# Npower explores switching funds to powerful community-led initiatives

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2012/12/04/npower-explores-switching-funds-powerful-communityled-initiatives/
- Published: 2012-12-04T14:27:48+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

UK gas and electricity supplier Npower is exploring investing £7m saved from ending
its deal with the Football League into mutually beneficial community-led initiatives.
The move, reported in Marketing, comes as the company seeks to improve its brand
perception in an increasingly competitive sector seeking redemption from a period
of poor complaints handling, devious door-step selling tactics and overcharging 
customers that resulted in regulator Ofgem introducing sweeping reforms.

This move signals a significant endorsement of the power of corporate-community 
partnerships, coming at a time when the energy sector needs to take both feet off
the corporate naughty step and look at new ways to help regain trust amongst customers.
It should also provide a valuable case-study for the toolkit of corporate fundraisers
focussed on trying to tap into some of the corporate sector's most lucrative budgets
such as sports sponsorship and above-the-line advertising.

Following this news, I imagine Npower will be inundated with hundreds of cold calls
and thousands of letters of introduction from causes looking to benefit from its
new focus. However, woe betide any fundraisers turning up at its HQ, unannounced,
and asking the company to consider switching its priorities there and then. Mind
you….

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[http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/1162650/Npower-switches-marketing-focus-charity-ties/](http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/1162650/Npower-switches-marketing-focus-charity-ties)

[http://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-thompson/0/898/a5](http://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-thompson/0/898/a5)

 

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