Interaction with stakeholders
Based on high-impact issues, we regularly seek to identify suitable parties for Alliander’s dialogue. Engagement, size, willingness to enter into dialogue, and expertise are crucial considerations in this respect. We aim to find a common approach to issues, create support for initiatives, build trust, and devise solutions with added value, both for the short and long term. We talk to customers about their energy requirements on a daily basis. Together with our shareholders we look at ways in which we can contribute to sustainable solutions. And together with our employees we look how we can be an employer that matters. We look at ways in which processes, legislation and regulations need to be changed in conjunction with market players, regulators and policy makers. Together with all our stakeholders, we are moving forward towards the energy supply of the future.
Anybody or any group that is affected by our activities or that has an influence on our organisation or services we consider to be stakeholders of ours. We keep a constant check on who our stakeholders are. Whether on projects or concerning certain topics, they may have a relevant contribution to make and we involve them.
The nature of a number of our relationships with stakeholders is governed by the statutory and regulatory environment (government ministries, politicians, and industry regulators) and by cooperation in the supply chain (energy sector), but also by the public nature of our service (customers, municipal authorities, media, and pressure groups). Responsibilities relating to stakeholder management are assigned, specifically to business units and staff who then maintain the relevant relationships. The Corporate & Social Affairs department coordinates strategic stakeholder management and decides which organisations and stakeholder representatives we actively engage with.
The Alliander stakeholder model comprises three stakeholder groups. A distinction is made between:
Core stakeholders: customers, employees, shareholders and investors, and local and regional authorities in our service area.
Other stakeholders: suppliers, knowledge institutions, regulators and social sector organisations, etc.
Stakeholder touchpoints
We conduct the dialogue with stakeholders on both a regular and ad hoc basis. This includes the organisation of customer panels and shareholder consultations as well as meetings with the Works Council. Supplier days, knowledge and partner meetings, and participation in network organisations are important stakeholder touchpoints. A draft version of our annual report is shared and discussed with a panel of external stakeholder experts and transparency experts; the feedback on the draft 2021 annual report was shared directly with the Management Board.
Contact with policymakers
Alliander maintains contact with policymakers to ensure a future-proof legislative framework that facilitates the Dutch energy infrastructure. Such contact consists primarily in liaising with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy as the body responsible for the Netherlands’ energy supply policy. In addition, we promote Alliander’s interests through contacts with other government ministries, Dutch parliament, political organisations, and interest groups. For a complete list, please see the stakeholder table.
In these contacts, Alliander is represented by its Management Board and supported by the Corporate & Social Affairs department. To garner broader support for proposals, Alliander coordinates its efforts with industry peers through the Netbeheer Nederland industry organisation. Alliander does not engage public affairs firms to represent it, and neither does Alliander donate to political parties, politicians or government bodies.
Sponsoring
Given that Alliander is publicly funded, we pursue a very cautious sponsoring policy, sponsoring only a very limited number of activities that are directly related to Alliander’s field and ambitions, and which are based in our service area. For us to consider sponsoring an activity, it must be sustainable, safe, and politically and religiously neutral.
