The Big Difference: Our colleague powered community programme
Updated 17th March 2025
Two British Gas volunteers pushing wheelbarrows, volunteering to help the environment.
At British Gas, we don’t just power homes and businesses—we support the communities where our 21,000 colleagues live and work. That’s why we created The Big Difference, a programme that puts our people and their communities at the heart of our charitable giving and volunteering.
Rather than partnering with a single national charity, The Big Difference focuses on local, colleague-led support, ensuring help reaches the communities that need it most. Whether through funding, fundraising, or volunteering, we’re empowering our people to make a real impact where it matters.
The Big Difference launched in 2022 and continued to deliver meaningful change in 2024:
- £2.2 million donated to local charities, grassroots sports clubs, and national volunteering partners in 2024.
- 800+ local causes supported, helping smaller organisations provide vital services.
- 6,925 British Gas and Centrica colleagues took part, donating 10,683 volunteering days in 2024 alone—an increase of 371% since launch.
- 178 grassroots sports clubs received funding for kits and equipment, keeping community teams playing.
A new approach to giving back
British Gas employees outside a community centre where they volunteered as a team.
The Big Difference allows our colleagues to directly shape our charitable efforts. Every British Gas employee has access to:
- Matched funding—we match fundraising efforts up to £500 per colleague.
- Two paid volunteering days each year—supporting causes they care about.
Local charity grants—funding distributed through regional Charity Leads, ensuring support goes where it’s needed most.
We want to make a bigger, more personal impact and help the charities and projects that are truly embedded in their local communities.
British Gas colleagues working together to transform the garden of a child with complex health needs.
Volunteering partnerships
We work with national volunteering partners in addition to our local activity to ensure accessibility for all employees. Our initiatives have a measurable impact on society.
Age UK: Centrica volunteers provided 1,000+ hours (~42 days) of telephone support, tackling loneliness among older people.
Bookmark 1-to-1 Reading: Colleagues delivered 79 literacy sessions, helping improve prospects.
Sands Memory Boxes: Centrica/BG fundraising provided materials for 350 bereavement support boxes alongside volunteers knitting more than 100 blankets for those affected by baby loss.
WellChild Garden Projects: Field colleagues helped transform gardens for eight children with complex health issues, creating safe outdoor spaces.
Supporting grassroots sports
Children in their cricket club kits supplied by British Gas.
Community sports clubs bring people together, promote well-being, and inspire the next generation. In 2024, we were able to supply 178 local teams, nominated by employees - with new kits and equipment, this part of our programme has benefitted 670+ clubs to date!
Skills volunteering to make a difference
Centrica colleagues volunteering at a Post Office Pop Up where trained advisors from British Gas Energy Trust funded organisations provide money and energy advice.
The Big Difference isn’t just about financial support—it’s about using our skills and time to create lasting change.
Post Office Pop-Ups - we’ve been back on the road again. Since October last year colleagues have provided in-person support to more than 2,500 people seeking practical guidance on managing money, energy and how to access further support when they need it.
Colleagues also support Energy for Tomorrow - Centrica's social impact fund, which provides funding and other business support to projects that are creating innovative energy programmes and making a difference in their communities. Across the UK, to date - 44 projects have been supported and continue to be Energy for Tomorrow partners.
Our Big Difference commitment
British Gas and Centrica colleagues in a team photo, taking part in environmental volunteering.
We’re committed to donating 100,000 volunteering days by 2030—and with 31,639 days already given, we’re well on our way!
The Big Difference proves that when people are empowered to give back, the impact is incredible. Whether through time, skills, or funding, we’ll continue working with local communities to create positive change.