Octopus Energy has signed a union recognition deal with UNISON, the UK’s largest trade union, under which the energy company’s workers will be represented by the union. The agreement was announced in London on 22 October 2026. It sets out how the two organisations will work together for the benefit of the Octopus team.
Octopus said it had spoken to several unions in recent months, but that UNISON stood out for its commitment to the energy transition and the creation of good, unionised green jobs. The company, which describes itself as Britain’s biggest energy supplier, said the deal puts into practice its longstanding support of the right to join a union.
Why Octopus chose UNISON
Jon J. Paull, Chief Operating Officer of Octopus Energy, said: “We spoke to several unions over recent months and kept coming back to UNISON. We share the same goal: a clean energy future that brings bills down and creates good green jobs across the country – from office to field teams.”
He added: “We’ve always said joining a union is a decision for our people, not for management – this deal puts that into practice. Our people are the reason Octopus works, and I look forward to building on those strong foundations with UNISON.”
What the union recognition deal means for UNISON
UNISON has more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, the police service and energy. Its members are employed in the public, private and voluntary sectors.
The union said it is proud to be leading the way as the clean energy union. It described the union recognition deal as a step towards more unionised green jobs and the transition to green energy.
Andrea Egan, General Secretary of UNISON, said: “UNISON brings workers together not only to win a fairer deal, but to drive the wider transformation of our society and economy. Nothing is more important in that respect than phasing out fossil fuels and replacing them with green energy.”
She continued: “Climate change threatens us all, but it also presents an opportunity to create millions of good, unionised green jobs. That’s why we’re delighted to announce this deal with Octopus. It’s good news for the company’s workers and for the future of green jobs in this country.”
Egan added: “UNISON is proud to be leading the way as the clean energy union. We urgently need more well-paid, unionised jobs and to transition away from fossil fuels at pace. This agreement is a step in the right direction on both counts.”
Green jobs growth at Octopus Energy
Octopus said it has created more than 12,000 green jobs worldwide in ten years, including around 8,000 in the UK. According to the company, around 3,500 of those were created in the past two years. They are spread across offices in London, Manchester, Brighton, Leicester and Coventry, along with engineers working across the country.
“We’re proud of the place we’ve built,” Paull said. “We’ve created over 12,000 green jobs in under a decade, we’re rated higher on Glassdoor than any other major UK energy supplier, and every employee is a shareholder.”
Employer ratings and wider business
The company said it has the highest Glassdoor rating of any major UK energy supplier, at 4.4 out of 5 stars. It said 85% of employees on the site would recommend their friends and family to work there. Octopus also said it has been named one of the best places to work in the UK by the Financial Times, The Sunday Times and Fortune.
Octopus Energy is a clean energy and technology business with operations in 27 countries. Its retail brand supplies energy to 11 million households globally. The group operates a £7 billion renewables portfolio, as well as electric vehicle leasing, heat pump and solar businesses.
Climate Global News has previously reported on the group’s green jobs work outside the UK, including Octopus Energy Group’s partnership with MOPO on solar energy in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Frequently asked questions
Which union has Octopus Energy signed a recognition deal with?
Octopus Energy has signed a recognition deal with UNISON, the UK’s largest trade union, which will represent the energy company’s workers.
Why did Octopus Energy choose UNISON?
Octopus said it spoke to several unions in recent months, but UNISON stood out for its commitment to the energy transition and the creation of good, unionised green jobs.
How many members does UNISON have?
UNISON has more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, the police service and energy, across the public, private and voluntary sectors.
How many green jobs has Octopus Energy created?
Octopus said it has created more than 12,000 green jobs worldwide in ten years, including around 8,000 in the UK. Around 3,500 of those were created in the past two years.
What does the Octopus Energy and UNISON agreement cover?
The agreement sets out how the two organisations will work together for the benefit of the Octopus team. Octopus said it puts into practice its longstanding support of the right to join a union.
