The Australian Government has launched the Developer Rating Scheme (DRS). It aims to improve how renewable energy businesses engage with communities. Equifax Australasia Credit Ratings Pty Ltd (Equifax) developed it. The scheme was first mentioned in the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner’s Community Engagement Review in December 2023.
The Scheme is now open for renewable energy developers and transmission companies. They can now start their evaluation activities under the Scheme.
The Developer Rating Scheme is a voluntary national program. It assesses against seven high-level criteria, with a strong focus on community engagement.
The free public register will list developers with a positive rating. These businesses show good governance, financial stability, and strong engagement capability.
How does it work?
- Equifax will conduct assessments of renewable energy businesses
- They will use measures to assess:
- performance
- track record
- capability (including community engagement capability).
- The developer’s community engagement component will receive a 1–5 star rating
- Businesses that get a positive result and at least 3 stars for community engagement can choose to publish their rating on the DRS
- If a business is not on the public register, it likely has not signed up for an assessment or did not meet the required standards
How communities will benefit
- Identifies reputable and trustworthy businesses reducing the risk of poor engagement outcomes
- Build confidence and trust by spotlighting developers that meet strong standards
- Provides independent information about renewable energy developers
- Helps people understand who is delivering projects in their area and builds trust through clear and open information
Businesses that take part have the opportunity to:
- be part of a world-first initiative
- receive an independent rating that shows they can be trusted
- show publicly that they are serious about listening to communities, managing impacts and being accountable
- show high levels of openness and trust, helping them stand out as industry leaders
- show they are committed to improving how they work with local communities. They use feedback and rating insights to keep improving over time.
Starting the assessment shows leadership. It also builds trust in the sector and helps set a higher standard for the industry.
Developers can sign up by visiting Equifax's DRS webpage:
More information
Stay up to date on the latest information on the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water's webpage: