Categories and criteria

Celebrating outstanding leadership and commitment from utilities to investing in the communities they serve.

The contributions utilities make to developing and safeguarding their customer communities are fundamental to their social purpose and the legitimacy of privately owned essential service providers. This award recognises companies going above and beyond their statutory duties to nurture wellbeing, social mobility and prosperity in the communities they serve – whether those communities be geographic, cultural or needs-based.

Judges will select finalists and the winner on the basis of:

1. The quality and clarity of your entry
2. Evidence of the quantifiable positive impact your project/initiative has made on the community in question
3. The importance of your project/initiative in the context of key industry/societal challenges
4. Evidence of an ongoing organisational commitment to social responsibility and investing in the communities it serves

Questions:

1. Please provide a brief outline of the particular community investment project or initiative you want to highlight in this entry, including details about the nature of the community involved (for example was the community a geographic community, or another kind of community?)
2. (Optional) Please detail the scale of ambition of your entry, in relation to your company size
3. Please explain why this project was important to your business and to the community in question
4. Please provide details of the project scope, its costs (including organisational resources as well as any financial investment) and evidence of delivery within target timescale
5. Please provide evidence of the benefits this project has achieved/is forecast to achieve in the longer term for the community in question and explain how these benefits have been/will be quantified.
6. Does this project/initiative provide a replicable template which could be deployed in multiple instances or at greater scale across the UK/other utilities in order to deliver further community benefits? Please provide evidence to outline the scale of this potential
7. Please provide evidence to show how your organisation supports a wider culture of social responsibility and community investment

Recognising the outstanding leadership and integrity of utilities who have gone above and beyond their statutory duties to prevent or mitigate hardship for customers in vulnerable circumstances.

We know that utilities take their fundamental responsibility to safeguard the interests of vulnerable customers extremely seriously. This award recognises the outstanding leadership and integrity of utilities who have gone above and beyond their statutory duties to prevent or mitigate hardship for customers in vulnerable circumstances, especially in the context of the fallout from coronavirus.

Judges will select finalists and the winner on the basis of:

1. The quality and clarity of your entry
2. Evidence of the quantifiable positive impact your project/initiative has made on the vulnerable customer group in question
3. Evidence of innovation and fresh thinking to tackle vulnerability
4. Evidence of an ongoing organisational commitment to the protection of customers in vulnerable circumstances

Questions:

1. Please provide a brief outline of the project or initiative to tackle customer vulnerability which you would like to highlight in this entry
2. (Optional) Please detail the scale of ambition of your entry, in relation to your company size
3. Please explain why this project was important to your business and to the vulnerable customer group in question.
4. Please provide details of the project scope, its costs (including organisational resources as well as any financial investment) and evidence of delivery within target timescale
5. Did this project leverage technology or vulnerability data sets in an innovative way in order to achieve its outcomes? Please explain how.
6. Please provide evidence of the benefits this project has achieved/is forecast to achieve in the longer term for the vulnerable customer group in question. Please explain how these benefits have been/will be quantified.
7. Does this project/initiative provide a replicable process template or source of open data which will help bring wider benefits to vulnerable customers and improve the industry’s approach to serving their needs? Please provide evidence to outline the scale of this potential
8. Please provide evidence to show how your organisation supports a wider culture of concern, care and responsibility with regards to customers in vulnerable circumstances

Celebrating best in class performance among utilities in engaging their customers and delivering outstanding customer experiences

The ability to engage with customers in order to understand and anticipate their needs is fundamentally important to the success and legitimacy of utility companies. This award celebrates best in class performance among utilities in engaging their customers and delivering outstanding customer experiences.

Judges will select the finalist and winner based on:

1. The quality and clarity of your entry
2. Evidence of measurable improvements against key customer engagement/experience metrics
3. Evidence of innovation
4. Evidence of an ongoing culture of customer-centricity

Questions:

1. Please provide a brief outline of the particular project or initiative which you would like to highlight in this entry and explain why you believe it represents an exceptional approach to customer experience
2. (Optional) Please detail the scale of ambition of your entry, in relation to your company size
3. Please provide details of the project scope, its costs (including organisational resources as well as any financial investment) and evidence of delivery within target timescale
4. Please provide evidence of the impact this project/initiative has made in terms of your organisation’s performance against key customer engagement, service and satisfaction metrics
5. Please explain and provide evidence to show how customers have benefited as a result of this project/initiative
6. Please provide evidence of customer feedback on this initiative and the way it impacted their experience of interacting with your organisation
7. Did this project/initiative include any novel applications of technology or data or innovations in process which you would like to highlight?
8. Please provide evidence to show how your organisation supports a wider culture of customer-centricity and customer care

Celebrating best in class performance among utilities infrastructure owners in delivering capital projects for the benefit of their customers and the environment

The investments utilities make in assets and infrastructure to support the delivery of reliable, affordable and sustainable essential services underpin our way of life. This award celebrates utilities displaying best in class approaches to their management of capital projects as well as recognising the positive impacts these investments have delivered for customers, other stakeholders and the environment.

Judges will select the finalist and winner based on:

1. The quality and clarity of your entry
2. Evidence of outstanding project management
3. Evidence of stakeholder engagement and customer/environmental benefits
4. Evidence of innovation in overcoming key challenges

Questions:

1. Please provide a brief outline of the infrastructure project you would like to highlight in this entry, why it was needed and what benefits it aimed to deliver for customers/other stakeholders/the environment
2. Please provide details of the project scope, its target costs and timescales and whether these were achieved
3. Please briefly outline how you engaged stakeholders throughout planning and delivery of this project
4. Please provide details of the project’s record on health and safety, including performance against key metrics. Please also note any particular challenges encountered with regards to health and safety due to coronavirus social distancing restrictions
5. Please identify any key challenges encountered in the delivery of this project and how they were overcome. This might include, but should not necessarily be limited to, challenges encountered as a result of coronavirus
6. Please explain how your approach to delivering this project represents a sustainable approach to infrastructure investment, for example by tackling embedded carbon, using sustainable construction materials etc
7. Does the project management approach employed for this project provide a replicable template which can be deployed elsewhere to improve your organisation’s/the wider industry’s approach to delivering infrastructure?
8. Please provide evidence for the benefits this infrastructure investment has brought/is forecast to bring to customers/other stakeholders/the environment and explain how these benefits have been/will be quantified

Recognising outstanding leadership, ambition and success among utilities in embracing digital opportunities in order to transform their businesses.

Digital technologies have the potential to transform the utilities sector for the better, enabling smarter use of assets, unlocking new opportunities for efficiency and reimagining customer experiences. In the face of climate change, digital innovation also has an important role to play in enabling strategic sustainability and carbon reduction actions. This award will recognise outstanding leadership and ambition and success among utilities in embracing digital opportunities in order to transform their businesses, making them fit for the future.

Judges will select the finalist and winner based on:

1. The quality and clarity of your entry
2. Evidence of transformational impact
3. Evidence of business/customer/stakeholder benefits
4. Evidence of innovation in the application of digital technology/capabilities

Questions:

1. Please provide a brief outline of the particular digital transformation project or initiative you would like to highlight in this entry
2. (Optional) Please detail the scale of ambition of your entry, in relation to your company size
3. Please explain why this project/initiative was strategically important to your business and the key benefits you aimed to achieve
4. Please provide details of the project scope, costs and timescales and whether these parameters were met
5. Please provide evidence to show how the project has improved company performance including actual performance against key metrics/cost saving targets etc
6. Please provide evidence to show how the project has benefited customers and/or the environment either directly or indirectly. Please include details around any relevant customer experience metrics, service affordability, sustainability measures etc
7. Does this project/initiative provide a replicable template which could be deployed in other parts of your business/in other businesses in order to create wider transformational benefits? Please provide evidence to outline the scale of this potential
8. Please provide details of your organisation’s wider approach to digital transformation and the adoption of transformative technologies

