SBGI Serving the Energy & Utilities Sector

SBGI

John Stiggers - Chief Executive SBGI


The role of the SBGI and its two operational divisions is based on the SBGI Mission Statement: “To represent and promote the interests of the UK energy and utility industry, building on its proud track record of over 100 years service to the gas industry, and to provide a wide range of high quality support services to members.” Underlying these words is a really exciting vision for the future development of the SBGI – serving the wider energy and utility sector.

Most of our member companies would not define their business in terms of a particular fuel or technology. They are focused on serving markets which are defined in other terms, such as domestic heating and hot water or utility networks. But they all fall within the energy and utilities sector, as do the issues which they expect the SBGI to address on their behalf, which is why the SBGI’s scope now embraces the whole of that sector.
This new direction is reflected in the events organised by the SBGI. Seminars over the past year have included ‘Utility Metering’, ‘The Carbon Factor’, ‘Transforming Utility Performance’, ‘Utility Street Works’, ‘Utility Regulation’, ‘Micropower’, ‘Energy Prices’, ‘An Audience with Steve Holliday’ and ‘Transforming the domestic market for energy and heat’. Some of these have been run jointly with other trade associations.
While joint organisation of events represents one form of co-operation, another way of developing a closer relationship with other trade associations – which the SBGI is keen to pursue – is the provision of secretariat services. The SBGI already provides various services for the ICOM Energy Association, OFTEC and CEFACD and is in discussion with several other organisations.

Joint events and secretariat services both highlight an important point. The SBGI’s move beyond gas is about closer co-operation with other trade associations in the energy and utility sector, not competing with them. Most trade bodies we deal with are as enthusiastic about co-operation as we are. Members rightly expect the trade associations they support to work closely together to ensure that services are delivered in the most efficient way and that synergy is realised wherever possible.

Following its move to Camden House in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, which is three times the size of its previous premises, the SBGI is now able to offer excellent meeting room facilities to other trade associations and companies in the wider energy and utilities industry. Details can be accessed at www.energyandutilities.org.uk. This website, which includes the online version of the Energy and Utilities Directory, is supported by a number of trade associations in the sector.

HHIC and Utility Networks

The SBGI’s organisational structure for serving members is divisional. All member companies are in either the Utility Networks division or the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC). They are members of the division and of the SBGI as a whole. Details of the scope and activities of each of these divisions are provided in separate editorials in this Directory.

Further information about the SBGI is available at www.sbgi.org.uk and in the SBGI corporate leaflet, which can be downloaded from the website.