How can businesses support staff with energy bills during winter?

It is estimated that the average UK household will be spending about £1,923 a year on their energy bills from October, down from £2,074 last year.

However, without the government support that was available last winter, new figures from the Resolution Foundation demonstrate that 7.2 million – or 35% of homes – in England will spend more than they did last winter. In light of this, employers are being urged to expand cost-of-living support for workers.

However, new research from the leading corporate sustainability consultants, SaveMoneyCutCarbon, found that a staggering 56% of UK workers agreed their employer provides them with zero information on how to be sustainable at home, including saving on their energy bills.

To this end, the money-saving platform launched its industry-first employee app – EcoWise – providing critical support for employees needing to save money on bills and lower energy usage.

From tackling energy-saving tips at the office and at home, the app comes after further research from  SaveMoneyCutCarbon highlighted a staggering 93% of employees state that practising sustainable behaviours is important to their motivation and wellbeing.

In a climate where high energy bills are having detrimental impacts on people’s health and wellbeing, Mark Sait, CEO & founder of the service, reveals their sustainability programmes have already helped businesses save 32 million kilowatt hours of energy, 772 million litres of water and 24 million tonnes of carbon reduction for over 1000 projects to businesses across the UK.

Heralding the first employee-facing app of its kind, SaveMoneyCutCarbon’s EcoWise offers a year-long programme for employees and business owners to audit, track, and lower their carbon output at work and at home.

Consisting of interactive carbon literacy assessments and 52 educational articles a year, the app explicitly informs staff on how they can go about inciting change in their behaviour to be more sustainable whilst gaining rewards, that they can spend in the Home Shop, for eco-friendly homewares. Companies can then see quantifiable data on the progress of companies ESG strategies so they can see their progress in real time.

Unlike any other platform, EcoWise provides the tools and technologies to make these changes – from eco-friendly daily consumable swaps to a full home retrofit. The application is also widely accessible, offering customer support and financing to remove all existing barriers on the road to net zero.

Mark Sait, the CEO/founder of SaveMoneyCutCarbon, comments on why the responsibility of taking action on climate change lies in the hands of business owners, HR and training staff.

Said said, “Given the cost-of-living crisis and the escalating climate emergency, when funding stands still, it goes backwards. With schemes popping up and expiring in the last decade, it’s hard to get a measure of the total value of grants offered over time. In all cases, these schemes are usually time bound and subject to whims or changing administrations. They can only ever be part of the solution.

“It is crucial for employers to understand the generations who are increasingly turning away from roles who do not prioritise ESG goals, but further to continue to drive progress on the challenges that matter most to them. This will not only help boost productivity and retain talent—it will ultimately build trust and value for business in society more broadly.

“Our young generation of workers are looking for employers that can help empower them to make a difference. Organizations that actively listen and help address their needs and concerns will improve business resiliency and implement actionable change in our world.

“It is vital for UK businesses and homeowners to be aware of the funding options available to them. But it is a mistake to rely only on these schemes – and SaveMoneyCutCarbon demonstrates that saving money on your bills, and reducing carbon emissions, now go hand in hand. With our EcoWise programme businesses can help both attract and retain talent in line with these new reports – not only will it boost staff morale but contribute to our wider net zero goals.”