Table 2. Critically informed... | Emerald Publishing

Table 2.

Critically informed recommendations for supporting CARM consumers in the Australian energy market

Recommendation what are you recommending?	Aim and rationale why are you recommending this?	Features and characteristics what are the specifics of the recommendation?	Timing when should this recommendation be implemented?	Resources required what is needed for this recommendation?	Target segment who does this recommendation target?	Value benefit what is the value of this recommendation?
Increase the cultural competency of energy market stakeholders	This recommendation would involve training staff and adopting a whole-of-organisation approach to ensure energy provider staff can recognise and effectively respond to CARM customers experiencing energy hardship, enabling timely support and systemic action	Training to understand CARM community needs, with staff from multicultural backgrounds and respectful communication in multiple languages. Provide independent information on billing and energy costs, transparency on provider credentials, ownership, sources and green uptake, plus ongoing support for CARM customers adopting energy-efficient technology	As soon as possible and every 1– Two year after	Facilitated trainers drawing on stakeholder partnerships, funding to pay for training resources (e.g. information and activity packs), budget for staff hours spent on training	All energy market stakeholders	Improved customer care and ethical energy harm reduction enhance reputation and credibility of energy stakeholders, while delivering lower bills and greater capacity for CARM customers to participate in sustainable energy futures
Develop representative energy narratives	This recommendation involves framing energy market literature in ways that effectively engage CARM communities, which can in turn support their participation in the transition to sustainable energy futures	Use effective storytelling that is both believable and grounded in situated knowledge, with identifiable characters and an imaginable plot, to better communicate with CARM energy consumers. Ensure an intersectional approach is taken to better understand context, with staff trained to listen, reassure and use sensitive, appropriate language	Within the next 1–2 years	Multi-lingual information and staff, cultural competency training	Multiple cultural groups, workplace training	Energy market stakeholders can more proactively engage and support CARM customers experiencing energy related harm
Increase community engagement and partnerships	CARM consumers need to better understand energy consumption patterns and how costs are calculated. Billing information should be presented clearly to promote understanding of usage, efficiency and cost reduction, while monitoring and tracking options further empower CARM energy consumers	CARM communities require tailored energy policy and program information to adjust practices, lower energy bills and maintain comfort. Given their strong reliance on community relations, service providers should engage directly with CARM communities and community leaders to build trust and create effective communication channels for sustainable participation	As soon as possible and ongoing	Multilingual	Leaders and mentors in CARM communities, community groups and events	Provide funding to establish and maintain partnerships with key stakeholders and service providers, supported by ongoing workshops and meetings to expand future connections
Provide clear billing, monitoring and tracking tools	CARM consumers need to better understand their energy consumption patterns and how costs are calculated, with billing information, monitoring and tracking options that promote understanding, energy efficiency, cost reduction and empower them	Energy bills need clearer plain language, fewer technical terms, and visual aids (graphs, charts). dollar values should replace kilowatt hours, with categories of energy usage. Bills must reflect actual costs, provide meter access for CARM rental customers, and include more monitoring and tracking options (e.g. apps, in-home devices)	As soon as possible and ongoing	Review of billing calculations and presentation. Investigate options for developing relations with rental bodies to provide access to energy customers. Development of options that allow energy monitoring and tracking	Energy providers, real estate organisations, community groups	a lack of understanding of how bills are calculated leads to CARM disengagement with energy providers and limits their potential to manage their energy usage in a responsible way
Familiarise and target energy policies and programs	Familiarise and target energy policies and programs for CARM consumers, ensuring consultation with CARM communities to support inclusion, understanding of government energy policies, lower energy bills and participation in sustainable energy futures	Assist CARM energy consumers to understand government energy policies, enable participation in sustainable energy futures, ensure policy consultation with CARM communities, and target greater knowledge of energy programs as consumers transition from rental to ownership	As soon as possible and should be maintained ongoing once developed	Multilingual information in a range of formats. Aligned promotional material that can support energy efficiency (e.g. home insulation schemes, solar heat pump hot water systems)	CARM energy customers	Programs encouraging energy efficiency help CARM communities manage consumption. Greater awareness of renewable energy benefits supports uptake, reduces costs, and improves comfort through home efficiency measures
Employ targeted social marketing strategies	To achieve behavioural change through targeted social marketing programmes with CARM energy customers that feature strategies, tools and options for energy efficiency needs to be culturally appropriate	Social marketing is a systematic and multi-level approach to behaviour change. The program should involve: (1) promotion and communication campaigns, (2) product and service development, (3) advocacy and policy change	1–2 years	Funding, commissioning social marketers	All customers, the general CARM community	Promote energy efficiency, reduce CARM bills, improve well-being and knowledge, enhance provider reputation, destigmatize hardship, and support sustainable energy transition

