YOUR NGN NEWS UPDATE
October 2023
Putting net zero on the political agenda
Colleagues from across the business, including Chief Executive Mark Horsley, were represented at the two major party conferences earlier this month in Manchester and Liverpool.
Alongside representatives from the other three gas distribution networks and National Gas, Northern Gas Networks (NGN) were part of the high profile Hydrogen Zone, an exhibition space designed to showcase some of the ground breaking work currently being carried out in the sector.
The proposed Hydrogen Village trail in Redcar was a hot topic for conversation, as was the role of our National Energy Research Village (NERV) in Low Thornley in finding innovative solutions for the future home heating challenge.
First up was the Conservative conference in Manchester, where we engaged in discussions with the Government energy trio of Lord Callanan, Andrew Bowie MP and the new Secretary of State Claire Coutinho.
Other VIP visitors to our stand included Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, Science and Innovation Minster George Freeman, Transport Secretary Mark Harper and Environment Secretary Therese Coffey.
The Labour Party Conference in Liverpool the following week was an equally busy time for engagement around the future of energy.
In addition to visits from Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Shadow Industrial Secretary Chi Onwurah and Shadow Minister for Energy Security Alan Whitehead, the Hydrogen Zone played host to a large number of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (PPCs) from across the NGN region.
Head of Policy and Engagement Greg Moulds said: “The conferences were a fantastic opportunity to showcase the work we’re doing and to bang the drum for the gas network’s critical role in helping the UK meet the Net Zero challenge”.
Our first Inclusion & Belonging Bounce event
Last month, around 50 Northern Gas Networks (NGN) colleagues from across the network headed to Redcar and Cleveland College to attend our first ever Inclusion and Belonging Bounce event.
The purpose of the ‘Bounce’ event was to encourage open discussion between colleagues around equality, diversity, and inclusion, and to promote the positive work we are already doing in this area, as well as helping us to understand what gaps we have, and where we should be doing more.
There was a series of manned stalls at the event, with representation from a number of our Colleague Communities. This included our Ethnic Minority Group, LGBTQ+ Group, Women’s Group, and the Disability Group. The event provided our Colleague Communities with a fantastic opportunity to promote the hard work they are doing behind the scenes and share some of the positive changes they have already initiated. This included the release of our new micro aggressions video, which is linked below if you would like to watch it.
The second half of the event involved round table discussions facilitated by Business in the Community (BITC). This was an opportunity for colleagues to discuss and share ideas on the changes we can make to become a more inclusive business.
Supporting our local communities
Community groups and charities in the North East of England are invited to apply for grants of up to £10,000, to help make local communities warmer and safer.
Our Community Partnering Fund will support those living in or at risk of fuel poverty, promote energy efficiency and increase community resilience. The aim is to support those dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic and who are likely to be further affected by the energy and cost of living crises.
Grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 are available for organisations to raise awareness of and support their communities to:
- Support those living in or at risk of fuel poverty
- Promote energy efficiency, advice and information
- Promote the Priority Services Register (PSR)
- Raise awareness of the dangers, signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning
Click below to find out more about eligibility and how to apply.
Get involved!
NGN Annual Stakeholder Conference 2023
Focusing on our performance to date and future direction, the conference was designed to seek feedback from our stakeholders around our strategic priorities. Attendees were asked to choose which two topics were most relevant to them when they registered. This meant that all participants had the opportunity to discuss the topics they felt mattered the most.
Following an introduction from our CEO, Mark Horsley, and Customer Engagement Group (CEG) member Carole Pitkeathley, the conference was split into three sessions. Each of these comprised a presentation given by Northern Gas Networks (NGN) representatives, followed by facilitated discussions in virtual breakout rooms. After the conference, a Q&A session was held between stakeholders and senior NGN representatives.
We now have a finalised feedback report full of valuable comments from the event, which will assist us in shaping our strategic direction and future focus as we move towards GD3. You can read the report by clicking the button below.
Book your spot on our upcoming Customers in Vulnerable Situations Workshop
Moving through 2023, Northern Gas Networks (NGN) is continuing to meet regularly with a wide variety of stakeholders, and this regular engagement is key to gaining valuable feedback and insight about how we prioritise and move forward with our commitments. It also ensures that our strategic direction continues to be in line with the needs of our customers in vulnerable situations.
Our energy affordability (Staying warm and healthy at home) workshop will take place on Tuesday 21st November 2022 at 10am.
The event will take place via Zoom and we would be really pleased to see you there! Please register your interest below.
Get in touch...
If you have any feedback about this e-bulletin or any questions about our work, we'd love to hear from you. Just email stakeholder@northerngas.co.uk
We're passionate about protecting your rights under GDPR. You’ve previously shown, or we feel you have, a legitimate interest in Northern Gas Networks and that’s why we’re sending you this e-bulletin. If you no longer wish to receive these communications please click here to unsubscribe. For information about how we use your details, please read our Personal Data Privacy Notice.
Join our Vulnerability and Carbon Monoxide Allowance (VCMA) Annual Showcase