IQ-S Working Groups
The IQ-S Committee’s initial list of “Key Substantives Issues” was developed and refined by the IQ Full Committee Interim (2022) Leadership Team at a joint all-day, in-person Strategic Planning meeting held on July 19th, 2022, in Champaign. The list was developed after the LT considered a long list of issues that have been raised by CBOs, CAAs and others over the prior two years through the prior IQ Advisory Committee (established under FEJA) and elsewhere. The list of “Key Substantive Issues” was later refined by the IQ-S LT. The 2025 substantive topics are a combination of original substantive topics and topics conceived and led by the current IQ-S LT.
In 2025, the descriptions of “Key Substantive Issues” will be reviewed through Working Groups with input from interested Committee members. Working Groups will be open to all interested Committee Members and will be structured to foster engagement and dialogue. Each Working Group will be led by at least one Committee Leadership Team Member, and ideally supported by two or more. Any Committee Member who seeks to participate in a Working Group will be expected to attend regularly and contribute to the framing, discussion and deliverables of the Working Group.
Many of the issues below are also being addressed and developed through other organizations, initiatives and processes currently underway in IL. The Committee will seek to foster collaboration and leverage other efforts to avoid unnecessary and/or unproductive duplication of effort.
Working Groups on key issues, below, will be established starting in Q1 of 2025. The number of Working Groups and pace of each Working Group will be determined by the engagement and interest of the assigned Committee LT member(s) and Committee Members.
Key Issues
- Increase Support for Diverse Contractors: Conduct a survey based on initial diverse contractor interviews to assess how diverse contractors have grown since joining Ameren IL projects, focusing on revenue growth and expanded capabilities, especially in trades. Survey will include one-on-one interviews with select contractors. Analyze funding access, job opportunities, and support needs to identify barriers and develop recommendations for further supporting increased trade ally capabilities, opportunities, and revenue.
2025 LT Lead: Odette Watson - Support Employment for Returning Citizens: Survey employers and develop an Employer Toolkit to support the hiring of system-impacted individuals, with a focus on strategies for building confidence and integrating returning citizens into the EE workforce. Subcommittee engagement with potential employers and also, separately, justice-impacted workforce candidates.
2025 LT Lead: Mindy Browning - Provide Energy Efficiency Overview to “Emerging Professionals”: Launch a monthly training program for emerging professionals in EE, budget permitting, to build foundational knowledge and leadership skills in the sector. Build knowledge and competencies in program and portfolio management, plus provide exposure to key related activities in IL through leaders in industry. Foster and strengthen relationships between participants, yielding a strong network for emerging. 2025 LT Lead(s): Mindy Browning, Theresa Collins, Odette Watson
- Improve messaging and education to disadvantaged communities and customers: This includes messages to help overcome “distrust” barrier (customers who view any energy offering with distrust, even if the offering could provide significant value), how to read bills/understand usage and educating customers about options, including energy efficiency, conservation, bill payment options/programs to help disadvantaged customers pay and manage their bills. Additional outreach and engagement will be developed through the RFP awardees, as overseen by the IQ-S LT and Future Energy Enterprises, LLC.
2025 LT Lead(s): Mindy Browning, Theresa Collins, Odette Watson - Develop Air Conditioning Pilot and Longer-Term Plan for Protecting Customers During “High Heat” Days: Design and launch a pilot program to test cooling solutions and develop customer materials highlighting the dangers of high heat and the importance of cooling protections for vulnerable populations. Address challenges such as expanding tree canopies, cool roofs, and preventing summer electricity disconnections for vulnerable populations. Focus on data-driven long-term strategies for protecting at-risk communities from heat-related health impacts. Solicit customer and participating CBO/CAA feedback.
2025 LT Lead: Theresa Collins - Identifying & Capturing Operational Efficiencies: The IQ-S LT has identified multiple opportunities for streamlining procedures, improving engagement with CBOs/CAAs and Trade Allies, and has identified other cost and operational efficiencies. The IQ-S LT will select a few topics to research and evaluate for recommendations to Ameren IL.
2025 LT Lead: Theresa Collins - Pilot an IQ-S LT “Listening Post”: The IQ S LT will pilot a plan to collect comments/feedback from outreach activities, as well as any entities or organizations who are CBOs, CAAs or contractors, to ask questions and make recommendations to Ameren IL. The IQ-S LT will select a reasonable number of issues to further explore and bring to Ameren IL’s attention to seek resolution. Other issues will be placed on a “Parking Lot” list so Ameren IL can be aware of issue and resolve directly. The “Listening Post” will not address customer complaints, which need to be handled through the program. The IQ-S LT will track all issues received on a tracking sheet that will be posted on its internal SharePoint Site.
2025 LT Lead(s): Mindy Browning, Theresa Collins, Odette Watson