Strategic priorities

Towards a safer future: Strategic Priorities 2011-2016

The Electrical Safety Council operates in a unique and important niche and has done so with its own remit since 2006.  The charity has consistently sought to ensure that it adheres to principles of good governance, is efficient and effective, forward thinking and always in a position to deliver positive outcomes to its beneficiaries – users of electricity.

Building on its position as a campaigning charity and technical authority, the Electrical Safety Council has developed its strategy for the next five years to 2016. The strategic priorities reflect the charity’s vision for everyone to be safe from the dangers that electricity can create and its work is guided by its mission and values.

 

Strategic priorities

In line with the charity’s core focus on electrical safety, its strategic priorities over the next five years fall broadly into two areas – ensuring safer products and places, and helping consumers stay safe.

To achieve these priorities the charity will focus on the following six strategic areas.

1. Our People: The charity will create a positive environment where continuous learning and development is central to its strategic direction. The Council will help its employees build and maintain the knowledge, expertise and skills required to improve their personal performance and to advance the organisational goals. It will also help enhance the performance of the leadership team and support the identification and development of future leaders.

2. Safer appliances: Working with key stakeholders, the charity will promote innovative safety design, influence consumer behaviour for buying safer products and help tackle the ever-growing issue of counterfeit products. The charity will also seek to influence consumers to change their behaviour to avoid the misuse of electrical products.

3. Safer places: Especially the owner-occupied and private rented sectors: The charity intends to influence landlords and homeowners to upgrade electrical installations in older properties to safer, current standards including the installation and use of residual current device (RCD) protection. The charity will influence landlords and homeowners to carry out regular checks of the condition of their electrical installations and electrical appliances. The charity will also monitor the application, review and development of Building Regulations in the British Isles to represent the electrical safety interests of consumers.

4. Research: The charity maintains a robust evidence base to support its work and will ensure this evidence is current. In addition, the Electrical Safety Council will commission independent research and impact evaluation to further the objective of public safety.

5. Awareness: In positioning itself as a charity pursuing public safety, the Electrical Safety Council will strengthen and promote the brand with the public through effective partnerships with key stakeholders.

6. Income streams: a significant portion of our funding comes from our trading subsidiary. The poor economic forecast could adversely affect revenues generated by our trading subsidiary. As such, the charity will continue to exercise financial prudence while seeking to diversify its income streams.