MSP visits Eaga on green fact find
Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP) Patrick Harvie has visited green support services provider Eaga as part of environmental best practice fact finding mission.
The influential Green Party MSP for Glasgow is Co-Convenor of the Scottish Green Party and Convenor of the Transport Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee.
During his visit he was shown a number of Eaga’s operations including its work with renewables, green training programmes and benefit advice services for the vulnerable.
He also saw some of Eaga’s initiatives to cut its own carbon footprint, including a fleet of electric cars for city-based staff to drive between offices.
With more than 5,000 staff operating across the UK, Eaga specialises in a mix of household energy efficiency improvements.
Much of this includes delivering large scale solar and other green energy solutions specifically designed to help low income groups and social housing tenants.
Through its work with central and devolved government, energy suppliers, local authorities and social landlords, Eaga visits up to 3,000 households every working day, helping to make their homes warmer, greener and more affordable to heat.
The FTSE 250 company is also using its training academy to build what it describes as a green collar workforce with the skills fit for an increasingly low carbon economy.
Indeed, a first batch of trainees has just started a three-year apprenticeship course in gas and renewable energy heating. More than 400 staff across the UK have also completed an NVQ level 3 in loft and cavity wall insulation.
Mr Harvie was also introduced to Eaga’s Advice Services, which provides telephone-based benefit entitlement, debt, housing and legal advice to customers.
Last year more than 84,000 Benefit Entitlement Checks were carried out, resulting in around 40% of customers receiving an average increase in annual income in excess of £1,600.
Mr Harvie said: “I was extremely impressed with the work being undertaken by Eaga in promoting environmental and social inclusion. As we make the transition to low and zero-carbon living it is crucial that we have a workforce with the relevant skills and that we make green technologies like solar available to all in society – regardless of their ability to pay.
“The risks from climate change are clear, but there are also opportunities for those businesses with genuine solutions to these challenges. From what I have seen Eaga is making an extraordinary contribution to meeting these challenges.”
Simon Kemp, from Eaga Scotland, added: “Mr Harvie has a strong track record of advancing environmental and social justice in Scotland and we were delighted that he should take the time to visit us and learn more about Eaga.”
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For more information please contact:
Rik Kendall
Eaga Group Media Relations Manager
Tel: 0191 245 8342
e:mail: rik.kendall@eaga.com
James Mackenzie
Head of Media for the Green MSPs
Tel: 07909 933 074
e:mail: james.mackenzie@scottish.parliament.uk
Notes to Editors
1. Eaga plc is a green support services and outsourcing company. It is also the UK’s largest residential energy efficiency provider.
2. Eaga was established in Newcastle in 1990 and operates across the UK and in the Republic of Ireland, India and Canada. It employs over 5,000 people.
3. Eaga works in partnership with central and local Government, all six major energy suppliers, local authorities, social housing providers and is increasing its share of the able-to-pay private market.
4. Since its inception, Eaga has made a positive difference to over 5 million disadvantaged households across the UK, by installing energy efficiency insulation and central heating.
5. Eaga holds the contract to deliver the £1.5 billion Warm Front programme in England, the cornerstone of government's target to eliminate fuel poverty.
6. Eaga was recently appointed by the BBC to deliver the Switchover Help Scheme to ensure eligible households can receive help making the switch from analogue to digital.
7. Eaga is committed to co-ownership and is one of only a handful of UK organisations where every employee with over a year’s service is entitled to a share in the success of the business.
8. Since 2000, Eaga has invested over £3 million in the independent Eaga Partnership Charitable Trust which funds research into solutions to fuel poverty.