Recommendation what are you recommending?	Aim and rationale why are you recommending this?	Features and characteristics what are the specifics of the recommendation?	Timing when should this recommendation be implemented?	Resources required what is needed for this recommendation?	Target segment who does this recommendation target?	Value benefit what is the value of this recommendation?
Increase the cultural competency of energy market stakeholders	This recommendation would involve training staff and adopting a whole-of-organisation approach to ensure energy provider staff can recognise and effectively respond to CARM customers experiencing energy hardship, enabling timely support and systemic action	Training to understand CARM community needs, with staff from multicultural backgrounds and respectful communication in multiple languages. Provide independent information on billing and energy costs, transparency on provider credentials, ownership, sources and green uptake, plus ongoing support for CARM customers adopting energy-efficient technology	As soon as possible and every 1– Two year after	Facilitated trainers drawing on stakeholder partnerships, funding to pay for training resources (e.g. information and activity packs), budget for staff hours spent on training	All energy market stakeholders	Improved customer care and ethical energy harm reduction enhance reputation and credibility of energy stakeholders, while delivering lower bills and greater capacity for CARM customers to participate in sustainable energy futures
Develop representative energy narratives	This recommendation involves framing energy market literature in ways that effectively engage CARM communities, which can in turn support their participation in the transition to sustainable energy futures	Use effective storytelling that is both believable and grounded in situated knowledge, with identifiable characters and an imaginable plot, to better communicate with CARM energy consumers. Ensure an intersectional approach is taken to better understand context, with staff trained to listen, reassure and use sensitive, appropriate language	Within the next 1–2 years	Multi-lingual information and staff, cultural competency training	Multiple cultural groups, workplace training	Energy market stakeholders can more proactively engage and support CARM customers experiencing energy related harm
Increase community engagement and partnerships	CARM consumers need to better understand energy consumption patterns and how costs are calculated. Billing information should be presented clearly to promote understanding of usage, efficiency and cost reduction, while monitoring and tracking options further empower CARM energy consumers	CARM communities require tailored energy policy and program information to adjust practices, lower energy bills and maintain comfort. Given their strong reliance on community relations, service providers should engage directly with CARM communities and community leaders to build trust and create effective communication channels for sustainable participation	As soon as possible and ongoing	Multilingual	Leaders and mentors in CARM communities, community groups and events	Provide funding to establish and maintain partnerships with key stakeholders and service providers, supported by ongoing workshops and meetings to expand future connections
Provide clear billing, monitoring and tracking tools	CARM consumers need to better understand their energy consumption patterns and how costs are calculated, with billing information, monitoring and tracking options that promote understanding, energy efficiency, cost reduction and empower them	Energy bills need clearer plain language, fewer technical terms, and visual aids (graphs, charts). dollar values should replace kilowatt hours, with categories of energy usage. Bills must reflect actual costs, provide meter access for CARM rental customers, and include more monitoring and tracking options (e.g. apps, in-home devices)	As soon as possible and ongoing	Review of billing calculations and presentation. Investigate options for developing relations with rental bodies to provide access to energy customers. Development of options that allow energy monitoring and tracking	Energy providers, real estate organisations, community groups	a lack of understanding of how bills are calculated leads to CARM disengagement with energy providers and limits their potential to manage their energy usage in a responsible way
Familiarise and target energy policies and programs	Familiarise and target energy policies and programs for CARM consumers, ensuring consultation with CARM communities to support inclusion, understanding of government energy policies, lower energy bills and participation in sustainable energy futures	Assist CARM energy consumers to understand government energy policies, enable participation in sustainable energy futures, ensure policy consultation with CARM communities, and target greater knowledge of energy programs as consumers transition from rental to ownership	As soon as possible and should be maintained ongoing once developed	Multilingual information in a range of formats. Aligned promotional material that can support energy efficiency (e.g. home insulation schemes, solar heat pump hot water systems)	CARM energy customers	Programs encouraging energy efficiency help CARM communities manage consumption. Greater awareness of renewable energy benefits supports uptake, reduces costs, and improves comfort through home efficiency measures
Employ targeted social marketing strategies	To achieve behavioural change through targeted social marketing programmes with CARM energy customers that feature strategies, tools and options for energy efficiency needs to be culturally appropriate	Social marketing is a systematic and multi-level approach to behaviour change. The program should involve: (1) promotion and communication campaigns, (2) product and service development, (3) advocacy and policy change	1–2 years	Funding, commissioning social marketers	All customers, the general CARM community	Promote energy efficiency, reduce CARM bills, improve well-being and knowledge, enhance provider reputation, destigmatize hardship, and support sustainable energy transition