Society empowers its staff

Nationwide has partnered with the Carbon Trust to engage its staff with energy efficiency

Nationwide and the Carbon Trust have developed a bespoke version of the trust’s online behaviour change tool, Empower, as a way of engaging the building society’s 15,000 employees with energy efficiency and helping it make financial and carbon savings.

The tailored edition of Empower features virtual representations of familiar locations and energy-efficiency tips designed specifically for the building society, while advice is provided across various business areas, such as retail branches and administration centres.

There is also information on reducing travel, including transport options for getting to and from work and details on teleconferencing options instead of travelling to meetings.

Employees will be encouraged to pledge how they will help cut carbon as part of the initiative, enabling the building society to target the most effective places to change behaviour, as well as monitor expectations and progress.

“Our employees’ support is vital for us to achieve our environmental targets and environmental sustainability must be embedded into the hearts and minds of everyone in the organisation for our strategy to be truly successful,” commented sustainability manager Lynn Forrester.

In 2008, Nationwide stopped buying electricity that was generated solely from renewable sources, preferring to use the difference in price between so-called “green” and “brown” electricity to invest in improving the energy efficiency of its buildings and facilities.

The society is currently rolling out building-management systems across its branch network with the aim of reducing energy use by 16%.

Meanwhile, the government has confirmed that it will contest European Commission legal proceedings against the UK for refusing to withdraw the reduced rate of VAT for energy-saving materials installed in residential accommodation, claiming the rate is consistent with EU law.