ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2019 ‘Here for the Community’ SCHEDULE OF CONTENTS WHO WE ARE .........................................................................................4 Organisational Directory .........................................................................4 Trustees ................................................................................................4 Staff .....................................................................................................4 Trustee Sub-Committees .....................................................................4 CHAIR’S REPORT .....................................................................................5 OUR GRANTS AT A GLANCE ..................................................................9 COMMUNITY INVESTMENT ..................................................................10 PREMIER EVENTS ...................................................................................33 ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND HEALTHIER HOMES ....................................39 5 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN .....................................................................42 OUR GENERAL THEORY OF CHANGE ...................................................43 GRANTS APPROVED .............................................................................44 ADVISORS .............................................................................................48 PERFORMANCE MEASURES AGAINST TRUST DEED .............................49 Annual Plan ...........................................................................................49 Expected Outcomes ..............................................................................49 Annual Report .......................................................................................50 Changes to the Trust Deed ...................................................................50 Review of Investment ............................................................................50 Information Used and Matters Covered ............................................51 Strategic Direction, Targets and Measures ............................................52 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AGAINST BUDGET ....................................53 GUIDELINES FOR ACCESS TO INFORMATION BY BENEFICIARIES .........54 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ......................................................................55 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS .............................................62 AUDITOR’S REPORT ............................................................................109 3 WHOABOUT ORGANISATIONAL DIRECTORY WEWEL ARE TRUSTEES (for the year ended 31 March 2019) ENERGY The 2017 Triennial Election was held 30 June and the current WEL ENERGY TRUST Trustees officially declared elected on 6 July 2017. The next Triennial WASTRUST FORMED IN 1993, Election will be held in June 2020. AND IS NOW THE 100% SHAREHOLDER OF WEL NETWORKS LTD WHO PROVIDE THE ELECTRICITY LINES NETWORK IN THE WEL NETWORKS REGION. Mark Ingle Charlotte Isaac Denise Harding Mike Rolton (Chair) (Deputy Chair) Trustees are elected every three years and hold these shares on behalf of the community. The Capital Beneficiaries are Hamilton City Council (63%), Waikato District Council (35%) and Waipa District Council (2%). Craig Stephen Kathryn Williams Rob Hamill WEL Networks Ltd, like WEL Energy Trust, aims to support a connected and resilient community. WEL Energy Trust continues to support WEL Networks in STAFF the diversification of investments into areas that will enhance the region’s economic and social growth, including the investment in a world class fibre network, UFF, that reinforces its position as an innovative and future-focussed investor in infrastructure. Raewyn Jones David Cowley Sarah Lewis Shelley Halpin (Chief Executive) (Grants Manager) (Financial Officer) (Trust Secretary) WEL Energy Trust is a community trust and we support the community through grants and other investments to achieve our Mission: “Working together, working smarter, to grow investment and to unlock the powerful possibilities of our community, now and into the future.” Laura Kent Our activities over the period covered by (Impact Officer) this report reflect the Trust’s intention to be an active and responsible asset owner, adopting investment strategies to sustain TRUSTEE SUB-COMMITTEES and grow assets for people today and for Finance, Audit and Risk Grants Committee future generations. Sub-Committee Rotational after Quick WEL Energy Trust’s Vision is to support Craig Stephen (Chair) Response rounds and a “forward thinking, vibrant, connected Charlotte Isaac as required ABOUT WEL community”, and we’re proud to have (Chair from March 2019) a role to play in supporting our region’s Mark Ingle bright future. Denise Harding 4 CHAIR’S VISION REPORT A FORWARD THINKING, VIBRANT, CONNECTED COMMUNITY ‘Working together, working smarter, to grow investment and to unlock the powerful possibilities of our community, now and into the future’ This Mission statement reflects our core purpose, which is for Trustees to hold shares in the Company for the benefit of our community and to exercise our rights as shareholders to ensure that the Company operates as a successful business. Research has proven that organisations are more successful if they operate with the long-term in mind. Serving all stakeholders (customers, team members, partners, suppliers, community, and environment) and being ethical with all actions is essential. Both the Trust and Company have therefore made a public commitment to specific targets in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) framework, with leadership from the top. Supporting forward-looking, vibrant, connected communities and growing investment for our community are not just tag lines for us, they are embodied in our purpose, business model and strategy. For the Trust, this includes both our investment in WEL Networks Ltd and our investments in the community, whether through grants or social impact investments. The SDGs challenge us to think globally while caring locally. This is done by measuring and managing our impact on people and the planet. With consideration given to the Group strengths, providing affordable and clean energy (SDG 7) and supporting industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9) are key areas of focus. In terms of community investment, the Trust has prioritised eight SDGs and set indicators that most adequately express the relationship between our activities and their impact on critical global and regional issues, so that performance can be tracked over time. Our general theory of change recognises that to create better community outcomes, for all, systemic change is required, through backing new and CHAIR’S REPORT innovative ideas and ways of thinking. 5 We’ve made meaningful progress in this area. Group the final full rebate, related to the previous year, was wide activity has included: paid out ($14m including GST for residential customers). • Replacing the WEL Networks rebate programme Finally, in March 2019 WEL Networks announced a with reduced lines charges to residential customers further reduction to lines charges of $6.5m (including • Establishing a low-cost low service electricity retailer GST) applicable from 1 April 2019, meaning over a Our Power 12-month period almost all of the full value of the old • Adopting the UN’s SDGs and impact measurement residential rebate programme has been replaced by across all of our investments reduced lines pricing. With the addition of OurPower • Supporting New Zealand-based Social and Impact to the retail mix in the WEL Networks region, charging Investment Funds a single flat fee of 20 cents per Kilowatt hour (plus • Funding new models and leadership organisations GST) for its 100% online low-cost business model, (eg, the Vital Impact Grant for Housing, and the we are now hearing of more people contacting their new Economic Development Agency for the retailers, questioning pricing and receiving better deals. Waikato, Te Waka) Consumers now have a range of price/service options • Developing communities of practice, for Impact like never before. Investing and Waikato Well-beings Last year I noted that we believe by replacing the rebate • And more recently, creating the Affordable Energy programme that: for All Support Programme • through targeted investment, better overall For the submitter to the Trust’s 2018/19 Annual Plan electricity price outcomes for residential customers who made the comment ‘wishing things could be in our region will be achieved over time, starting different isn’t enough’, thank you for those words with the most in need; and of reinforcement, we hope you see the progress • more investment in the community will happen we’ve made. now and into the future; and • WEL Networks will be operating from a position of LEADERSHIP strength to manage risk associated with the rapidly The Trust is navigating the implementation of new changing electricity sector. strategies that challenge both the status quo and the past. We respect the unique position we have, being Positive progress has been made in all three areas, and able to fund, partner and support our community we expect this to continue into the future. (people, projects and organisations) to unlock powerful possibilities. Our main challenge to ourselves is to COMMUNITY INVESTMENT (GRANTS) ensure we are doing enough, sustainably and with a A total of $2,779,808 (2018: $2,961,124) was paid out whole system perspective. in grants