IGEM PRESS RELEASE: 10.04.11
REF: IGEM-CD-PR-011
THE IGEM/SBGI GAS INDUSTRY AWARDS 2011 RECOGNISES ACHIEVEMENT, SUCCESS AND INNOVATION IN THE GAS INDUSTRY
At the Joint Gas Industry Luncheon at the London Hilton Hotel, the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers – the leading professional Body in the UK for the Gas Industry and SBGI – the only Trade Association representing all sectors of the onshore industry - today announced the 2011 Gas Industry Awards recognising significant achievement in the liberalised gas industry and acknowledging achievement and innovation.
Charles Hendry MP, Minister of State, Energy & Climate Change, presented the Gas Industry Awards together with Philip Brown, President of IGEM and Stuart Godfrey, President of SBGI.
The Winner of each Gas Industry Award is:
The Gas Industry Safety Award Winner:
Underpinning Knowledge Testing Programme, British Gas
The winner of this year’s Safety Award has a ‘belief’ that all its employees and customers will be safe at home each day.
Hence, the winners’ behavioural safety programme is at the very heart of an integrated approach to safety management and touches every part of its people and organisation.
Underpinning that ‘belief’ is the will to understand the risk and safety behaviour of its operatives in real time. Using the latest computer based training model to validate engineer’s safety knowledge, behaviour and confidence which in turn provides the foundation for continual Improvement.
The Gas Industry Company of the Year Award Winner:
National Grid Grain LNG
Despite this extreme winter, this company delivered an expansion programme that elevated their facility into the world's top ten. The company is exemplified by leadership from the top, engineering excellence and engagement of their workforce.
The Gas Industry Chief Executive of the Year Award Winner:
John Morea, Chief Executive Officer, Scotia Gas Networks
The most important element in defining a Chief Executive seems to be their beliefs – what they are and how they affect their leadership behaviour. This year’s winner has demonstrated four aspects of ‘belief’ which underpin their effective leadership style.
· Self Belief – An inner confidence in their ability to tackle any situation
· Belief in others – A positive approach and sensitivity to the needs of their people and customers
· Belief in fairness – Even-handedness and open-mindedness
· Beliefs in Safety – Ensuring all employees have the right attitude and behaviour.
And one final point about this year’s winner is their ability to build effective relationships based on mutual trust.
The Gas Industry Customer Service Award Winner:
Wales and West Utilities
For their continuous improvement drive in delivering customer service excellence, they have reached new heights in the Gas Distribution Network customer satisfaction league tables. Not only have they retained their coveted leading position but they have also surpassed their own personal best performances of previous years.
The Gas Industry Leadership Award Winner:
Kim Challis, Managing Director, G4S Utility Services
Our winner this year has shown outstanding leadership, re-engineering a business faced with an enormous shift in market direction and customer needs. The result today is a business winning new customers, developing new servicesand set to grow further under their continued strong leadership. The true test however has been our winner’s ability to capture the hearts and minds of their management team and wider work force during a time of incredible change, and in this regard our recipient this year is a worthy winner.
The Gas Industry Energy Efficiency Award Winner:
Walsall Housing Group
This year’s award is a great example of how energy efficiency can help regenerate a deprived community, can improve quality of life and can help develop local cohesion and pride. For delivering the first scheme under the Government’s ‘Community Energy Savings Programme’.
The Gas Industry Manager of the Year Award Winner:
Julia Deans of Scotia Gas Networks
The winning manager successfully managed the longest Horizontal Directional Drilling of two gas pipelines and associated infrastructure construction. At 3.926km under the Solent, it’s the longest in the world to date.
The Gas Industry Innovation Award Winner:
The winners are The Beam Drilling Development Team
By challenging 30 years of custom and practice this Innovation Funded Initiative development reduces excavation by up to 80%, improves the safety of working practices and reduces traffic disruption.
Beam Drilling Development Team are a collaboration between National Grid Gas Distribution, ALH Ltd and GL Noble Denton.
