Company’s sponsorship will support growth of, and access to, Green Flag sites
Power NI, part of Energia Group, has announced a new partnership with Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful through the sponsorship of the Green Flag Award Programme, reinforcing a shared commitment between Power NI and Energia Group to supporting communities and high-quality environmental standards across Northern Ireland.
The Green Flag Award is an internationally recognised benchmark for the management of parks and public spaces, setting clear standards for safety, sustainability and local community engagement. Awarded sites must meet rigorous criteria and reapply annually to retain their status, ensuring consistently high standards.
There are currently 118 Green Flag–recognised sites across Northern Ireland, including traditional parks, community-managed green spaces supported by voluntary groups, and heritage sites recognised for excellence in the care of historic features.
Power NI’s sponsorship will support the continued delivery and growth of the Green Flag initiative locally, with a particular focus on expanding the network of community-led Green Flag sites. The programme plays an important role in ensuring people, regardless of where they live, have access to well-managed green and open spaces that support physical and mental wellbeing, environmental sustainability, and community pride.
The Green Flag Award Programme also promotes best practice across the green space sector, providing guidance, assessment and recognition for those organisations, staff members and volunteers responsible for managing public spaces. By recognising excellence and encouraging continuous improvement, the scheme strengthens long-term stewardship of local environments.
William Steele, the Director of Customer Solutions at Power NI, said: “We are proud to sponsor the Green Flag Award Programme in Northern Ireland and to partner with Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful on a programme that delivers tangible benefits for local communities.
“High-quality green spaces are vital to health, wellbeing and social connection, and this partnership supports the people and organisations working to maintain them,” he added.
“Our sponsorship will help grow the network of Green Flag community sites, encouraging local groups and residents to take an active role in caring for their environment and creating spaces that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.”
Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful has been working since 2000 to support people and nature thriving together, delivering environmental initiatives that help communities, councils and volunteers improve places and protect the natural environment.
The organisation is one of four charities supported by the Energia Group Greener Possibilities Fund. Aligned to UN SDG 11: Sustainable Communities and SDG 13: Climate Action, the Fund has also supported Grow NI this year, as well as Global Action Plan Ireland and FoodCloud in ROI. Administered by Community Foundation Ireland, the programme supports environmental and community-focused projects across the island of Ireland.
Eric Randall, CEO at Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, said: “We are delighted to partner with Power NI to deliver the Green Flag Programme in Northern Ireland. We are fortunate to have many beautiful green spaces in Northern Ireland – and their sustainable management plays a vital role in supporting healthy communities and biodiversity.
“One of the strengths of the Green Flag programme is that it provides an opportunity for community-led green spaces to be supported and recognised – and this partnership will enable us to do more in this area.”
