EWON - Progressive, independent dispute resolution

The environment we work in today is very different to the one EWON was established to cater for on 9 June 1998. The energy market is now deregulated, there are many new players in the marketplace and new technology is impacting energy delivery and how we communicate with customers. The advent of renewable energy is offering customers more choice at a time when prices continue to rise, and importantly, while complaint numbers are falling, the nature of complaints is often more complex.

Our fundamental role of providing free, fair and independent dispute resolution services hasn't changed, however we must continue to evolve so we can operate effectively in a changing environment.

Over the last year we reviewed and updated internal systems and processes to increase our efficiency and effectiveness, and now we've changed the way we look. After 18 years we’ve updated our logo and organisational style to reflect our current goals and aspirations.

What’s in a brand?

Taking the time to consider what we wanted to achieve as part of the brand development process and to articulate our ‘brand essence’ really helped to cement what EWON is all about and where we’re heading. Words that resonated were Approachable > Informative >Ethical > Effective > Progressive.

Being informative, ethical and effective are central to providing a high level of service for our customers and members. What sets us apart though is the emphasis we place on access for all customers, especially the most vulnerable people in our community, and the way we’re always looking for ways to improve. That’s where ‘approachable’ and ‘progressive’ comes in.

At EWON we are all really proud of the work that we do and our new logo reflects this. The arrows are symbolic of EWON’s forward looking nature and our effort to continuously improve our service. The softer lines provide an organic feel that moves away from a corporate or bureaucratic impression to one that is more approachable. The design was developed with input from our staff and Board and as a result, very effectively communicates our aim to provide ‘progressive independent dispute resolution’. It also represents the other work we do, because while dispute resolution is our core service, we also have a very strong focus on community outreach, influencing policy and raising awareness about energy and water issues to provide the best possible outcomes for our customers.

Our new brand is about more than the logo. Our style is also changing. Our information is more accessible: we’re updating our information resources, we’re using plain English to ensure the information we provide can be read quickly and understood easily and our new website is working towards WCAG 2.0 accessibility standards so our content is more accessible to people with disabilities.

What won’t change

Our tagline is the same because there is no way to say it simpler or more directly - our services are free, fair and independent. With that comes the very high level of customer service which EWON has always been known for.

Janine Young
Ombudsman
Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW