NatWest Group works with technology specialist Diode to help SMEs transition to net zero
Diode, a specialist in digital user journeys to drive net zero technology adoption, has been announced by Dame Alison Rose, CEO of NatWest Group, at the Group’s Climate Strategy 2023 event as a key strategic partner to help the group achieve their ambitious climate change goals.
The event was held at NatWest Group’s headquarters in Central London and was attended by NatWest Group board members and senior staff, members of the House of Lords, journalists and partners. Dame Alison Rose opened with a keynote speech to set out the Group’s climate change ambitions, which focused on retrofitting homes and supporting businesses with their journey to net zero.
Diode was announced as a key delivery partner to support SMEs with NatWest’s transition to net zero, amongst the likes of Places for People, British Gas, Schneider Electric and Pineapple Sustainable Partnerships, which will focus on retrofitting UK housing.
Since late-2022, Diode has been working closely with the Group to develop and pilot a first-class digital journey, creating a one-stop-shop for SMEs to transition to electric vehicles. This includes access to Diode’s clever EV suitability assessment, instant driver readiness report, dynamic business insights dashboard and links to NatWest Group’s existing partnerships, such as Octopus.
The platform enables businesses to engage, educate and empower all employees to make the switch to an EV, including those who might be ready for an EV but don’t yet know it. Each employee receives a dynamic, personalised EV readiness report to show exactly how an EV could work for them, such as the convenience of charging and running cost savings. They can then use their results to explore how different EV models would fit into their lifestyle, viewing metrics such as charging costs and rapid charging frequency.
The business receives a range of dynamically updated insights to help make informed decisions and avoid costly mistakes with their EV transition, such as understanding the correct number of charge points required, potential cost and CO2 savings and an overview of EV readiness across the business.
Finally, the platform allows businesses or employees to select the right replacement vehicles. They can also begin the process of getting workplace and home charge points installed, and consider other EV support services. Customers are passed to Lombard’s sales team to fulfil their vehicle order, with the confidence that they have made an informed decision and will have the right infrastructure in place.
Jon Horsfield, founder and CEO of Diode, said:“We are incredibly excited to announce our partnership with NatWest Group to bring our cutting-edge technology to their customers. They are a truly forward-thinking organisation and have seen the powerful potential in our platform.
Our roadmap of product innovations and ambition to make net zero technologies accessible to everyone aligns perfectly with NatWest Group’s climate goals. Together, we can make a real impact in the fight against climate change.”
Ian Isaac, managing director at Lombard said: “Through our work with Diode, we can continue to make it easier for business customers to transition to electric vehicles in a more informed way. Practical solutions like this toolkit can act as the catalyst for SMEs to take the plunge and seize the potential cost saving and revenue making opportunities transitioning to electric vehicles has to offer.”
