Trade Body of the Year (J)
WINNER Association of Independent Financial Advisers
AIFA is an effective, dynamic and influential trade association that has grown to represent approximately 85 per cent of the IFA community. Its lobbying successes stretch from the European Parliament, to the Treasury, through to the FSA.
It has capitalised on this success by developing two sister trade bodies – the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries and the Association of Finance Brokers.
Despite having just 14 members of staff, the output this small organisation produces, and its influence and standing within regulatory circles, belies its size and resources.
AIFA’s most significant achievement during the past year was its lobbying on the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) where the FSA recognised the validity of many of AIFA’s arguments in its interim report. AIFA called for a clear distinction between ‘advice’ and ‘sales’ and it achieved its goal.
AIFA’s call for the minimum threshold qualification for financial advisers to be raised to QCA Level 4 was also recognised by the FSA, as well as calls to end provider input into remuneration. All of these measures develop the financial advice profession at the same time as greatly benefiting consumers.
In 2008 AIFA produced a 'Manifesto for Advice', which served to represent the growing need for financial advice and AIFA’s desire to communicate the value of that advice to a wide audience. The document gained wide cross-party political support, as well as the backing of consumer organisations. AIFA has also produced research into how trust can be restored in financial services, as well as a landmark study into decumulation, both of which have gained widespread political backing.
In respect of innovation and creativity, AIFA has been particularly active on the web, with much of its activities conducted online including newsflashes, live discussions, member surveys, blogs, microsites and specific member-interest sites.
AIFA is also in the process of establishing a social networking site for its members, as well as online learning facilities.
Energy Retail Association
The Energy Retail Association (ERA) public affairs team provides a voice for the domestic energy retail industry in an often hostile environment.
Much parliamentary attention is focused on energy retail issues, and the ERA represents the sector in Westminster, Holyrood and Cardiff. Part of its work is the ‘bread and butter’ of public affairs: providing a comprehensive and professional service for members through monitoring, rapid response and rebuttal to parliamentary activity, responses to committee inquiries, detailed briefing for parliamentarians on varied debates, and building a cross-party network of contacts.
The ERA has also devoted much of its time to campaigning on behalf of members to secure a mandate for universal domestic smart metering. Smart meters have the power to revolutionise the way that customers use and suppliers sell energy, helping to tackle fuel poverty and reduce carbon emissions.
Through a campaign highlighting to parliamentarians the significant social and environmental benefits of smart metering, the ERA built a powerful cross-party body of support for smart metering.
Trying to make metering interesting was a challenge that required an imaginative approach to briefing materials: these included an animated film, a deck of cards, and a demonstration smart meter (complete with hairdryer!) to enable parliamentarians to see how a smart meter works.
The ERA also departed from type by working in partnership with a body that was a fierce critic of the industry: Energywatch. Working as part of a coalition meant a greater number of politicians could be targeted, and added weight to the ERA’s message about the consumer benefits of smart meters.
The two-year public affairs campaign bore fruit for the ERA’s members last year with the Government’s decision to mandate universal domestic smart metering. By mobilising cross-party support in Westminster, Holyrood and Cardiff, the ERA first pressed for smart metering clauses to be included in the Energy Act, and then successfully lobbied for a crucial industry amendment.
In short, this campaign has enabled the greatest sociological and technological transformation of the energy supply industry since the introduction of North Sea gas to homes in the 1970s.
Institution of Civil Engineers
Surveys of the 80,000 members have the Institution to use its voice to urge government to invest in Britain’s infrastructural fabric.
In pursuit of this, the ICE policy and public affairs teams (and ICE’s part-time public affairs adviser Lionel Zetter) have made numerous achievements over the past year.
The ICE has responded to 29 government consultation documents and given evidence to five select committee inquiries.
The body has published reports on ‘capacity and skills’, transport, road pricing, energy, ‘security and resilience’ and climate change. It has regularly briefed government ministers and opposition spokespeople on engineering, construction and infrastructure issues.
It held high-profile events at the three main party conferences and has supported calls for an Independent Planning Commission, National Planning Statements and the creation of the post of chief construction officer – all of which have come about.
It also called for the creation of a National Infrastructure Bank to make good the shortfall in PFI funding – which has now been announced.
As part of its public affairs programme, the ICE formed the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Infrastructure, with Nick Raynsford MP as chair and five former ministers among its 44 members.
It has also created the Strategic Infrastructure Group and the Strategic Communication Group, and facilitated their meetings.
The ICE prepared detailed Budget submissions advising government of the most cost-effective use of resources for investing in infrastructure.
In seeking to influence government policy on the crucial area of flood-risk management, the ICE contributed significantly to the official government report (the Pitt Review) and negotiated for it to be launched at the ICE’s headquarters. It launched its own report (taking a longer-term view of the options) immediately after the government launch.
The ICE held a simultaneous launch in Gloucester and used the Duke of Gloucester to highlight the issues and attract national and local media coverage.
