Balancing risk and security on the road to net zero

27 September 2022

Balancing risk and security on the road to net zero

As utilities navigate the challenging path to decarbonise by 2050, this research report explores how process optimisation can empower the workforce to “fail forward” and drive improvements across all business areas.

Transformative improvements are frequently prioritised as the most significant route to tackling broad macro issues, such as decarbonisation. Radical change is, of course, essential to making progress on the industry’s targets to reduce carbon emissions while also maintaining quality services that meet customers’ varied needs.

However, transformation should not be the enemy of incremental change, which has the potential to deliver major benefits for businesses, their people, and their customers.

To find out more about how utilities are responding to these challenges and approaching change from the ground up, Utility Week partnered with global software company Appian to conduct a unique piece of research with industry leaders and experts.

Our survey sought to reveal the key barriers to driving gradual improvements across businesses and major projects, as well as gauging the appetite for new ideas and technologies that are designed to facilitate change.

The research also looked to assess the business processes that are most in need of change and how this aligns with overarching board-level strategies, as well as exploring how silos can be broken down to create a collaborative environment that supports new approaches to complex challenges.

The report features insight from Southern Water, National Grid, Northumbrian Water and Utilita, among others, on the following topics:

  • Valuing optimisation
  • Accelerating the net zero transition
  • Communicating change to the workforce
  • Connecting with customers

Within these chapters, the report explores views from across the sector on how companies can tackle barriers to innovation and mobilise their people, technology and data to make progress toward ambitious net-zero carbon goals.

To see the full report, download it for free simply by completing the form to the side of the page.