International Award

Northern Gas Networks has won an international award for implementing a new computer system.

£22m was spent developing the IT systems which drive its daily operations, successfully introducing them in three phases during late 2006.

Now that effort has been recognised at the inaugural Applied Innovation Awards, which were held in New York on Tuesday, 23 October, 2007.

The Applied Innovation Award for Business Excellence recognises organisations that have innovated collaboratively with a sourcing partner through co-innovation, or global sourcing. The award rewards organisations which have successfully taken their breakthrough idea from concept to reality and have results to show for their efforts.

Applied Innovation is the ability to infuse newer ideas and newer ways of doing things into all parts of the organisation, and improve business outcomes, often without major disruptive change. It is a 360-degree business approach covering process, delivery, business and technology Innovations that help Wipro to work collaboratively with clients for cost take-outs, speed to market and new business opportunities. It is the science of viewing innovation though the lens of practicality to design unique solutions for end customers.

The awards were organised by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals, the Information Technology Association of America, Forbes.com, and Wipro Technologies, the Indian IT provider.

There were five categories of awards:

• Process Innovation – innovations that lead to significant Operational Efficiency, Operational Effectiveness and Strategic Flexibility;

• Business Innovation – Changes the way in which business is currently functioning. It can include Innovation Network partnerships, and risk-mitigating engagement models to assist clients in their business model transformation efforts by co-innovating with clients a tailored business solution that confers significant competitive advantage. It also includes Corporate Governance and Global HR management;

• Delivery Model Innovation – an innovation that revolutionises the way in which a service is delivered to clients. The delivery model should be applicable to multiple processes. The clients can be internal as well as external;

• Service / Product Innovation – Developing a new service or product for the customer which uses unique technology or frameworks; and

• Innovator of the year – An individual who has demonstrated long term commitment to the cause of innovation.

Northern Gas Networks was the runner-up in the Process Innovation category. There were 153 nominations to the competition, from which just 28 became finalists, with Northern Gas Networks picking up one of only 12 awards. Director of Communications John O'Grady and Commercial Manager Tom Bell collected their cut glass trophy at a special presentation in the St Regis Hotel, New York.

"This award reflects the many thousands of man hours which were delivered by hundreds of people over the 20-month project to specify, design, build and implement the computer systems which drive our business on a daily basis," said Mr O'Grady.

"It recognises the innovative way in which the work was delivered by Northern Gas Networks, the owner of the gas distribution assets across the North of England, with our contracted operator United Utilities, our IT provider Wipro Technologies and a wide range of supporting companies and individuals.

"The homes and businesses to which we deliver gas across the North of England are the real beneficiaries of what has been achieved."