The Women's Institute powers up with Ecotricity

15 April 2003

The National Federation of Women's Institutes (NFWI) is making a stand against the increasing threat of climate change by joining up with Ecotricity, the world's first green electricity company. With the environment high on the NFWI's agenda and climate change and sustainable development a real concern amongst its 230,000 members, this powerful partnership aims to help clean up the UK's electricity production.

The partnership comes hot on the heels of Ecotricity's new home supply service which started delivering green power to households in England and Wales this month. The power doesn't cost customers anymore than conventional electricity from local suppliers and they'll be helping to create new clean sources of electricity. Ecotricity is the only licensed electricity company dedicated to building new energy capacity to replace polluting conventional electricity sources which is an essential step in the bid to tackle climate change.

The Women's Institute was established in 1915 in Wales and is the largest women's organisation in the UK. The NFWI is particularly active on the campaign front and in the summer the organisation dispatched results of its postcard campaign entitled 'What Women Want' to leaders meeting at the third World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. 98% of respondents believed that world leaders are not doing enough for the environment and wanted climate change on the agenda.

Helen Carey, chairman of the NFWI comments, "We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with an ethical company like Ecotricity. The partnership reflects our concerns about the environment and climate change. Both the environment and our members will benefit from the partnership."

Dale Vince, managing director of Ecotricity says, "The WI is a respected 'voice' in this country and its members are obviously concerned about the state of the environment. There is so much we can do as a partnership to help educate people about the value of renewable energy and the responsibility we all have to try and reduce carbon dioxide emissions which case climate change - the biggest threat we all face."

Ecotricity will be donating £5 to the NFWI for every member who signs up to its new domestic service.