Enabling communication flow: Ofwat’s PR24 virtual events

Introduction

Every five years, the Water Services Regulation Authority for England and Wales, commonly known as Ofwat, establishes price controls for water and sewerage companies. As part of the PR24 Price Review, Ofwat planned to host several high-profile events in the summer of 2024 to effectively communicate their draft determinations and gather feedback from the public, water companies, and key stakeholders.

The overarching objective of these events was communication, accessibility and engagement. Ofwat required events that would allow information to be delivered seamlessly to a broad audience, regardless of location making a virtual event format the best and most economic choice. Audience engagement would be crucial in gathering feedback on their proposals, which would contribute to the determinations being finalised.  Finally, reliability was paramount and a safe pair of hands required to produce these events to a high standard. As a technical partner of Ofwat’s for many years, we were delighted to support them in delivering these prominent online events.

Phase 1: City and Press Briefings

The first phase involved the major announcement and presentation of Ofwat’s draft determinations. These were to be delivered through a formal virtual briefing consisting of presentations from the senior team.

Two virtual events were to be held. First, a press briefing for journalists from the UK’s major news outlets. The second, a briefing to Ofwat’s key investors and stakeholders. Both briefings were to take place on the same day, 11th July.

Centralized Technical Setup:

Although the events were virtual, high production quality was crucial. To avoid the pitfalls of varying home network quality and to ensure a professional broadcast, we transformed a standard meeting room in Canary Wharf into a fully equipped studio. This setup included:

• A four-camera system to capture different angles and maintain engagement.
• Professional-grade audio and lighting to ensure clarity and visual quality.
• A dedicated technical team to manage the live stream, ensuring a smooth delivery.

Broadcast and Interaction:

The briefings were streamed live from this studio to secure, custom-branded viewing pages, accessible to participants from anywhere. We also integrated a text-based Q&A feature, allowing attendees to interact with the speakers in real-time. This facilitated an engaging panel discussion and ensured that all participant queries were addressed.

Results

Both virtual events were a resounding success, with Ofwat’s draft determinations making headlines within hours of the briefings. The virtual format not only met the immediate communication needs but also initiated the crucial process of public review and consultation. By ensuring a high-quality, interactive experience, we helped Ofwat effectively launch their determinations to the public, setting the stage for the next steps in the regulatory process.

Phase2: Engaging with the general public

The next phase focused on the ‘Your Water, Your Say’ meetings, designed to allow customers and stakeholders to engage directly with Ofwat’s senior executives and discuss the announced draft decisions. These sessions were spread over two days, with one dedicated to English water companies’ business plans and the other to Welsh water companies.

Unlike the earlier briefings centred on information dissemination, the ‘Your Water, Your Say’ events aimed to foster open dialogue, creating an atmosphere akin to a roundtable discussion. This required a more interactive virtual experience, despite expecting thousands of participants.

To achieve this, we used Zoom’s webinar platform, which facilitated a large-scale event while allowing participants to join on camera and directly ask questions to the panel.

A professional studio was again set up in central London to ensure high broadcast quality. Our onsite streaming team employed advanced technical solutions to elevate the standard Zoom webinar to a polished, professional online event.

Accessibility was prioritised with British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters and closed captioning available as well as Welsh translation services.

With 700 attendees, these events successfully provided a platform for public engagement with Ofwat on critical issues.

Conclusion

Despite both the briefings and the ‘Your Water, Your Say’ events being virtual, each was meticulously tailored to meet the unique objectives and style required. Drawing on our extensive experience in virtual event management and commitment to excellence, we ensured that Ofwat’s online events not only met but exceeded expectations.