Stakeholder Engagement Resource Hub

Essential Energy's Stakeholder Engagement Resource Hub is a 'one stop shop' where employees can find Essential Energy's Stakeholder Engagement Framework and supporting tools, templates and useful information to support your engagement activities.

Essential Energy's Stakeholder Engagement Framework (SEF) is regularly refreshed to reflect feedback through consultation, research, changing dynamics of stakeholders and projects and emerging trends and innovation in engagement practices.
Stakeholder Engagement Support

Implementation of the Stakeholder Engagement Framework is supported by guidance from the stakeholder engagement team. Reach out if you would like a helping hand in developing your engagement plan for your project or to discuss ‘engaging’ ideas.

We have created this internal Stakeholder Engagement Resource Hub (Hub) to share templates, tools, reference documents and case studies. This Hub is also a place for employees to share ideas, talk about the different engagement methods and tools being considered, and connect with others working on stakeholder engagement activities.

Our team of Community Relations Managers (CRMs) understand our communities and have trusted relationships with stakeholders in these communities. Get in touch with the CRM before project initiation, to ensure you have the background information and accurate community insights.

The Customer Research team provides customer research & insight support to the business, and if you are thinking about conducting some research then please get in touch. Having visibility of the customer studies taking place across the business allows all of us to be mindful of our impact on customers, and to collaborate and share insight where relevant.

Have you met our First Nations engagement advisors? They are here to provide subject matter expertise to support the business to deliver safe, effective, and culturally sensitive engagement with First Nations peoples and communities. The team also leads the planning, co-ordination and reporting of First Nations engagement activities across the Essential Energy footprint.

Our Stakeholder Engagement Framework is informed by IAP2, an Association that promotes public participation and engagement in decision-making. Essential Energy is a member of IAP2, and as a member you can sign up to receive correspondence from IAP2 and access to online resources. Contact the Stakeholder Engagement team to connect.


IAP2 SPECTRUM OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

INFORM

CONSULT

INVOLVE

COLLABORATE

EMPOWER

Goal

To provide the public with balanced and objective information to assist them in understanding the problem, alternatives, opportunities and/or solutions.

To obtain public feedback on analysis, alternatives and/or decisions.

To work directly with the public throughout the process to ensure that public concerns and aspirations are consistently understood and considered.

To partner with the public in each aspect of the decision including the development of alternatives and the identification of the preferred solution.

To place final decision making in the hands of the public.

Promise

“We will keep you informed.”

“We will keep you informed, listen and acknowledge concerns and aspirations, and provide feedback on how public input influenced the decision.”

“We will work with you to ensure that your concerns and aspirations are directly reflected in the alternatives developed and provide feedback on how public input influenced the decision.”

“We will look to you for advice and innovation in formulating solutions and incorporate your advice and recommendations into the decisions to the maximum extent possible.”

“We will implement what you decide.”

Engagement techniques

Examples: factsheets, newsletters, website

Consider: Accessible language, First Nations and CALD

Examples: surveys, meetings

Required: Pre-reading material e.g. Discussion paper or video

Examples: workshops, advisory groups, deep dives

Required: Executive and decision-maker participation. Translate complex docs into plain and easy language or animations

Examples: Deliberative forum, co-design workshop or People’s Panel, Digital Democracy – using Essential Engagement

Required: Skilled facilitator

Examples: Citizen’s juries, independently governed reference groups

Required: Extensive resource commitment for internal and external stakeholders





Essential Energy's Stakeholder Engagement Resource Hub is a 'one stop shop' where employees can find Essential Energy's Stakeholder Engagement Framework and supporting tools, templates and useful information to support your engagement activities.

Essential Energy's Stakeholder Engagement Framework (SEF) is regularly refreshed to reflect feedback through consultation, research, changing dynamics of stakeholders and projects and emerging trends and innovation in engagement practices.
Stakeholder Engagement Support

Implementation of the Stakeholder Engagement Framework is supported by guidance from the stakeholder engagement team. Reach out if you would like a helping hand in developing your engagement plan for your project or to discuss ‘engaging’ ideas.

We have created this internal Stakeholder Engagement Resource Hub (Hub) to share templates, tools, reference documents and case studies. This Hub is also a place for employees to share ideas, talk about the different engagement methods and tools being considered, and connect with others working on stakeholder engagement activities.

Our team of Community Relations Managers (CRMs) understand our communities and have trusted relationships with stakeholders in these communities. Get in touch with the CRM before project initiation, to ensure you have the background information and accurate community insights.

The Customer Research team provides customer research & insight support to the business, and if you are thinking about conducting some research then please get in touch. Having visibility of the customer studies taking place across the business allows all of us to be mindful of our impact on customers, and to collaborate and share insight where relevant.

Have you met our First Nations engagement advisors? They are here to provide subject matter expertise to support the business to deliver safe, effective, and culturally sensitive engagement with First Nations peoples and communities. The team also leads the planning, co-ordination and reporting of First Nations engagement activities across the Essential Energy footprint.

Our Stakeholder Engagement Framework is informed by IAP2, an Association that promotes public participation and engagement in decision-making. Essential Energy is a member of IAP2, and as a member you can sign up to receive correspondence from IAP2 and access to online resources. Contact the Stakeholder Engagement team to connect.


IAP2 SPECTRUM OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

INFORM

CONSULT

INVOLVE

COLLABORATE

EMPOWER

Goal

To provide the public with balanced and objective information to assist them in understanding the problem, alternatives, opportunities and/or solutions.

To obtain public feedback on analysis, alternatives and/or decisions.

To work directly with the public throughout the process to ensure that public concerns and aspirations are consistently understood and considered.

To partner with the public in each aspect of the decision including the development of alternatives and the identification of the preferred solution.

To place final decision making in the hands of the public.

Promise

“We will keep you informed.”

“We will keep you informed, listen and acknowledge concerns and aspirations, and provide feedback on how public input influenced the decision.”

“We will work with you to ensure that your concerns and aspirations are directly reflected in the alternatives developed and provide feedback on how public input influenced the decision.”

“We will look to you for advice and innovation in formulating solutions and incorporate your advice and recommendations into the decisions to the maximum extent possible.”

“We will implement what you decide.”

Engagement techniques

Examples: factsheets, newsletters, website

Consider: Accessible language, First Nations and CALD

Examples: surveys, meetings

Required: Pre-reading material e.g. Discussion paper or video

Examples: workshops, advisory groups, deep dives

Required: Executive and decision-maker participation. Translate complex docs into plain and easy language or animations

Examples: Deliberative forum, co-design workshop or People’s Panel, Digital Democracy – using Essential Engagement

Required: Skilled facilitator

Examples: Citizen’s juries, independently governed reference groups

Required: Extensive resource commitment for internal and external stakeholders





Discussions: All (23) Open (23)

  • Energy Network Consumer Engagement Award winner

    almost 7 years ago

    You need to be signed in to add your comment.

    It's fabulous to be working in a sector that values stakeholder engagement. Late in 2018, Essential Energy received the Energy Network Consumer Engagement Award for engagement with consumers as part of preparing the 2019-24 Regulatory Proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER). An award like this goes a long way toward gaining recognition and support within the business that engagement matters and is an important strategic priority. 

    To be innovative and shape the future of our business we need to involve people from the get-go, to ensure our plans make sense. It's exciting to be part of an evolving organisation, with engagement practice being built into divisional plans and the drive for stakeholder engagement being picked up across the business.


    Go to discussion

  • End of Session Survey

    almost 7 years ago

    You need to be signed in to add your comment.

    Each time we host an engagement session we have the opportunity to learn and improve our engagement activities and practice.

    Please use the End of Session Survey to seek feedback at the end of your engagement session.

    Go to discussion

  • IAP2 CORE VALUES and engagement assessment tool

    about 1 year ago

    You need to be signed in to add your comment.

    The IAP2 framework is underpinned by seven Core Values for decision-focused, values-based public participation.

    1.  Public participation is based on the belief that those who are affected by a decision have a right to be involved in the decision-making process.

    2.  Public participation includes the promise that the public’s contribution will influence the decision.

    3.  Public participation promotes sustainable decisions by recognising and communicating the needs and interests of all participants, including decision makers.

    4.  Public participation seeks out and facilitates the involvement of those potentially affected by or interested in a decision.

    5.  Public participation seeks input from participants in designing how they participate.

    6.  Public participation provides participants with the information they need to participate in a meaningful way.

    7.  Public participation communicates to participants how their input affected the decision.

    IAP2 has developed a Quality Assurance Standard for Community and Stakeholder Engagement which is based on these Core Values and is a valuable tool to assess engagement activities at each phase of your engagement program.


    Go to discussion
Page last updated: 22 Dec 2025, 03:53 PM