In a bid to provide ongoing engagement with their stakeholders, and to understand their priorities now and into the future, Northern Gas Networks (NGN) recently held an interactive stakeholder and customer event.

Throughout the day there was the opportunity for stakeholders to see some of the work NGN are doing, such as the help they provide to vulnerable customers through the lockable cooker valve project or the flexible solutions such as rubber stopper that shuts of the gas supply, to some of the innovative projects such as H21 Leeds City Gate and InTEGReL.

The workshops that also took place were an opportunity to say a bit more about what the organisation’s plans are for the future are and what their customers and residents want.

NGN’s new hydrogen-powered car was also available to see in person and how it will be used to promote hydrogen both internally and to external stakeholders as a fuel of the future for both heating and transport.

Natasha Banke, from Hull Children’s University, said: “I think Northern Gas Networks is really proactive in their engagement with stakeholders and they obviously want to understand the need of their customers so they are on the right track. I think it is brilliant.”

Jonathan Brearley, from Ofgem, said: “The future is going to be all about companies being consumer focussed and the next level of price controls are going to be led by consumers, so events like this are incredibly important for us to hear directly what people want so that we can turn that into sensible incentives and funding for the companies.”

Pauline Kendall, a customer, said: “I think more companies should hold events like this, it’s been very productive for the company and the people who attend.”

The conversation doesn’t stop there, several stakeholders have also shown interest in wanting to help shape NGN’s draft GD2 business plans which will be produced in 2018.