Award Winner: United Utilities Disruptor Award Winner: UK Power Networks Innovation Award Winner: Yorkshire Water, in partnership with Stantec Capital Project of the Year Winner: SSEN Transmission Supply Chain Excellence Winner: Anglian Water IMDS Alliance Utility Partner of the Year Winner: Content Guru Highly Commended: Met O‚ ce Employer of the Year Winner: Anglian Water Highly Commended: UK Power Networks Utility of the Year Winner: SGN A special thanks to sponsors of the 2020 Awards Utility of the Year SGN took Utility Week's top prize for Utility of the Year in 2020, winning praise from the lead judging panel for its all round per- formance in the most challenging of years. The judges said SGN is "really hitting the mark" for customers and they recognised its outstanding record on innovation. Here chief executive John Morea responds to the win. "SGN being named the 2020 Utility of the Year at Utility Week's now renowned annual awards ceremony, was for me quite a moment. Not because it was the ˆ rst time we'd won the thing, or the fact aŠ er countless years, it was now taking place in people's living rooms and kitchens. No, for me it mattered because it was due recognition for the skill, pride and professionalism our people put into their jobs, day in, day out, keeping our customers safe and warm. This eŽ ort was more apparent with the backdrop of the extraordi- nary and awful 12 months we've all been through. But perhaps because of this, the awards felt diŽ erent. Yes, we celebrated the night's winners and runners-up, all of them very deserving, but the feeling generally was one of a deep pride right across the whole utility industry. While the NHS and its workers have been simply magniˆ cent in the front-line of the pandemic, our industry has stood up tall too. Through- out this national emergency workers have been keeping the gas – ow- ing, the lights on and the water running. There's no question we're in testing times and some days it can feel relentless. But this is why it's important we can take a moment to re– ect and take pride in our industry. An industry which at its most basic, keeps the fabric of our soci- ety and communities inextricably bound together. Thank you also Utility Week magazine for allowing moments like this to happen. Bringing us together, albeit 'virtually', to celebrate the achievements of our incredible industry." John Morea, CEO SGN The celebrity host on the night was TV and radio presenter Jeremy Vine

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