Citroen and the Big Issue Group have entered into a partnership which will see all-electric Citroen e-Berlingo and e-Dispatch vans join the group's fleet.
Over the three-year partnership, 16 pure electric Citroen vans will join the BIG fleet to support the distribution of The Big Issue magazine across the UK. Transporting over two million magazines to 3,300 vendors each year, the fleet covers over 350,000 miles annually across the UK.
Initially, e-Berlingo and e-Dispatch will be used in towns and cities including Bournemouth, Bristol, Bath, Norwich and Newcastle, with more vans to be added to the fleet over the three-year period.
As many cities across the UK introduce low-emission zones, the use of fully electric vans is even more beneficial for all types of fleets and businesses. The partnership will help to make the group’s delivery process more sustainable and reduce its carbon emissions, as well as saving money when entering city centre zones.
“Citroen's market-leading approach to innovation and affordability of electric vehicles is the exact reason why they are the ideal partner to work with Big Issue Group,”
Big Issue Group managing director of commercial, Russell Blackman, explained.
“Our partnership will allow us to make even greater strides in the support and services we provide for the most marginalised across the country. In cities and remote, rural locations, we will be able to respond quickly when our vendors need us the most. At Big Issue Group we are excited for the next three years working alongside Citroen to drive change for good.”
Citroen UK’s managing director, Eurig Druce, added:
“We are thrilled to partner with Big Issue Group in their important work ‘changing lives through enterprise’, and in particular to support their transition to electric vehicles so they can become more sustainable. BIG is a fantastic organisation that has been working to improve people’s lives for over 30 years by providing work opportunities – a hand up, not a handout is a philosophy we can definitely get behind. I can’t wait to see these vans out on the road, being used as sustainable electric workhorses in support of the Big Issue workforce.”
The Big Issue
Big Issue Group is a social enterprise which aims to benefit not only individuals but also the communities and organisations it works with. The Group is made up of a number of entities, including Big Issue Media, which publishes The Big Issue magazine. This award-winning weekly entertainment and current affairs magazine helps to support homeless and vulnerable people across the UK.
The vendors buy the magazines for £1.50 each and then sell them to the public for £3. The difference is kept by the vendor, providing the individuals with the means to earn a legitimate income.
A special edition of The Big Issue magazine – covering the Citroen and Big Issue Group partnership – is out now, available from your local vendor.
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