03 September 2025
An initiative, designed and delivered by award winning business improvement consultancy Honeylight Enterprises for Essential Energy, to shift from typical transactional contracts to strategic partnerships is helping Essential Energy strengthen relationships, support local businesses and prepare for the energy transition. Essential Energy’s Contract Management Capability Uplift program has won at the World Commerce & Contracting (WorldCC) Innovation & Excellence Awards 2025, in the Strategic Achievement category, held 1 September at the APAC summit in Melbourne.
The program, led by the Contract Management Office set out to improve how contracts are managed across the business to unlock greater value from commercial relationships, benefiting not only the organisation but the businesses we work with across our communities.
The uplift began as a response to a challenge being faced across the organisation. There was a skills gap and no consistent framework or process for all teams to follow. Some contracts were managed well while others led to inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and at times strained relationships with suppliers.
According to Essential Energy’s Strategic Commercial Manager, Rod Winterton, the award win reflects a major shift in how the organisation collaborates with external partners.
“We’ve built a consistent framework that’s easy to engage with and helps us become a customer of choice in a competitive market. It’s about making it easier to do business with us,” Rod said.
It was important for the team to not just introduce new policies but work with the organisation to shift mindsets through support and training. A dedicated Contract Management Office (CMO) was established to enable and support teams across the business to navigate contracts with confidence and clarity, from Project Management to Program Delivery. They developed a clear framework, practical tools, and training tailored to the needs of the organisation.
Belinda Kallmier, Rod Winterton, Pat Kelleher, Mark Sifonis, Jacob Binskin from ESSENTIAL ENERGY with their Strategic Achievement Award at the WorldCC Innovation & Excellence Summit.
Since the uplift, Essential Energy has now achieved compliance with global contract management standards, including Environmental, Social and Governance principles (ESG). In practice this means contracts now better reflect Essential Energy’s values and strategic priorities, helping the business build trust and better prepare for the future.
The initiative has significantly improved supplier relationships and reduced the barriers to participation. Regional and local suppliers now have an easier pathway to engage with Essential Energy, creating fairer opportunities, clear expectations and stronger partnerships.
Internally, teams have cited feeling more confident in managing contracts, with better training and tools to allow for a stronger collaboration across business units. Areas across the business such as Property, Digital Services and Commercial have also adopted the framework.
Rod explains that the uplift is important groundwork for the future of the energy sector, as we will continually need to engage with a broader range of suppliers to deliver on the demands the energy transition.
“We’re about halfway through our journey, but the foundations are now in place. This work is helping us connect teams across silos, build stronger supplier relationships, and enable the kind of innovation we need to deliver for our communities,” Rod said.
As the program continues to mature, Essential Energy is focused on continuing to improve contract management and our relationships with suppliers, embedding these improved practices into everyday operations