Celebrating the boldness of utility service providers who are not afraid to challenge the industry status quo in order to bring new business models to market for the benefit of their customers and the environment

The utilities sector is changing. Businesses of new shapes and sizes are breaking into the market, turning traditional ways of operating on their head and challenging the very notion of what it means to be a utility provider. Meanwhile, incumbent businesses are seeking to reinvent themselves with fresh thinking about organisational structures, the way they apply technology and the services they provide. This award celebrates boldness among utility service providers who are not afraid to challenge the industry status quo in order to bring new benefits to customers, wider stakeholders and the environment – even throughout the extraordinarily challenging times created by the coronavirus pandemic.

Judges will select the finalist and winner based on:

1. The quality and clarity of your entry
2. Evidence of ambition
3. Evidence of impact/success
4. Evidence of innovation

Questions:

1. Please explain the nature of your business, or relevant business division and the services it provides
2. How is your business model different to that of more conventional utilities in your market?
3. Please explain what has driven the creation of your busines model, including your ambitions to help resolve key customer/societal/environmental challenges
4. How is your business leveraging technology to disrupt the traditional utility model?
5. Please provide details of any key market/policy/regulatory obstacles you have overcome to bring your business model to market. This might include, but should necessarily be limited to, obstacles raised as a consequence of the coronavirus crisis
6. Please provide evidence to indicate how successful your new business model has been to date and any quantifiable benefits it has brought to customers/other stakeholders/the environment
7. What investment has been required to bring your new business model to market and have you achieved returns for your investors to date?
8. Does your business model blaze a trail which you believe others will follow? Please explain how and why

Celebrating outstanding leadership and commitment from utilities to investing in their employees, protecting their wellbeing, and championing diversity and inclusion.

Responsible and mature businesses understand the importance of investing in the welfare and professional development of their employees as well as the value of a flexible and diverse workforce. This award celebrates the outstanding leadership of utilities who are taking their commitment to employees to new heights.

Judges will select the finalists and winner based on:

1. The quality and clarity of your entry
2. Evidence of a sustained culture of excellence in health, safety and wellbeing
3. Evidence of actions and impact in developing employees and improving their work experience
4. Evidence of commitment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion
5. Evidence of a sustained culture of responsibility and commitment to employees

Questions:

1. Please provide details of size of your workforce and any key demographic information
2. In the past twelve months, how have you sought to reinforce and improve your culture of workforce safety and wellbeing? Please include relevant evidence in the form of performance against key metrics etc. If the measures were specifically introduced in response to coronavirus, please explain what lessons you learned and plan to take forward
3. In the past twelve months, please outline the key steps you have taken to support the professional development of your employees and encourage upward mobility in the workforce. Please provide evidence to show the impact these actions have had
4. In the past twelve months, what key steps have your taken to improve or extend opportunities for flexible working for your employees? Please provide evidence to show the impact these actions have had. If these measures were specifically taken in response to coronavirus, please explain what lessons you learned and plan to take forward into business as usual
5. In the past twelve months, what key steps have you taken to further the diversity and inclusiveness of your workforce? Please provide evidence to show the impact these actions have had
6. In the past twelve months, what steps have you taken to tackle inequality in your organisation, for example in the form of gender pay gaps or other systemic manifestations of inequality. Please provide evidence to show the impact these actions have had
7. Please explain how the above actions build on a culture of commitment to your employees and the value your organisation, and its investors place on human capital

Celebrating the ambition and tenacity of utilities as they seek to catalyse positive step changes in their operations and performance in order to tackle the challenges facing their businesses and generate new benefits for customers and the environment.

To overcome the challenges now facing their businesses, it is essential that utilities find ways to think and act differently than they have done in the past. Macro-challenges like climate change and population growth, as well as changing consumer expectations, demand innovation in business models, processes and technologies on a new and ambitious scale. This award celebrates the creativity and determination of utilities seeking to catalyse positive step changes in their operations and performance in order to tackle the challenges facing their businesses and generate new benefits for customers and the environment.

Judges will select the finalist and winner based on:

1. The quality and clarity of your entry
2. Evidence of ambition
3. Evidence of quantifiable benefits
4. Evidence of an ongoing culture of innovation and success in adopting innovation into business as usual operations

Entry form:

1. Please provide a brief outline of the particular innovation project or initiative you would like to highlight in this entry. Please be clear if this is a project you have conducted alone or in collaboration with industry peers/partners
2. (Optional) Please explain the scale of ambition in your entry relative to your company size
3. Please explain why this innovation project was important to your organisation (and any collaborating partners). What key challenges or opportunities in your market did it aim to address and why?
4. Please provide details of the project scope, costs and timescales and whether these parameters were met. Please be clear what, if any, regulated innovation funds or government innovation funds were used to support the project and what company investment was entailed
5. Please provide evidence to show the impact that this innovation project has had on your organisation’s ability to tackle the challenges or opportunities it set out to address
6. Please explain how you have, or plan to, transfer the outputs of this innovation project into your business as usual operations. Please be as specific as possible about how you will ensure accountability for this process and measure its success/impact
7. Does this project/initiative provide a replicable template or source of open data which will help bring wider innovation benefits to the industry/customers/society/the environment? Please provide evidence to outline the scale of this potential
8. Please provide details of your organisation’s wider innovation culture and how this is supported. Please also provide evidence to indicate your general success in transferring innovations into business as usual operations

Celebrating the contributions of teams and individuals working within UK utilities to the industry’s coronavirus response and the resilience of essential services during a time of national crisis.

During the coronavirus outbreak the utilities sectors have occupied a more vital role than ever, providing the lifeline services that have helped people work, communicate, eat, drink and maintain hygiene standards despite lockdown restrictions.

Staff across the utilities sector worked around the clock to protect the resilience of these services, especially for vulnerable individuals and critical sites. This award builds on Utility Week’s Keeping us Connected campaign to celebrate the endeavours of the sector’s key workers and the commitment they have shown in the face of troubling and challenging circumstances.

Judges will select finalists and the winner on the basis of:

1. The quality and clarity of your entry
2. Evidence of the measurable benefits created by the team/individual
3. Evidence of the team/individual’s ability to be adaptable and overcome challenges
4. Evidence that the team/individual went above and beyond their usual responsibilities

Questions: Team

1. Which team are you nominating, how many people does it include and what are its core responsibilities?
2. Please describe how this team went above and beyond its usual responsibilities to protect the resilience of essential services to customers/critical sites during the UK’s period of lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus?
3. Did this work require individuals within the team to develop any new skills or capabilities outside of their usual roles?
4. Please explain how lockdown restrictions such as social distancing or home working may have made it particularly challenging for this team to fulfil its responsibilities during lockdown
5. Please explain any special measures the team adopted to ensure the safety and wellbeing of team members, colleagues and customers while conducting its work (this might include mental and/or physical safety and wellbeing)
6. Please provide evidence of the impact the team made in terms of protecting resilience/customers/critical sites
7. Will the work and achievements of this team lead to any long term changes in the way your company operates/communicates with customers etc?

Questions : Individual

1. Who are you nominating, what is their role and core responsibilities?
2. Please describe how this individual went above and beyond their usual responsibilities to protect the resilience of essential services to customers/critical sites during the UK’s period of lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus?
3. Did this work require the individual to develop any new skills or capabilities outside of their usual role?
4. Please explain how lockdown restrictions such as social distancing or home working may have made it particularly challenging for this individual to fulfil their responsibilities during lockdown
5. Please explain any special measures the individual adopted to ensure their safety and wellbeing as well as that of colleagues and customers while conducting their work (this might include mental and/or physical safety and wellbeing)
6. Please provide evidence of the impact the team made in terms protecting resilience/customers/critical sites
7. Will the work and achievements of this individual lead to any long term changes in the way your company operates/communicates with customers etc?

Recognising the outstanding contributions of the sector towards tackling climate change and meeting the UK’s net zero ambition.

The UK’s legally binding commitment to creating a net zero emissions economy by 2050 or sooner, as well as other sector specific and regional commitments to decarbonisation, have re-framed the responsibilities of utilities as environmental custodians. This award recognises the efforts of utilities to tackle some of the hardest challenges on the road to net zero through technical, operational and service innovation, while also building cultures of sustainability and care for natural resources within their own organisations.

Judges will select finalists and the winner on the basis of:

1. The quality and clarity of your entry
2. Evidence of the quantifiable contribution of your project/initiative has made to tackling key decarbonisation challenges
3. Evidence that your organisation engaged with stakeholders and helped to improve public understanding of net zero challenges
4. Evidence of a wider organisational commitment to sustainability and care for natural resources

Questions:

1. Is the project/initiative you wish to highlight solely the work of your organisation or a collaborative effort between multiple organisations? If the latter, please provide details.
2. Please explain how the project or initiative you wish to highlight in this entry is significant in the context of the UK’s decarbonisation challenge and/or any relevant sector specific/regional decarbonisation targets
3. (Optional) Please detail the scale of the ambition of the project/initiative highlighted in your entry, in relation to your company size
4. Please provide details of the project/initiative scope, its costs and timescales and whether there was any deviation from these
5. Please provide evidence of the environmental benefits this project has achieved/is forecast to achieve in the longer term (for example the scale of emissions reduction it has/will deliver). Please explain how these benefits have been/will be quantified
6. Please explain and provide evidence to show how you engaged key stakeholders in this project and/or helped to improve public understanding of the challenges involved in decarbonisation
7. Does this project/initiative provide a replicable template which could be deployed in multiple instances or at greater scale across the UK/other utilities in order to deliver further decarbonisation benefits? Please provide evidence to outline the scale of this potential
8. Please provide evidence to demonstrate how your organisation supports a broader culture of environmental stewardship and sustainability
9. (Optional) In the context of the need to Build Back Better following the economic damage caused by coronavirus, please explain how this this project/initiative has/could support a green economic recovery for the UK

Recognising world class approaches to integrated working between supply chain partners and the role this plays in delivering resilient essential services.

Creating closely integrated and productive supply chain relationships is critical to the success of utilities who must work tirelessly to maintain and improve the reliability, sustainability and affordability of essential services. This award recognises demonstrations of world class supply chain management in the utilities sector and the role this has played in maintaining resilience, especially throughout the exceptionally challenging circumstances created by coronavirus.

Judges will select the finalist and winner based on:

1. The quality and clarity of your entry
2. Evidence of delivery against project KPIs/objectives
3. Evidence of integrated working between supply chain partners
4. Evidence of agile and collaborative problem solving

Questions:

1. Please provide a brief outline of the project you would like to highlight in this entry and explain why you believe it demonstrates supply chain excellence
2. Please explain the key drivers for this project and its importance in the context of key industry challenges
3. Please provide details of the project’s target timescales and costs and whether these parameters were met
4. Please briefly identify the key supply chain partners involved in this project and why their services and/or expertise were critical to the project’s success
5. Please provide evidence to show how you supported close working between these supply chain partners, including any steps you took to integrate key busines or decision-making processes/systems. Please be as specific as possible about the quantifiable benefits this brought to supply chain performance and project outcomes
6. Please provide details of any key challenge/s encountered in the delivery of this project and explain how your approach to managing supply chain relationships/processes/information sharing etc supported a collaborative and agile response. Challenges might include but need not be limited to those created as a result of coronavirus
7. Please provide details of any technology/ies used during this project to support supply chain excellence. Please be as specific as possible about the quantifiable benefits this brought to supply chain performance/project outcomes
8. Please provide evidence to show how your approach to working with supply chain partners on this project helped to support and expand your own culture of responsible business practices, for example in relation to workforce safety and wellbeing, environmental stewardship and investment in communities. Please be as specific as possible about the quantifiable benefits this created

Celebrating the commitment of suppliers and contractors who have built long term partnerships with utilities and the role this plays in delivering outstanding essential services for today and tomorrow.

Contractors and suppliers of services, kit and technologies play a crucial role in enabling the success of utilities businesses and the resilience of our essential services. This award recognises that contribution and celebrates the commitment of partners who have who invested in truly understanding the challenges of their customers in order to build long term relationships which will help protect the reliability, affordability and sustainability of our essential services for today and tomorrow.

Judges will select the finalist and winner based on:

1. The quality and clarity of your entry
2. Evidence of quantifiable benefits generated via your partnership/s
3. Evidence of long-term commitment to the UK utilities industry and understanding of its strategic challenges
4. Evidence of supporting innovation

Entry form:

1. Please explain the nature of your business, the services you provide to the UK utilities sector and why these are important in the context of the industry’s immediate or long-term challenges
2. Please provide a brief outline of a particular project/initiative you would like to highlight in this entry and how it represents your approach to partnering with utilities
3. Please explain the importance of this project and partnership in terms of supporting a strong response to key industry challenges and benefiting customers/other key stakeholders, especially during the coronavirus pandemic
4. Please provide details of any key challenges you and your partner had to overcome in delivering this project and how you approached these in partnership. This might include, but should not necessarily be limited to, challenges encountered as a result of coronavirus
5. Please provide evidence to show how this project improved the performance of your utility partner/s including details of improvements against regulatory measures, key efficiency or service metrics and any cost efficiencies achieved etc
6. Please explain your approach to supporting innovation in your partnerships with UK utilities
7. Please provide evidence to show how your wider partnership work with the UK utilities sector is creating quantifiable benefits and helping the industry to perform better for stakeholders/customers/the environment

Celebrating utilities whose cultures and performance demonstrate they are all-round industry exemplars, driven to excellence by a deep-rooted commitment to their social purpose.

The expectations held by customers, policy makers and regulators of UK utilities have changed radically in recent years. Technical excellence in the delivery of services and regard for shareholder returns is no longer enough. Utilities must display a sensitive appreciation of their responsibilities as providers of essential services, a passionate commitment to environmental stewardship and a mature understanding of what it means to be a responsible and ethical business, for today and for the future. This award celebrates utilities whose cultures and performance demonstrate they are all-round industry exemplars, driven to excellence by a deep-rooted commitment to their social purpose.

This year, we will also ask all entrants to this award to outline the role they played during the coronavirus outbreak and the approach of senior leaders to keeping staff and customers connected during lockdown.

Criteria

1. The quality and clarity of your entry
2. Evidence that your organisation has a sustained record of excellent performance in core business areas
3. Evidence that your organisation upholds the highest standards in transparency and continuously seeks to improve in this area
4. Evidence that your organisation is committed to innovation
5. Evidence that your organisation understands its unique responsibilities and social purpose as an essential service provider.
6. Evidence that your organisation acted with integrity and compassion during the coronavirus outbreak and that it successfully sustain service levels for customers

Entry questions:

1. Please explain and provide evidence to show how you have outperformed in your market in the past twelve months
2. Please provide evidence of a sustained high level of performance in your organisation in relation to core business areas, such as health and safety, service quality and reliability and customer satisfaction
3. Please provide evidence to show how your organisation has reinforced and developed a culture of innovation in the past twelve months and identify any ground-breaking innovation projects you have supported in this timeframe which will help address major industry/societal/environmental challenges
4. Please provide evidence to show that you have delivered fair and acceptable returns to your shareholders and investors in the past twelve months
5. Please explain how you ensure transparency around corporate governance, executive remuneration and shareholder returns on an ongoing basis
6. Please provide evidence to show how you have acted to reinforce and develop your commitments to act as a socially responsible employer in the past twelve months
7. Please list any accreditations or standards you hold which reflect your commitment to acting as a socially responsible employer
8. Please explain the role you played during the coronavirus outbreak this year and how your response demonstrates operational excellence and agility as well as a mature understanding of your organisation’s social purpose