Stakeholder dialogues

Stakeholder events

50Hertz held various information events in 2018 with different stakeholders. In November, more than 250 guests from all political persuasions attended a Parliamentary Evening held at 50Hertz headquarters having the leader of the Green Party, Annalena Baerbock, the CEO of the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) and the Parliamentary State Secretary at the ministry of environment, Rita Schwarzluehr-Sutter, as keynote speakers on the panel. Representatives from several federal ministries, the German Parliament, major industrial companies, NGOs and associations attended the evening to get involded in a lively exchange on how to safely integrate 65 percent renewable energies in the grid by 2030.

In the political arena, 50Hertz also holds a regular ‘Energy Lunch’ in Berlin where by it meets with political stakeholders, NGOs and associations. Regarding the Federal State level, 50Hertz is invited regularly to a so-called “Ländertreff Netze Nordost” where representatives of all the Federal States in the 50Hertz grid area discuss the most pressing energy policy challenges with 50Hertz experts. Additionally, the company has about 100 meetings a year with international, national and local politicians, industry representatives or NGOs to provide transparency to specific topics where it is needed and asked for.

Kerstin Rippel, Leiterin Kommunikation und Public Affairs

„On the one hand there is clearly the overall political and societal drive to achieve the energy transition and the clear legal framework and even pressure to accelerate the required high-voltage grid extension in Germany. On the other hand, however, there are concrete and very personal concerns, that are quite understandable. In this dilemma, 50Hertz believes that dialogue with all stakeholders is the only way forward and the most effective way to finding a balanced solution between these fundamentally opposite viewpoints. This dialogue takes many forms, depending on the stakeholders, but is and always has to be conducted in a respectful and transparent manner.“

Kerstin Maria Rippel – Head of Communications & Public Affairs

Panel discussion on the stairs. Green Party leader Annalena Baerbock in conversation with Stefan Kapferer, Boris Schucht and Kerstin Rippel. Photo: Jan Pauls

Boarding for offshore wind

At the 4^th Renewable Energy Day in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern around 300 interested citizens had the opportunity to get information about the various offshore Projects.

Stakeholder dialogues

GRI 102-21, GRI 102-40, GRI 102-42

As part of the materiality analysis process, the 50Hertz stakeholder environment was analysed and defined. The company regularly contacts and exchanges information with these stakeholder groups.

		Finance			Environment/Society							Market
Dialogue formats	Mining, chemical, energy industrial union	Shareholder	Investor	Rating agencies	Media	Federal Network Agency	Policymakers	Public	Science	NGOs	Citizens' initiatives	Suppliers	Generators	Distribution network operators	Major consumers	Transmission system operators
Networks work group	✔
Electricity industry group committee	✔
Guest talks	✔
Bankers Day			✔
Analysts and investors telephone conferences			✔	✔
Financial statement press conference			✔		✔
Annual reports		✔	✔	✔		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Networks state meeting northeast							✔
Energy lunch in the network quarter							✔
System security conference													✔	✔	✔	✔
EEG Conference
Supplier day												✔
Customer day													✔	✔	✔
50Hertz art tour								✔
Hands-on exhibition								✔
Social media					✔			✔
Science advisory board									✔
University cooperations									✔
Dissertations, master's and bachelor's theses									✔
RGI meeting										✔						✔
Bird protection conference									✔	✔	✔					✔
Early public participation							✔	✔			✔
International visitor groups							✔		✔							✔
Conference "Controlling load flows, strengthening European electricity trading"																✔

Public acceptance

GRI 102-29, GRI 102-43, GRI 102-44, GRI 413-1, G4-EUS-DMA-Stakeholder Participation

When planning and implementing the grid expansion, 50Hertz takes a comprehensive dialogue and participation approach. The involvement of relevant stakeholder groups plays a vital role when it comes to sustainable grid expansion. Firstly, regional and local stakeholder groups are carefully analysed and issues, questions and concerns of those living locally are addressed. For this, 50Hertz follows the VDI 7000 standards. This allows 50Hertz to develop and implement a participation plan together with the region, based on both the standards of early public participation that were a success and the project specifications of each project. In the regions in which existing capacities are being increased or new transmission substations and lines are being built, the need to inform and involve citizens is varied. 50Hertz wants to align itself to the specific needs and engage in dialogue locally. This is the only way to further improve plans, integrate knowledge that is available locally and to involve those affected.

Infomarkt in Berlin Tiergarten: Eva Schulze from the department of nature conservation and permits in conversation with a local resident.

Dialogue with relevant stakeholder groups begins very early in the planning phase of projects. This includes consultations on grid development plans as well as grid enhancement and expansion projects. Dialogue with the affected parties is conducted according to clearly defined requirements, in set formats and by means of a standardised “tool kit”.

Internal project-related guidelines define the timelines and interplay between project planning, approval, public participation and stakeholder management. This includes comprehensive lessons learned processes, which enable the company to continuously develop the standardised “tool kit” for public participation at 50Hertz. Moreover, 50Hertz participates in the debate on the quality of public participation, for example, in the Alliance for a Diverse Democracy of the Bertelsmann Foundation and as a member of the Dialog-Gesellschaft e.V.

Olivier Feix, Leiter Naturschutz und Genehmigungen

„To construct the lines and infrastructure of the future, earlier and more systematic cooperation is necessary. 50Hertz is convinced that stakeholder participation leads to better project outcome. The company aims to involve all stakeholders at a very early stage in the process - far before the project is technically designed. By doing so, we incorporate the input into the various planning stages over the entire lifecycle of the project. 50Hertz grid projects are therefore evolving with the stakeholders. We need to enhance our grid project together! Stakeholder participation - not just acceptance.“

Olivier Feix – Head of Nature Conservation and Permits at 50Hertz
G4-EUS-DMA Stakeholder Participation

Öffentlichkeitsbeteiligung

Target groups
Policy and administration	✔	✔	✔	✔		✔	✔	✔
Citizens' initiatives	✔			✔	✔
Residents		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Public interest bodies	✔		✔		✔		✔
NGOs	✔		✔	✔				✔

Participation
World Café
Group conferences			✔		✔
Planning panels		✔		✔
Dialogue mobile		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1:1 discussions	✔	✔		✔
Advisory board		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

Dialogue
Work groups (across all Federal states)		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Information market	✔*	✔	✔		✔
Press talks			✔		✔
Hotline		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Launches								✔
Regional events		✔	✔	✔	✔
Project presentation	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

Information
Public relations	✔		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Newsletter			✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Printed material		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Website	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