Good Energy has joined 11 other retail energy suppliers in signing up to Energy UK’s Vulnerability Commitment.
The voluntary commitment was established in 2021 by Energy UK, to improve the support available for vulnerable customers. Signatories have committed to drive continuous improvement in support for customers in vulnerable circumstances based on three key principles: accessibility, innovation and collaboration.
The Commitment is designed to go above and beyond existing licence obligations and includes requirements to implement specific training for frontline staff, assign a dedicated board-level or equivalent Vulnerability Champion and undertake consumer research to ensure the company’s approach to supporting vulnerable customers is informed and up-to-date.
The Vulnerability Commitment is independently chaired, and each year requires signatories to evidence their processes at panel hearings.
Earlier this year, Energy UK published a summary Good Practice Guide, highlighting the exceptionally innovative and noteworthy work that signatories are doing to support the most vulnerable households.
With Good Energy joining as a signatory, suppliers signed up to the Vulnerability Commitment now cover 80% of the domestic market.
Steve Crabb, Chair of Energy UK’s Vulnerability Commitment, said:
“I’m delighted that Good Energy have signed up for the Vulnerability Commitment – they have a clear passion for doing the right thing for customers who need extra help, and this takes us one step closer to getting the whole industry participating in the commitment.”
Nigel Pocklington, Good Energy CEO said:
“It has always been Good Energy’s policy to protect vulnerable customers however we can, and now is a more important time than ever to do so. Energy UK’s Vulnerability Commitment is an essential standard for the industry, so we are very happy to have met the requirements of the independently chaired commission and joined. We are acutely aware of the numbers of customers struggling and the challenge facing us this winter and beyond — this commitment will underpin the job we have ahead to help them wherever possible.”
Notes
- The full set of principles and commitments which form the Vulnerability Commitment
- The Vulnerability Commitment Good Practice Guide 2022 can be found here.
- Signatories to the Vulnerability Commitment are: British Gas, Bulb, E, Ecotricity, EDF, Good Energy, Octopus, Outfox the Market, OVO, Scottish Power, So Energy and Utility Warehouse
- Any supplier can sign up and Energy UK has worked with both members and non-members
About Good Energy:
Good Energy is a generator and supplier of 100% renewable power and an innovator in energy services. Since it was founded over 20 years ago, the company has been at the forefront of the charge towards a cleaner, distributed energy system. Its mission is to support UK households and businesses generate, store and share clean power.
The company boasts a 100% renewable energy mix, provided by 1,700 independent generators of wind, biogeneration, solar and hydroelectric power. Its support for renewables has been recognised by the Which? Eco Provider, Uswitch Green Tariff Gold Standard, Ethical Consumer Best Buy and Good Housekeeping Getting Greener accreditations.
Based in Chippenham, Wiltshire, it employs more than 250 staff and has more than 270,000 customers.
About Energy UK
Energy UK is the trade association for the energy industry with over 100 members – from established FTSE 100 companies right through to new, growing suppliers, generators and service providers across energy, transport, heat and technology. We represent the majority of the energy sector – excluding networks and upstream oil and gas. Our members deliver nearly 80% of the UK’s power generation and over 95% of the energy supply for 28 million UK homes as well as businesses. The sector invests £13bn annually and delivers nearly £30bn in gross value – on top of the nearly £100bn in economic activity through its supply chain and interaction with other sectors – and supports over 700,000 jobs in every corner of the country. The energy industry is key to delivering growth and plans to invest £100bn over the course of this decade in new energy sources.