Power arrangers

Who: npower and Macmillan Cancer Support

Objective: The partnership is geared toward shared values and goals. Macmillan provides advice, support and care for those suffering from cancer and their families while npower uses its assets to support the charity. The energy provider donates volunteering time to buddy up with people affected by cancer or make thank you calls on behalf of Macmillan. 

Strategy: One of the key aspects of the partnership is the Fuel Management Programme which sees npower help people in fuel poverty when undergoing treatment or care at home. People undergoing cancer treatment spend more time at home and are more susceptible to the cold, pushing fuel costs higher than normal. Macmillan directs those people living with cancer to discuss their situation with npower, which then puts the house on an affordable payment plan and forgiving debt. One of npower’s values is to treat customers fairly. The Macmillan partnership also allows customers to become more fuel efficient, thus meeting some of Macmillan’s sustainability objectives. In celebrating the partnership’s success, it is now valued at £10m, npower organised 10 challenges for employees beginning with a brisk January jog and dip into the North Sea, in which 80 Sunderland call centre employees participated.

Rationale: Clare McDougall, head of community at npower, says, “We had golf challenges, 24 hour challenges, 10k runs, a rowing challenge which saw 44 people rowing the 21 miles round Lake Windermere in old fashioned rowing boats, a team of 40 people cycling Coast 2 Coast, 40 people hiking up Ben Nevis, 80 people doing a 26-mile marathon walk along Hadrian’s Wall, bungee jumping (into a giant coffee cup as the event coincided with Coffee Morning) and lastly, in December, we’ll have our final challenge where we hope every singly person in the company will raise £10 for Macmillan showing how brilliant the people who work here really are!”