Drax’s Community & Social Impact team, along with charity Energy Sparks, have won the Best Response to the Cost-of-Living Crisis category at the 2026 Third Sector Business Charity Awards.

The award celebrates the success of a major initiative delivered between 2023 and 2025 through the Drax Foundation.

Drax, one of the 16 members of the Humber Energy Board, partnered with Energy Sparks and local schools to tackle rising energy costs while supporting long-term sustainability and climate education.

Energy Sparks provides schools with online energy analysis tools and educational resources to deliver near real-time insights into electricity and gas usage. The platform helps schools identify where energy is being wasted, reduce consumption and embed long-term behavioural change among staff and pupils.

Through the partnership, more than 300 schools were supported to improve energy efficiency and lower utility costs, during a period of significant financial pressure for schools and communities.

Over the three-year programme, participating schools collectively reduced their energy bills by £3.8m and cut carbon emissions by 4,800 tonnes.

A total of 240 schools were given access to Energy Sparks’ digital energy-saving tools, alongside expert guidance and pupil-led learning activities designed to encourage energy awareness and sustainable habits within school communities.

In addition to the educational support, the Drax Foundation funded energy efficiency upgrades in 54 schools, including the installation of LED lighting and solar panels. These improvements helped schools reduce energy costs by an average of 60% per site, delivering long-term savings and greater resilience against future energy price increases.

The programme combined affordability, education and decarbonisation to create a lasting impact across the region, helping schools manage financial pressures while also supporting environmental goals and improving sustainability awareness among young people.

The Third Sector Business Charity Awards recognise outstanding partnerships between businesses and charities that deliver a meaningful social impact across the UK.

Shona King, Group Head of Social Impact at Drax, highlighted the strength of the collaboration between Drax and Energy Sparks and the positive change made in schools.

Shona said: “We were immensely proud to win the Third Sector Business Charity Awards Best Response to the Cost-of-Living Crisis award. It recognises the enormous effort undertaken by colleagues at Drax over a three-year period to support Energy Sparks.

“This vital charity has delivered projects in over 300 schools nationwide, including around our operations in Yorkshire and the Humber, helping them collectively save £3.8m on their energy bills and cut their carbon emissions, all whilst inspiring the next generation to learn about their role in saving energy.

“This initiative sits at the heart of what the Drax Foundation is seeking to achieve and, by winning this award, we’ve demonstrated the important role that businesses like Drax can play in our local communities.”

The partnership forms part of Drax’s wider commitment to supporting communities, driving decarbonisation and helping organisations transition towards a more sustainable future.