Friday 24 August 2012

Nationwide teaching staff to be efficient

The world's largest building society Nationwide is teaching its staff to become more energy efficient with an online behaviour change tool.

Working with advisors at the Carbon Trust, the firm hopes to save money and cut carbon emissions by teaching workers in its branches with a software programme called Empower.

The online tool uses a sort of virtual reality, including depictions of retail branches and admin centres, to show employees small but effective actions they can take, such as switching off monitors and lights when they are not needed.

Other advice to staff covers transport options for getting to and from work and using teleconferencing instead of travelling to meetings.

Lynn Forrester, Sustainability Manager at Nationwide said: "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 within the organisation for our strategy to be truly successful.”

Richard Rugg, Director of Programmes at the Carbon Trust said: "We expect that by helping their employees work in a more environmentally-friendly way Nationwide will reap both financial and social benefits. We hope to see staff carry that behaviour into other areas of their lives."