Community
Partnering for progress and powered by purpose to create community impact
Guided by values and grounded in community
Keeping it honest and open
We will keep you informed along the way about what we are doing, how it might affect the area, what is coming next
Respect for first nations people
We work closely with Indigenous communities, respecting their land, culture and including their knowledge in our projects
Getting to know our community
We want to hear from you, keep the community engaged and build a strong, lasting relationship because your ideas matter
Sharing the benefits locally
We create jobs, support local businesses, and invest in community programs that bring real opportunities and lasting benefits
Making sure everyone counts
We ensure the benefits reach all parts of the community, including vulnerable groups who often face barriers to support
Looking after the environment
We are committed to protecting the land, water, and wildlife by minimising our impact and promoting sustainable practices
Being responsible and fair
We listen carefully to concerns, provide clear and accessible ways to raise issues, and always strive to be a trustworthy neighbour
Committed for the long haul
We are dedicated to bringing lasting benefits to the community and environment, creating positive impact for generations to come
Working together with communities at every stage
We take time to understand the local context, engage respectfully with First Nations Peoples and identify community priorities from the start
We engage openly throughout project development, share clear information and work with communities to co-design local benefits
We formalise agreements with local stakeholders, create spaces for ongoing dialogue and set clear targets for jobs and local investment
We minimise disruptions communicate proactively and stay true to our commitments on employment, community benefits and the environment
We keep engaging throughout the life of the project, support local initiatives and report transparently on our social and environmental performance
We engage early about what comes next, support land rehabilitation, and strive to leave a lasting positive legacy for the community and environment
We listen, adapt, and grow based on feedback because trust develops gradually through consistent actions that show genuine commitment, not just words
Creating local impact through our projects
Learn more about how we work with communities across our projects
Our policies
Community engagement and benefit sharing plan (CEBSP)
As part of the commitments associated with the Ryan Corner Wind Farm project, a Community Engagement and Benefit Sharing Plan is being implemented.
This plan is designed based on reference guides such as the ones published by DELWP and the Clean Energy Council. Best practice community engagement is a core part of our corporate philosophy and approach to business. For more information, please find our Corporate Responsibility Policy and Corporate Social Commitment:
We are continuously working to translate these principles into real, tangible action in the Ryan Corner region through a clear plan for ongoing effective engagement as the wind farm is built and operated. Our approach is motivated by a strong commitment to engage with the Ryan Corner community during all phases of the project, generate positive impacts, and maintain our social license to operate.
A Community Engagement Committee has been established by the Moyne Shire Council comprised to fulfill that goal. The Committee is comprised of representatives from the local community, the Council and GPG and will facilitate a direct, two-way channel of communication. The community will also be provided with continuous updates about the project and related community initiatives through monthly newsletters, media releases, local print media ads, information sessions, open days, participation in stalls at community events, etc.
GPG understands Social Responsibility as a set of measures designed to build trusting, stable, solid and mutually beneficial relationships with our stakeholders and with the regions in which GPG Naturgy Group operates.
Naturgy’s Corporate Responsibility Policy establishes the common framework for action and guides the socially responsible behaviour of all the companies that make up the Naturgy Group.
The main purpose of this Policy is to establish the company’s operating principles and commitments with its stakeholders, in harmony with the company’s corporate strategy. One of the 8 commitments defined by the Group is social commitment, which establishes that GPG is committed to the economic and social development of those regions where it operates, providing expertise, management capacity, as well as spending part of its profits on social investment.
In turn, Naturgy’s Human Rights Policy includes respect for communities and the improvement of their living conditions; its compliance requires the assessment of the social impact of the company’s activities and the definition of initiatives and programmes that manage the social impacts identified in the surrounding communities.
The Naturgy Group has a Social Relationship Model developed as part of the company’s Corporate Responsibility Policy, and it reflects the social commitment that the company acquires across all the territories where it is active. It is based on a simple, flexible and practical approach, and aims at the proper management of social response and the creation of shared value.
The Model is built around four key principles of action:
- We are the latest newcomer in the territory: we recognise, respect and protect local values and idiosyncrasies.
- We communicate as equals: as a first step towards empowering communities, we promote early and transparent communication and we open channels for active listening.
- We generate shared value: together with the community, we promote actions that improve quality of life in our environment.
- We provide opportunities: we are a driving force for development in the territory and a lever to support local employment and training in the sector.
What does the Model consist of?
- It is an iterative process that relies on the use of methodological tools focused on communication, dialogue, active listening and rootedness in the territory.
- It establishes basic mandatory minimums for ALL projects.
- It can be extrapolated to every geography and project.
- It must involve the entire organisation, including senior management, the project team and collaborating companies.
- It must be applied continuously in all phases of a project (Opportunity / Development / Construction / Operation / Change or end of activity)
- It must have a Social Relations Plan with social impact actions/measures and allocated personnel and financial resources.
Learn about the Social Management carried out during 2023
In 2023, GPG’s largest business development took place in Australia with the start of the construction of three wind farms, a solar PV plant, the entry into operation of another wind farm (Berrybank 2) and the commissioning of the company’s first battery storage facility. This intense activity has been accompanied by the development and implementation of a specific Social Relationship Model, which starts in the project development phase and continues during the operation phase. The model revolves around permanent communication with the most relevant stakeholders in the environment.
These have been some of the most outstanding initiatives of these programmes:
- Actions for community benefit. Neighbourhood engagement activities: partnerships in community events, such as the Smoking Ceremony, Community Open Day, collaboration with the Melbourne Royal Children’s Hospital and sponsorship of festivals in the Crookwell 2 area.
- A person specifically designated to run the community engagement programme and the creation of a community engagement committee for each project.
- Training programme and internship programme.
- Scholarship programme with several universities.
- Project website.
- Newsletters, press releases and local print advertisements.
