London, 10 June 2010

Businesses must make energy a board level concern and develop a strategy to manage energy use to avoid financial and reputational challenges. This is just one message from energy supplier npower in a series of new podcasts that have been created to raise awareness of the growing implications of energy use and give businesses advice on how to manage them. Developed in conjunction with the Major Energy Users Council, the podcasts include interviews with npower specialists and MEUC director general, Andrew Buckley, on carbon reduction; energy purchasing; renewables and the energy gap.

The podcasts tackle these subjects seeking to provide clear guidance on what each issue actually means for businesses, and also discuss the benefits of taking action to manage energy more effectively.

Commenting on the podcasts, Wayne Mitchell, head of corporate sales at npower said:  “As staff issues have risen up the corporate agenda HR directors have taken a seat on the board and some are now even taking the step to appoint IT directors, but energy isn’t always a board priority.  We believe that time has come – energy now brings with it financial, carbon, operational and even reputational considerations that deserve board level attention, but we know that it’s not always clear exactly how such considerations affect the running of a business.

“Our plan with these podcasts is to discuss these pressing issues and provide guidance on exactly what businesses need to think about in their energy use.  We hope they prove a useful insight into the decisions that need to be made on energy use and the importance of developing an energy strategy.”

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