UK DIY store Wickes saved more than £500,000 on its energy bill last year after training its staff to cut energy usage.

The company trained 146 member across 230 stores through Low Energy Company’s (LEC) quiz-style e-learning, which provided them with the knowledge needed to reduce personal energy consumption at work.

The programme began after store manager Neil Chetwynd noticed an overspend on electricity.

Wickes’ North West region saved £30,500 in a period of six months as a result of the energy reduction programme.

Mr Chetwynd said: “There has been a culture change. It’s about changing behaviour until the conscious becomes the subconscious. It’s great for the environment and it’s brilliant for our profit line. It has been an enormous success so far.”

Huong Truong