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Company Name:
Eaga Plc
Website:
www.eaga.com
Industry Sectors:
Support Services, Energy Efficiency, Renewables
SEE Listing Publication Date:
[Not yet fully SEE listed]

SEE Questionnaire Summary

Business Introduction

Description of business

As tackling climate change, reducing carbon emissions, controlling energy costs and promoting energy conservation have moved towards the top of the business, politics and society agendas, demand for energy efficiency products and services has grown.

Since Eaga’s establishment in 1990 we've been at the forefront of environment, energy efficiency and social justice agendas across the UK, with operations in Canada, India and Ireland.

Eaga operates across a broad spectrum of markets, although the services we offer address the fundamental challenges of climate change and/or social inclusion. We have specialised in delivering large scale programmes for two decades, with capacity that serves thousands of customers across the country every single day.

As the UK’s leading provider of residential energy efficiency solutions, Eaga’s activities reduce carbon emissions by more than one tonne in the average home. We insulate a quarter of a million homes and fit more than 50,000 energy efficient central heating systems across the country every year. We are also pioneering renewable energy technologies such as solar thermal and air source heat pumps, and are leading on the development of future technologies in large-scale service delivery.

We're a co-owned business with more than 5,000 Partners (our employees) in over 50 locations. We are proud to deliver outstanding customer service and central to our success is solid commitment to the principles of employee ownership and our strong corporate and social values.

Business vision

Our vision is to lead the support services sector in the delivery of products and services that tackle environmental, energy efficiency and social justice challenges.

Business aims

To lead the support services sector in the delivery of products and services that tackle environmental, energy efficiency and social justice challenges.

To demonstrate that we care for our Partners, customers and communities with integrity, respect and enthusiasm.

Business philosophies and beliefs

We are a unique, values-driven co-owned business, and care for our Partners, customers and communities with integrity, respect and enthusiasm.

Business Values

  • We are a winning team

  • We are customer focused

  • We are dedicated to continuous improvement

  • We have a sense of urgency

  • We act responsibly and safely

  • We are professionals

  • We embrace change and will maintain a sense of fun

Business Information

Date established:
1990
Contact details
Sam Robinson Social Responsibility Manager sam.robinson@eaga.com 01912458533
Business structure
co-owned plc
Address of company headquarters
Eaga House Archbold Terrace Jesmond Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE2 1DB
Countries of operations
UK, Republic of Ireland, Canada, India.
Countries where goods and/or services are sold
Services provided in the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Canada and India.
Size of workforce
5,000.
Financial year
1st June to 31st May.
Market capitalisation
At our most recent reporting date of 31st May 2009 eaga's market capitalisation figure was GBP £738.9 million.
Turnover (last financial year)
Please click here to refer to our 2009 Annual Report and Accounts [http://ww7.global3digital.com/exreport/pdfs/viewer.jsp?ref=8&page=1&zoom=std&view=list&layout=single]
Profit (last financial year)
Please click here to refer to our 2009 Annual Report and Accounts [http://ww7.global3digital.com/exreport/pdfs/viewer.jsp?ref=8&page=1&zoom=std&view=list&layout=single]
Details of owners
Please click here to refer to our 2009 Annual Report and Accounts [http://ww7.global3digital.com/exreport/pdfs/viewer.jsp?ref=8&page=1&zoom=std&view=list&layout=single]
Directors' other business interests
Please click here to refer to our 2009 Annual Report and Accounts [http://ww7.global3digital.com/exreport/pdfs/viewer.jsp?ref=8&page=1&zoom=std&view=list&layout=single]

Goods and Services

Eaga operates across a broad spectrum of markets, although the services we offer all address the fundamental challenges of climate change and social inclusion. We have a proven infrastructure that has driven our ability to deliver large scale programmes for the last two decades, with a delivery capacity that serves thousands of customers across the country every single day.

Climate Change

As the UK’s leading provider of residential energy efficiency solutions, Eaga’s activities reduce carbon emissions by more than a tonne in the average home. We insulate a quarter of a million homes and fit more than 50,000 energy efficient central heating systems across the country every year.

We are also pioneering renewable energy solutions such as solar thermal and air source heat pumps, and are leading on the development of future technologies.

We have a history of devising, developing and delivering innovative environmental products, and rolling them out at scale nationwide. For example, the Eaga Showersmart has been installed in hundreds of thousands of homes in the UK, a unique device that helps householders to save water and save energy, making a real impact on climate change in the process.

Social Inclusion

Since 1990, Eaga has delivered to some of the most vulnerable homes in society. We have helped reduce fuel poverty, provide greater warmth and comfort and have boosted incomes to millions of families across the UK. Our experience in identifying those most vulnerable, understanding how to meet their needs and providing real solutions that make a lasting difference is both substantial and proven across many years.

Through Schemes such as Warm Front, the Digital Switchover Help Scheme, the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) and Benefit Entitlement Check, we remain a force for social inclusion today, serving customers with high demands but low expectations, and making sure that our focus on service excellence never wavers.

Business Responses

Jump to:

Workforce

Does your company consult and cooperate with employees or their representatives, including allowing employees to be represented by trade unions or other workers' groups?

Rationale for question

Consulting with employees, distinct from simply informing them of a decision, involves managers discussing an issue of mutual concern with employees and taking account of their views prior to making a decision.

