ENERGY VOICES: TRUST IS THE KEY TO ACCELERATING THE TRANSITION
Energy is an invisible product. The trust customers have in the company becomes the deciding factor.
countless others across the sector, relies on an open dialogue with its stakeholders. At a larger scale, the principle of transparency has allowed Siemens Energy to maintain credibility, even when navigating difficult industry dynamics. Christine McGee, Head of Communications at Siemens Energy North America, emphasizes that transparency is at the heart of their strategy. “We’re upfront about the complexities of the energy transition,” says McGee. “Customers and stakeholders appreciate that honesty because it builds trust over time.” For Siemens Energy, embracing transparency has meant taking an incremental approach to the sector’s transformation—presenting their existing portfolio to the market in an honest way, while being backed by a longer-term vision. McGee adds: “We say the energy transition is a long and difficult journey, but we’re getting there…people don’t like the complexity, but you have to be honest that this is a complicated topic.” 3 FOSTERING CONNECTION For many energy companies, technical expertise has long been the primary driver of brand positioning. But to truly stand out, companies need to go beyond facts and figures and forge emotional connections with their customers. Those succeeding are mastering the art of listening, learning, and proactively responding to emerging stakeholder needs. “Historically, a lot of energy companies’ business models have not revolved around high-trust relationships,” shares Lee of Octopus Energy US. “In this industry, [there has] been a lot of focus on the electrons, on the steel, on the copper—we are a very engineering-centric industry. We’ve forgotten about the customer. How do you get a customer to love your experience, to love your product, and to want to interact with [your] organization?”
Michael Lee CEO Octopus Energy
2 TRANSPARENCY AS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE
In an industry steeped in uncertainty and change, transparency is essential. Trust is built not only by reporting the good news and positive progress, but by being open about challenges and maintaining honest communication. This is especially important for companies facing increasing scrutiny over sustainability, pricing, and the pace of the transition. Being perceived by external stakeholders as a transparent company is critical in an industry where public perception is often a license to operate. Transparency earns trust, mitigates reputational risks, and fosters long-term relationships with communities, regulators, and investors— all of whom increasingly expect clear communication and accountability from energy companies. “Our role as a brand is simple—build trust,” says Ford at Tipmont. “We’re owned by the consumers we serve. That unique business model gives us the freedom to innovate, but we can only do this if we have their trust.” The emerging success of Tipmont’s community-based business, and
34 Brandpie Energy - Issue 2
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