Our Community Relations flagship programmes and strong community relationships give us the opportunity to differentiate ourselves within the industry

Richard Price, who is based at Tipton, volunteers with St John Ambulance as a Divisional Officer. He is involved in organising events and weekly training nights for about 20 young people aged between 10 and 18. He also attends regular public events providing First Aid cover. Whilst volunteering at public duties, he has to supervise other members of St John Ambulance. The experience he has gained whilst doing this has proved invaluable to help him perform his current supervisory role within our company. To complement this, the skills that he has developed in his role with us provide him with new ideas and ways of working in his role with St John Ambulance.

Craig Short works in Customer Services. He first became involved with our employee involvement programme in June 2007, when he attended a three week Football Association level 1 coaching course. As part of our sponsorship of the FA Cup, employees have the opportunity to train as a level 1 coach. Since completing the course, he has gone on to coach Southwell United Devils' under 12s team, in the Nottinghamshire Women's Football League. This opportunity has done wonders for his self-confidence and has allowed him to develop some of the core skills he needs in his everyday work. These include coaching and decision-making.

He has also taken part in the Business in the Community children's breakfast club annual event at Nottingham Forest Football Club's City Ground. This was held in conjunction with a wide range of businesses across the city to highlight the benefits to children of having breakfast every day and the impact this has on their attention levels.

Having seen the benefits of this opportunity, he then volunteered for our Changing Energy programme. This involved visiting a local secondary school to discuss issues around climate change and the positive and negative impacts that we can all have.

It was an excellent opportunity to involve those who will see the ever-growing effects of climate change and to encourage them to think about and discuss what everyone can do to limit the impact of climate change in an ever more developing world.

Craig was also able to promote what we're doing to alleviate the effects of climate change and ensure sustainability in the supply of energy.

Both activities have given Craig the chance to play a part in delivering our corporate responsibility vision. It has enabled him to get involved with his local community and make an impact on a number of levels from both an environmental and a social point of view.

Craig said "The impacts these opportunities have had on me cannot be understated. I feel proud to have played my part in the delivery of E.ON's vision."