There are certain legal requirements in many countries regarding employee consultation and collective bargaining. In the UK, the Information and Consultation of Employees (ICE) Regulations, currently applicable to companies with 50 or more employees, require employers to consult employees on specific issues, including 'decisions likely to lead to substantial changes in work organisation or in contractual relations', such as redundancies and transfers.

Beyond legislation, effective communication and consultation is important in maintaining good workforce relations and improving organisational performance. Management has the ability to make better decisions through employee input. As a result of contributing to decision-making, particularly in situations that affect their interests, employees will have greater acceptance of organisational change, increased job satisfaction, improved performance and greater trust of management with the knowledge that they would be consulted before major changes.

Although all organisations have a need to consult with workers, they will have different methods of accommodating consultation. Large organisations may have developed structures for this purpose, such as standing work councils/committees where employees (or their representatives) and employers may discuss issues of concern. Small organisations usually have more informal methods. Options for both large and small organisations are one-on-one meetings, group meetings, and electronic communication (e.g., e-mails and online questionnaires). Consultation may take place directly with an employee, or indirectly through an elected employee representative, either union or non-union. Indirect consultation is more common in large organisations.

Topics for discussion may include:
  • business performance and operations;
  • competition and employment trends;
  • redundancies and workforce changes;
  • remuneration and contractual terms;
  • marketing developments;
  • corporate plans;
  • company policies;
  • environmental issues; and
  • health and safety issues.

Defining Terms

Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Services (Acas) defines 'consultation':
    Consultation is the process by which management and employees or their representatives jointly examine and discuss issues of mutual concern. It involves seeking acceptable solutions to problems through a genuine exchange of views and information. Consultation does not remove the right of managers to manage - they must still make the final decision - but it does impose an obligation that the views of employees will be sought and considered before decisions are taken.

'Other workers' groups' refers to the fact that there are other forms of representation besides external trade unions. These include internal employee unions and temporary groups that arise to address a particular issue.


Primary and Secondary answer requirements

ANSWERING YES

Companies must:

  1. state their number of employees;
  2. describe how they consult, as defined above, with employees or their representatives, including whether the means are formal or informal;
  3. mention how often consultation takes place; and
  4. confirm that employees have the option of joining a trade union or other workers' group, if desired.

Multi-national companies must also:

  1. mention if their employee consultation practices differ from one country to another;
  2. explain any differences; and
  3. confirm that they consult and cooperate with employees or their representatives in all countries of operation, even if legal standards differ in certain countries.

Companies may:

  1. mention some of the issues that are the subjects of consultation; and
  2. explain how they encourage worker participation in decision-making.

ANSWERING NO

Companies must:

  1. explain why they do not or cannot answer YES to this question, listing the business reasons, any mitigating circumstances or other reasons that apply.

Companies may:

  1. describe any relevant employee communication and consultation, even if they do not meet the specifications for answering YES; and
  2. mention any future intentions regarding this issue.

ANSWERING NOT APPLICABLE

Companies must:

  1. confirm that they are made up of directors only and have no employees.

DON'T KNOW is not a permissible answer to this question.


NO ANSWER YET is only permissible under extraordinary circumstances and then for only a limited period.


YES

As at May 2010, Eaga directly employs approximately 4,500 staff.

Despite flotation on the London Stock Exchange in June 2007, around 51% of the company's shares remain in the hands of its employees (called 'Partners'). Around 37% of these shares are in the hands of the eaga Partnership Trust (ePT), thus promoting and underlining Eaga's ongoing commitment to employee engagement through partnership. The partnership model (similar to that of John Lewis Partnership) is supported by a strong constitution and applies to all Eaga employees, including those in Canada, India and the Republic of Ireland. Whether growth is organic or inorganic, all new employees become Partners on day one and have immediate access to all Partner benefits.

An important component of the constitution is Eaga's Partners' Council (ePC) of elected representatives from each part of the business. The stated purpose of the ePC is to 'hold senior managers to account by scrutinising and reviewing business justifications for significant change'.

The ePC meets with the company Executive Board and the Operating Board on a monthly basis and publishes its minutes on the company's internal website. In addition to the constitutional consultative arrangements, each division within the company has a dedicated Information and Consultative Committee (ICC), known internally as 'Partners' Voice' and governed by a Divisional Joint Agreement. Eaga engages Electoral Reform Services (ERS) to manage the selection of representatives for both the ePC and Divisional ICCs. The ePC also have the opportunity to elect two representatives onto the Eaga Board of Trustees.

The nature of the constitution, and the strong consultative mechanisms contained therein, has prompted little employee interest in trade unions. However, individual partners are entitled to join a trade union should they wish to do so and to be accompanied by a trade union representative at formal discipline or grievance meetings.

For further information on this subject, please visit our website.

Submit a comment and/or challenge the accuracy of this information:

(1 = v poor, 2 = poor, 3 = ok, 4 = good, 5 = v good)

If you believe the information provided in this answer is inaccurate, misleading or incomplete, please use this form to say so and an investigation will be initiated. You will need to tick the box below and provide an email address. Your challenge will be sent directly to SEE Ltd. Your email address will not be passed on or made known to the company without your permission.

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Yes No Don't know No answer yet Not applicable