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Community relations and public acceptance
5.6.3 Human rights
GRI 414-1
Elia acknowledges its responsibility to respect human rights and naturally respects the rights to privacy, personal safety, freedom of expression and property rights of employees, residents and customers. Elia also takes responsibility for compliance with social standards in the supply chain. For this reason, Elia is not only member of the United Nations Global Compact, but is also committed to the core labour standards of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
In order to ensure that business partners also comply with internationally valid rules on human rights - such as the ban on forced labour and child labour - sustainability and ethics are essential components of the supplier and service provider evaluation. Elia suppliers commit to a common, binding Code of Conduct in their cooperation. This is an integral part of all Elia ‘s supplier contracts. In addition, both raise awareness of sustainable action in regular discussions and thus convey an understanding of compliance with ethical principles and guidelines for sustainable development. All orders are placed centrally in Belgium. In this respect, all Elia business locations are screened for human rights due diligence issues and anti-corruption.
5.7 Stakeholder engagement 5.7.1 Management approach
GRI 102-40, GRI 102-42, GRI 102-43, GRI 103-2
Involving stakeholders upstream helps to improve their understanding of the need for grid in benefit for the society and can optimise the associated processes, Elia regularly contacts and exchanges information with various stakeholder groups.
Elia’s stakeholder environment is continuously analyzed and defined. Depending on the specific strategic topics, Elia has contacts with public authorities and administrations, political parties, local citizens, civil society (associations representing environmental, economic, and agricultural or other interests) or clients directly connected to their grid.
GRI 102-42, GRI 413-1
Within Elia, a Corporate Reputation Committee has been created, presided over by the Chief External Relations Officer in order to follow up, for selected issues, on the various stakeholder contacts organised by the relevant departments in Elia.
Elia has many stakeholders’ initiatives. The method and frequency of engagement for each stakeholder group and the link to the material topics are summarised in the table below:
5.7.2 Community relations and public acceptance
Elia is convinced that early involvement with all stakeholders is vital to the success of the energy transition and the huge projects needed in order to achieve a sustainable grid expansion. Our approach is to contact and inform all parties for having their point of view, in order to improve the exchange and dialogue and build up trust. A transparent and consistent approach aimed at meeting societal requirements and community expectations as far as possible will significantly improve the acceptance of projects. Furthermore, this approach must be clearly communicated to the various stakeholders from the outset of projects so that many concerns and anxieties can be reduced quickly. To achieve this objective, the Community Relations department developed an integrated communication and public acceptance methodology, integrating stakeholders and communication actions in a systematic way in the grid development in order not only to control the risk of costs and timing but also to be able to realize the best project in the interest of society.
Dialogue with the relevant stakeholders begins at a very early stage of project planning. In the concept phase of our projects, we are mainly working with civil society, local municipalities and academics. There is also a public consultation on the grid development plan. In a later phase, when projects are more concrete, an intensive dia-
logue is set up with the citizens.
Against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, we also adapted how we inform the citizens and the local authorities using more digital communication tools. We set up various information and consultation formats ranging from digital formats to one to one consultations. This approach gave us the possibility to maintain contacts with the stakeholders while complying with the restrictions and rules in effect during this difficult period.
