The future of energy lies not only in numbers and facts but in making sure people understand it. How are energy companies communicating energy transition using a human–centred approach?
The .trust energy edition research by Lundquist examines how leading European companies in the sector such as BP, Shell, Ørsted and Enel are addressing the key aspects crucial to understanding their approach to the energy transition, providing insights into their core competencies and areas for improvements. With the EU leading transparency and accountability in sustainability, it is imperative that these companies adapt their narrative to reflect an authentic commitment that transcends mere disclosure, thereby solidifying their credibility with stakeholders.
European energy companies face competing priorities: advancing clean energy, ensuring investment returns, and meeting national energy security demands. Amid political, social and financial pressures, many resort to “greenhushing”, minimising climate disclosures to avoid scrutiny and further fuelling public scepticism. To address this strategic dilemma, Lundquist conducted this research to explore how the industry approaches these critical challenges.
Companies that not only demonstrate regulatory and industry transformations but also embrace inclusive social opportunities will cultivate societal trust and position themselves as leaders in the new energy era.
About the research
The .trust energy edition research, developed by Lundquist, covers 43 companies across 10 countries and examines how they communicate commitments to Net Zero, Innovation, Just Transition, Human Rights and DE&I —core themes addressing sustainability, responsibility and inclusivity. Based on Lundquist’s flagship .trust model, this research protocol has been refined with a sector focus to assess four strategic pillars, Strategy, Communication, Advocacy and Key Topics, across the themes.
This approach employs 140 criteria, providing a targeted sector assessment of how European energy companies articulate their transition ambitions through their websites and LinkedIn profiles, while also identifying areas for improvement.
White paper
.trust Energy edition 2024
Get in touch
For further information on the research, to receive your company’s highlights and to order an ad-hoc report, please contact:
“In the era of the
green transition,
the biggest missed
opportunity is
forgetting how
transformation
impacts people”
How did the energy companies perform?
- Strong performance on Net Zero initiatives: Across the key themes evaluated, 52% of European energy companies present a clear and structured approach towards their Net Zero goals. However, with an average score barely above 50%, this result underscores the need for greater transparency and strategic clarity in communicating progress towards targets.
- Insufficient efforts in addressing the social impacts of transition: Human Rights and Just Transition are the lowest achieving themes, with average scores of 27% and 22%, respectively. This points to a noticeable lack of dedication to manage the social impacts arising from their decarbonizing actions.
- Lack of Advocacy effort to promote transition ambitions: Among all the key themes evaluated, a persistent gap between strategy and advocacy exists. This reveals a credibility deficit, where companies’ passivity to promote what they claim may undermine the authenticity and transparency in their commitments. “This shortfall in advocacy also aligns with our previous research on human rights and DE&I, where companies tend to show limited advocacy efforts to reinforce their vision and objectives,” comments Eva Sartori, project coordinator of the .trust Energy edition at Lundquist.
- Regional performance reveals distinct focuses: Nordic countries tend to give more attention to Human Rights and Just Transition — the social dimensions of energy transition, possibly suggesting a balanced focus on both decarbonization and broader social responsibility. Italian companies, meanwhile, performed well in Innovation, reflecting a strong dedication to leading with innovative solutions during the energy transition.
Companies included
Denmark: Orsted, Vestas
Finland: Fortum, Neste
France: Électricité de France (EDF), Engie, Schneider Electric, TotalEnergies
Germany: E.ON, EnBW, Nordex, RWE, Siemens Energy, Uniper
Italy: A2A, Acea, Edison, Enel, Eni, ERG, Hera, Iren, Italgas, Prysmian, Saipem, Snam, Terna
Norway: Equinor, Statkraft
Portugal: EDP
Spain: ACCIONA Energía, Endesa, Iberdrola, Red Electrica, Repsol
Sweden: Vattenfall
United Kingdom: BP, Centrica, National Grid, Octopus Energy, OVO Energy, Shell, SSE