Stakeholder table
Stakeholder | Organisation or platform | Items for discussion | Type of interaction | Material issues | ||||
Customers | Customer contact web panel | Collaboration, relationship management, | Digital panel | Reliability of supply, Facilitation of energy transition, Cooperation on innovative solutions, Satisfied customers, Future-proof network, Data security, privacy and cybersecurity, Access to affordable energy, Climate, energy and CO2 | ||||
Customers | Trade associations | Collaboration, dialogue, service improvements | Dialogue and relationship management (e.g. VEMW, Uneto VNI, Bouwend Nederland, VNO NCW) | Reliability of supply, Facilitation of energy transition, Cooperation on innovative solutions, Satisfied customers, Future-proof network, Data security, privacy and cybersecurity, Access to affordable energy, Climate, energy and CO2 | ||||
Employees | Alliander employee participation | Participation, | Formal consultations | Safe working practices and safe infrastructure, Attracting and developing talent, Company’s adaptability | ||||
Shareholders | Stakeholder provinces and | Formal/informal consultations, knowledge and insight into activities | General Meeting of Shareholders | All material issues | ||||
Investors | Financiers, investors, and credit-rating agencies | Accountability and explanations | Regular consultations and reporting on financial results | All material issues | ||||
Local and regional authorities | Provinces, municipalities, umbrella organisations (VNG, IPO), Regional Energy Strategy regions and National RES Programme | Coordination of climate and energy plans and projects, investment areas | Consultation, collaboration, projects | Facilitation of energy transition, Cooperation on innovative solutions, Access to affordable energy, Climate, energy and CO2 | ||||
| Central government (ministries) and European Union (European Commission, European Parliament) | Expression of interest and active/proactive dialogue | Consultation, having a say, views | Facilitation of energy transition, Cooperation on innovative solutions, Access to affordable energy, Climate, energy and CO2 | ||||
Politicians | States General + Upper and Lower Houses, provinces, municipalities | Keeping them informed generally and on specific, topical issues | Relationship management, working visits, proactive and reactive updates | Facilitation of energy transition, Cooperation on innovative solutions, Access to affordable energy, Climate, energy and CO2 | ||||
Industry regulators | Radiocommunications Agency | Informing, information sharing, and explanation | Regular meetings on topical subjects and issues Standard and ad hoc information requests | Reliability of supply, Safe working practices and safe infrastructure, Data security, privacy and cybersecurity | ||||
Energy sector | Cedec, Cogen | Knowledge sharing, partnerships, promotion of interests, collaboration | Participation in boards | Reliability of supply, Safe working practices and safe infrastructure, Promoting renewable energy generation, Working together on innovative solutions, Data-driven network management, Attracting and developing talent, Satisfied customers, Future-proof network, Corporate social responsibility in the supply chain, Data security, privacy and cybersecurity, Access to affordable energy, Climate change, energy and CO2 emissions | ||||
Suppliers | Contractors and manufacturing industry | Collaboration, | Contracting Day | Corporate social responsibility in the supply chain, Climate change, energy and CO2 emissions | ||||
Knowledge institutions | Education and knowledge institutions | Knowledge sharing and partnerships | Collaboration with Radboud University, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Regional Training Centres, Delft University of Technology, Eindhoven University of Technology, University of Twente. | Attracting and developing talent, Company’s adaptability | ||||
Media | National and regional media | Informing, positioning | Relationship management, proactive information, crisis communications, qualitative research. | All material issues | ||||
Social sector organisations | Stichting de Opkikker | Volunteering | Attracting and developing talent, Well-being | |||||
Housing corporations, property developers, business community | Participation, | Alignment, participation in associations and foundations | Reliability of supply, Safe working practices and safe infrastructure, Cooperation on innovative solutions, Access to affordable energy, Climate change, energy and CO2 emissions | |||||
Partner relationships | Amsterdam Economic Board | Collaboration with knowledge institutions, the business community and government bodies, promoting sustainability, new models for innovation and social development, Facilitating sustainable energy supply | Participation in boards, meetings, sponsoring, strategic collaboration, consultation and dialogue | Reliability of supply, Facilitation of energy transition, Cooperation on innovative solutions, Social responsibility in the energy supply chain, Corporate governance and business ethics, Data security, privacy and cybersecurity, Access to affordable energy, Climate, energy and CO2 emissions, Company’s adaptability |
Alliander endorses | In 2020, we participated in the following Dutch social initiatives | ||
• | ILO Conventions | • | Sector-wide employment arrangement |
• | OECD guidelines | • | Climate Agreement and Regional Energy Strategies |
• | Circular Procurement Green Deal | ||
• | Womens Inc. incubators, Talent naar de Top charter, Diversiteit in Bedrijf charter | ||
• | Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and LGBTi manifest | ||
• | Collective labour agreement for network companies | ||
• | Carbon pricing agreement between 5 network operators | ||
• | Resource passport agreement between 8 infrastructure operators | ||