Full Version - Essential Energy

Building a sustainable future
For the first time, this year’s annual report has taken
a new direction by incorporating a snapshot of our
sustainability initiatives and goals for long-term success.
A challenge for any business is to balance financial
performance, environmental protection and social
responsibility. The table below demonstrates that
everything we do enhances all three dimensions of
sustainable development.
For Country Energy, sustainability goes far beyond
financial returns and statistics. As community
expectations change, we are committed to making a
broader contribution – not because we see ourselves
as a charity – we believe that supporting communities
makes good business sense.
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FINANCIAL
• Delivered profit (after tax expense)
of $98.7 million – page 63
• $1.2 billion investment in network
over the next five years – page 18
• 5.5 per cent improvement on
average minutes without supply per
customer (SAIDI) – page 20
• 85 per cent overall customer
satisfaction rating – page 12
• Expansion into South Australian
residential and small business
retail markets – page 13
• Installed new fibre optic
telecommunications networks in
16 country and coastal towns –
page 25
• Safety team restructure, new safety
improvement plan – page 6
• Virtual control room to manage
power network – page 23
• Call centre developments to create
virtual environment and further
improve customer service – page 13
ENVIRONMENTAL
• Commissioning of stage one of Lake
Bonney Wind Farm – page 29
• 6,000 new countrygreen TM energy
customers since November 2004
– page 14
• Signed landmark carbon
sequestration deal – page 30
• Australia’s first trial of residential,
smart metering technology –
page 28
• Award winning energy efficiency
pilot project – page 28
• Met all greenhouse gas abatment
and renewable energy targets
– page 30
• Using 100 per cent green power at
more than 280 Country Energy
sites – page 32
• New environmental management
system in preparation for ISO 14001
certification – page 32
• Energy efficiency business – energy
answers – page 14
• Popular new energy wise calculator
on website – page 28
• Utilising more fuel efficient vehicles
and increasing gas-powered and
hybrid vehicles – page 34
SOCIAL
• Lowest rate of investigations per
customer by the Energy and Water
Ombudsman of New South Wales
(EWON) – page 39
• Expanded Country Support hardship
assistance program – page 37
• Opened 10 new customer service
and field service centres in
2004-2005 – page 37
• Powerful Staff and Powerful Health
initiatives to help become an
employer of choice – page 46 and 8
• $1.7 million community sponsorship
program – page 40
• Award winning Indigenous
Employment Program – page 44
• Two way flow of information through
community consultative committees
– page 40
• 90 per cent community satisfaction
rating – page 36
• Improved safety scorecard – page 6
• Extensive public safety campaign,
including national energy industry
safety field days – page 9
• Emplyee frontline management
and career development programs
– page 47
While this report complies with New South Wales Annual Report legislation and considers some principles
of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), it has not been independently audited in this regard.
COUNTRY ENERGY ANNUAL REPORT 2004–2005