Bristol Energy customers raise £30,000 for The Big Issue through green tariff

Bristol Energy customers have raised over £30,000 for the street paper and social enterprise The Big Issue, after switching to The Big Issue Super Green Tariff.

The energy provider and The Big Issue embarked on a mission to tackle fuel poverty, support local communities and advocate for renewable energy back in May 2019.

The partnership gave readers the chance to power their homes with the special Big Issue Tariff while raising vital funds to support the most vulnerable people in society at the same time.

Every time a customer switches to Bristol Energy’s two-year fixed Big Issue Super Green Tariff, Bristol Energy donates up to £30 to The Big Issue (£15 per fuel).

Switching to The Big Issue Super Green Tariff is one easy way to support The Big Issue’s work and make a difference

Now, a year on, the proceeds from the partnership have generated more than £30,000 for The Big Issue, which will go towards The Big Issue’s mission to dismantle poverty at one of the most crucial times in its history as vendors — including Bristol’s Jeff Knight (pictured) — are temporarily moved off the streets because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Allan Booth, Managing Director at Bristol Energy, said: “Bristol Energy and The Big Issue are two very different organisations, but together, we’re celebrating a partnership of shared values. We strive to support our local communities and eliminate social injustice. By switching to the Big Issue Super Green Tariff, people are helping us help The Big Issue thrive, and the timing couldn’t be more vital, amid this national emergency.

“Inevitably, Covid-19 has resulted in the friendly Big Issue faces and voices we’re used to interacting with absent from the public eye. While it’s great news The Big Issue is being sold in stores for the very first time, more needs to be done to keep this momentous newspaper movement alive. Switching to The Big Issue Super Green Tariff is one easy way to support The Big Issue’s work and make a difference.

“We’re delighted that our partnership has raised over £30,000 since launch last year and hope this makes a significant impact on The Big Issue, its street vendors and our local community.”

Russell Blackman, Managing Director at The Big Issue, said: “The Big Issue is one of the UK’s most trusted brands and this campaign, built on the principles of authenticity and impact created through partnership, is exactly the kind of initiative that we are seeking to develop in the future at The Big Issue.

“By creating a Big Community with progressive organisations like Bristol Energy, we can respond to pressing social and environmental needs through the power of collaboration and communication.”

In the year since Bristol Energy teamed up with The Big Issue, they have become a vital part of the street paper’s Big Community. The initiative sees The Big Issue create genuinely impactful partnerships that positively affect the lives of individuals and communities, while also creating wide reaching campaigns designed to raise the profile of issues and celebrate the solutions.

By working together, The Big Issue aims to extend its impact to help tackle the societal and environmental challenges of our time.

Bristol Energy fit that mould because they are different to your average energy company. The energy supplier is helping Bristol tackle social and environmental challenges, such as fuel poverty and climate change. Bristol Energy has raised over £50,000 to date through its Fuel Good Fund, set up to help households in fuel poverty. In January, they launched three new green energy tariffs, in a bid to help Bristol meet its 2030 carbon neutral target.

That green approach is also evident in The Big Issue Super Green Tariff, which offers customers a greener energy supply; containing 100 per cent green electricity, sourced directly from UK generators, and 100 per cent gas carbon offsets.*

Find out about The Big Issue Super Green Tariff here.

*The former Big Issue Tariff contained 15% green gas. From January (2020) the tariff was renamed Big Issue Super Green Tariff, now containing 100% gas carbon offsets.