The Gas Industry Engineer of the Year Award Winner:
Simon Fairman, National Grid Grain LNG
Providing benchmark engineering, inspired leadership with a shared focus, during the commissioning of the largest LNG terminal in Europe in an environment of safety and continuous improvement.
The Energy & Utility Skills Business Skills Award Winner:
British Gas Smart Metering and Engineering Academy
The winning entry for this award combines innovation with traditional values, generating many new jobs and contributing to the UK drive for reduced Carbon emissions.
The Gas Industry Young Person’s Achievement Award Winner:
Richard Lowes of Scotia Gas Networks
At 22 years of agehe has singlehandedly set up a Policy & Public Affairs Group, he has been waving the flag for the gas industry at Westminster and has delivered strategic business ideasfollowing his workon a number of energy groups.
The Gas Industry Climate Change Award Winner:
National Grid Meter Assessment and Recycling Centre
The innovative processes used in this facility allowed 300,000 units to be refurbished and 3000 tonnes of waste materials to be recycled last year, with significant potential to increase this. It also provides a sustainable solution for the displaced assets from an industry wide replacement programme.
The Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers would like today to make a special presentation of the Institution’s Birmingham Medal. This is awarded to recognise outstanding achievement in the objectives of the Institution and is awarded at intervals of not less than two years.
This individual is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Institution and has been a member for almost 50 years. His achievements for the Institution are considerable andinclude the following:
· He has servedfour terms as an Ordinary Member of Council
· He is a past Chairman of the Eastern Section
· He served as Honorary Secretaryof the Eastern Sectionfor a period of five years.
· He led the team responsible for writing the Institution’scurrent By-Laws as approved by Her Majesty’s Privy Council in July 2001.
· After the Institution went through one of the most difficult periods in its history in 2001/2, he was instrumental in the successful achievement of the Engineering Council (UK) Certification & Licensing Audit in 2002.
· He is a member of the Institution's Finance and Marketing Committees, a Trustee of the Benevolent Fund, a Director of IGEM Trading and Chairman of the Membership Committee.
· He is an ambassador for the Institution at every opportunity.
· Last and not least, he served as President for 2009/10.
Ladies and Gentlemen few have done as much for the Institution as Gordon Davies.
The Panel of Judges made decisions on the winner in each category from nominations invited from all involved in the industry. The Judges were:
Philip Brown – IGEM, President
Stuart Godfrey – SBGI, President
Jeremy Bending – IGEM, Immediate Past President
David Morgan – IGEM, President Elect
Roger Webb – SBGI, Deputy Chief Executive and Director, HHIC
Martin Atkinson – SBGI, Director, Utility Networks
Phil Burnett – Energy and Utility Skills, Engagement Manager
Tony Hetherington – HSE, Head of Gas and Pipelines Unit
Gordon Davies – IGEM, Chairman, Membership Committee
Chris Bielby – IGEM, Chairman, Audit Committee
The Awards were sponsored by GL Noble Denton, BDR Therma, British Gas, Domestic and General, Energy & Utility Skills, GTC (Gas Transportation Company), Morrison Utility Services, National Grid, Radius Systems, Shell Gas Direct, Enterprise and AEON International.
The event was sponsored by GPS PE Pipe Systems and Murphy Pipelines.
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Notes to Editor:
Founded in 1863, IGEM has honoured engineering success over many generations by presenting medals to mark significant achievement. SBGI, founded in 1905, also has a tradition of recognising major contributions – both personal and corporate – to the achievement of its main objective, namely the promotion of a thriving UK gas industry.
The Gas Industry Awards identify those who have achieved success within categories which reflect the many changes which have occurred in recent years, calling for new approaches, flexibility, versatility and invention.
Further information can be obtained from:
The Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers: telephone 0844 375 4436
fax 01509 678198
e-mail: website www.igem.org.uk
The SBGI: telephone 01926 334357 fax 01926 450459
e-mail: website www.sbgi.org.uk
The Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers is a Registered Charity No 214011
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