Customer Spotlight - Church of England
Tell us about your role at the Church of England?
I’m responsible for the delivery of Parish Buying. Parish Buying is a service run by the Archbishops' Council to enable churches, schools, dioceses and cathedrals to reduce their running costs. We are a buying service set up by the Church, for the Church. Through the bulk-buying power of the Church we negotiate competitive prices with suppliers across a range of different contracts. All of our suppliers undergo a careful selection process, and the contracts have been professionally reviewed, so the Church can purchase safe in the knowledge that there will be no catches or hidden surprises. We manage the contracts too, and can guarantee ongoing support from our dedicated customer service team.
How many people/teams within Parish Buying are involved in Energy?
Along with myself there are 3 national procurement officers covering a range of buying categories inclusive of Energy. Our team however is split geographically between our procurement office in Wales (where customer services and IT support are based) and Church House in Westminster.
What would you say are Parish Buying’s top 3 priorities?
To save money, save church volunteers time and save the environment.
Is the Church of England involved in any Renewable Energy initiatives?
Yes. We’re already purchasing, as part of our framework agreement with TGP, renewable electricity to cover 100% of our churches in England and Wales.
How much energy does the Church of England use?
Of that supplied by TGP, approx. 35m kWh of electricity per annum and approx. 135m KWh of gas per annum.
How much does the Church of England spend on energy?
Of that supplied by TGP, circa. £7-8m per annum.
How many sites does the Church of England have?
Of that supplied by TGP, approx. 5,000 meters in England and Wales, which is the biggest energy buying scheme for churches in the country, and there are hundreds more joining every year.
How would you rate your relationship with TGP? What’s good about working with us and what would you like to change/improve?
The commitment that we have developed to delivering renewable energy across our electricity portfolio has been an excellent addition to the basket offering. Our confidence in TGP has a supplier has also grown over the course of the relationship leading to a stronger partnership approach to delivering the solutions we need.
What are Parish Buying’s goals/priorities for the next 12 months?
Parish Buying was created to help churches save money and time, which can then be spent on mission within their communities instead. We therefore aim to continue growing the service - to increase the number of churches buying energy through the Energy Basket, to increase awareness of the contracts we offer, and to encourage more churches to use the procurement guidance available on the Parish Buying website.
