Powering our community

AGL’s ‘Powering our Community’ is all about encouraging our people to get to know and support their local community.

As one of Australia’s oldest companies, an essential service provider and large ASX listed employer, we are strong believers in giving back and supporting the community.

"Our strong sense of community spirit is important to our people and being part of a local community helps us understand our customers better."

$1 installed rooftop solar panels initiative

In a show of our community support, we asked our people to nominate local community groups for rooftop solar panels and installation, for a one-off cost of $1 to the community group. We encouraged applications for community groups that embodied AGL’s value of ‘inclusive of all’ and focus on social and economic inclusion.

Our people had three months to apply on behalf of their chosen community group and after that three-month period, at the end of September, we had 20 nominations. All applications were given to our solar team to ascertain whether the applications met the technical criteria for the solar panels.

After this phase of the project, a judging panel was created, made up of people from all parts of AGL to decide which of the community groups best displayed AGL’s value of ‘inclusive of all’ in their application.

The judging panel came up with 14 community groups across New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Queensland who are set to receive the solar panel offer (pending an on-site solar inspection).

Community group winners

Arts Project Australia - supports artists with an intellectual disability to promote their work and advocate their inclusion in contemporary art practice.
Asylum Seekers Resource Centre (one site only) - an independent not-for-profit organisation who provides aid, advocacy, education and employment services for people seeking asylum in Australia.
Mt Beauty Neighbourhood Centre - a not-for-profit community-based organisation with a vision to be the hub of the Upper Kiewa Valley Community.
Wellsprings for Women – assists the most disadvantaged and isolated women in Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia to improve their health and wellbeing and access services, opportunities and pathways to further education or employment.
Yallourn North Football Netball Club – a community-based sporting club located in the Latrobe Valley that is ‘empowered, inclusive and proud’.
Yinnar Recreation Reserve Committee (one site only) – run by volunteers serving the sporting, social and recreation needs of the Yinnar community in the Gippsland region.
Foodbank SA – the largest food relief and food rescue organisation in the state, receiving food and grocery products to redistribute to families in need.
McLaren Vale Hospital – community hospital in the heart of McLaren Vale, offering a range of quality hospital, healthcare and related services for the benefit of the community.
Mt Burr United Football Club Inc – local Australian Rules football club for Mount Burr and surrounding communities.
Relationships Australia SA - not-for-profit community service organisation providing family services in South Australia.
SA Living Solutions – not-for-profit organisation providing accommodation for people that have a range of chronic mental health, disability and health issues.
Muswellbrook Junior Rugby League Football Club – local sports club for the Upper Hunter community.
Laidley Community Centre - leading community connections and partnership development across Laidley and the surrounding regions.
Sunrise Way - supporting stronger, healthier communities through rebuilding lives affected by addiction in regional and rural Queensland.

The employees who nominated the community group winners had the happy job of informing the recipients.

We’re proud to be part of the community

At AGL, we are committed to making a positive social, economic and environmental contribution to the communities in which we live and operate in.

"Through our community engagement activities, we seek to be a trusted and respected part of the community and this is just one of the ways we can help."

The Energy for Life team is so proud of this initiative and we hope that when the next round of nominations comes up in July 2019, we receive many more applications.