OnPath Energy launches programme to improve day to day sustainability

A PIONEERING programme is bringing a bold vision to life – empowering individuals and communities to embrace healthier, more sustainable living.

Led by OnPath Energy, the “The Healthy and Sustainable Living Programme” will launch workshops and behaviour programmes across South Lanarkshire, encouraging and supporting employees and local communities alike to lead healthier and more sustainable lives.

The programme, supports the companies OnPath Together development approach, empowering communities to make affordable, accessible changes at home, building on successful community-led projects and tackling both financial and environmental challenges.

Crucially, it places people at the centre of the solution, proving that everyone can be part of a just transition to a net zero future that is fair and inclusive for everyone.

Aileen McCreadie, partnerships and community manager at OnPath Energy, said: “We know people want to live more sustainably, but people often don’t know where to start or perceive that it’s too expensive to be sustainable.

This programme is about making sustainable living easy, desirable, and most importantly – affordable. It’s about demonstrating that small and simple everyday changes really do add up and when we all work together little changes can have a big impact.”

Aileen McCreadie, partnerships and community manager

“This programme is about making sustainable living easy, desirable, and most importantly – affordable. It’s about demonstrating that small and simple everyday changes really do add up and when we all work together little changes can have a big impact.

“This programme is about working together with communities; it’s about seeing the bigger picture and empowering local people to feel part of the just transition.

“Our team has a deep routed passion for sustainability, the Healthy and Sustainable Living Programme gives the OnPath Energy team and local people the opportunity to work together and make a real difference.

 “When we enter these areas as a developer, it matters that we listen to local voices, this programme is an excellent way to open up meaningful conversations, listen to ideas and to involve people in those small changes that when amplified across a whole community make a big difference.”

OnPath Energy has kickstarted the Healthy and Sustainable Living Programme internally, with employees in both its Bellshill and Sunderland offices invited to select up to £100 of sustainable ‘enabler products’ like reusable cups, pressure cookers or LED bulbs to help reduce waste, energy use and costs at home.

These sustainable living products were sourced from IKEA, through their IKEA for Business Scotland team.  

Workshops will guide participants through topics including reducing food waste, growing their own produce, and creative upcycling of furniture.

Practical sessions, including how to make draught excluders from recycled materials, will deliver valuable life skills while building camaraderie across teams and communities.

This rollout into the community will also be supported by products sourced from IKEA and the IKEA for Business team here in Scotland.

Backed by Middlesex University associate professor Dr Patrick Elf, the programme is also engaging fifth-year students from Lesmahagow High School, who will carry out the research and data collection across six community council areas in South Lanarkshire.

Barbara Lee, head teacher at Lesmahagow High School said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with OnPath Energy, and alongside community and business partners, on this exciting sustainability project.

“Our higher science and geography students will have the opportunity not only to lead a meaningful behaviour change programme, but also to develop valuable enterprise and employability skills whilst working towards a Level 7 STEM Award.”

The aim of the project is to encourage peer support and share knowledge through social media and local channels.

The results will feed directly into the company’s ESG reporting, helping to maximise the social and environmental value OnPath Energy deliver and facilitate as a responsible developer.

Additionally, OnPath Energy will distribute £100 of sustainable living products to each of the 90 participating households across the six communities surrounding its proposed Bodinglee Wind Farm, representing a £9,000 investment.

Aileen continued: “It’s so important we start these conversations now, not in 10 years’ time. A just transition to net zero must mean something real for people.

“It’s about fairness and making sure communities feel the benefits from day one, not just reading about them in a planning document.

“Supporting a just transition starts at home. Our projects may span several years, but the most meaningful change begins with early engagement—empowering individuals to take small, sustainable steps.”

She added: “Over a three-year behaviour change programme I led communities across UK and Ireland to come together, challenge perceptions, and prove that living sustainably can be both achievable and affordable.

“The result was quite remarkable with each household saving over £1,440 annually and cutting more than 300kg of CO₂. That’s the power of collective action.

“But it wasn’t just about the money or the carbon, over 90% of participants said they’d picked up new life skills and felt more confident to keep making changes. That’s what this is all about.

“It’s about showing up and starting somewhere. When people feel seen, supported and part of something bigger, that’s where meaningful change begins.”

For more information about OnPath Energy’s proposed Bodinglee Wind Farm www.onpathenergy.com/bodinglee

More information about the IKEA sustainable living shop can be found here.