Endeavour Energy Annual Performance Report - Parliament of New ...

Multicultural policies
and services program
Endeavour Energy’s corporate
values commit the organisation
to acknowledging and valuing
cultural diversity across our
stakeholder base. This commitment
is evident in our delivery of
customer service, management of
employees and interactions with
suppliers, communities and other
stakeholder groups.
Customers
We strive to ensure that
appropriate services are offered
to our multicultural customer
base and that customers are not
disadvantaged because of their
cultural backgrounds.
Data collected from the 2006 Census
indicates that 29% of people living
in our franchise area – Sydney’s
Greater West, the Blue Mountains,
the Southern Highlands and the
Illawarra – were born outside
Australia. Approximately 28% of the
population in the area comes from
non-English-speaking backgrounds.
Other than English, the three most
common languages spoken in the
area are Arabic (3.7%), Vietnamese
(2.0%) and Cantonese (1.8%).
We aim to provide the same level
of service to our customers – any of
whom may need to contact us. To
this end we provide an interpreter
service that allows customers to
speak their own language. Arabic
and Vietnamese-speaking customers
are the main users of the service,
which is supplied by the Australian
Government Department of
Immigration and Multicultural and
Indigenous Affairs.
As an electricity retailer (until
1 March 2011), this interpreter service
number was printed on the back of
customer bills and on the front page
of the standard service contract.
Our Customer Consultative
Committee also considers the
ethnic and cultural needs of
customers. The committee
provides valuable feedback and
advice about our policies and
services. Its membership includes
representatives of Aboriginal and
other communities.
Employees
Endeavour Energy is committed to
fostering an environment in which
the diversity in the workplace is
respected and valued as a source
of new ideas and perspectives.
Our commitment includes
encouraging diversity across all
areas of employment, including
recruitment, remuneration, training,
development and career progression
and accommodating the needs
of employees in their observance
of religious duties and cultural
obligations while at work.
To help strengthen employment
opportunities for Indigenous
people, we have implemented the
PowerStart Program in conjunction
with TAFE as a part of our ‘Bridging
the Gap’ Indigenous Employment
Strategy. This program resulted
in two participants starting
apprenticeships with us this year.
Engaging the
community and other
stakeholders in open
and honest dialogue is
critical to the success
of Endeavour Energy’s
operations
Focus for 2011–12
• Assess key network documents
and ensure critical documents are
available on Endeavour Energy’s
website for network customers in
other languages.
• Develop the Endeavour Energy
Diversity Framework to formalise
and integrate our work to entrench
and celebrate diversity in the
workforce, addressing cultural,
disability, indigenous and
EEO issues.
• Continue with our ‘Bridging
the Gap’ strategy to increase
Indigenous participation in the
workforce to 2.6% by 2015.
Customer Consultative Committee member David Gordon touring the East Parramatta Switching
Station site, where an archaeological dig was in full swing.
Endeavour Energy Annual Performance Report 2010–11
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