Virgin Media O2 Launch New UK Sustainability Strategy

Broadband ISP and mobile operator VMO2 (Virgin Media and O2) has today published their new Better Connections Plan, which sets out how their will help to improve the environment and reduce waste through more recycling of devices and various other changes.

The operator hopes that the new plan – as promoted via their new ‘Do One Thing‘ campaign – will help to prevent 20 million tonnes of carbon from entering Earth’s atmosphere by 2025 and enable them to achieve Net Zero Carbon (i.e. removing as many emissions as they produce) across their operations, products and supply chain by 2040.

The new plan essentially replaces the separate plans that O2 and Virgin Media each had before last year’s merger. As part of this they’ve also invested £500,000 into a new eco fund to support community groups to run projects which encourage circular living and the reuse of tech and other items, to help address the climate crisis – applications for grants will open later this year.

We’re acutely conscious of the fact that people often have a tendency to zone out when reading about any kind of social or corporate style commitments, so we’ll just summarise the key points and move on.

VMO2’s Better Connections Plan

Zero carbon future

➤ VMO2 has set an ambitious commitment to achieve net zero carbon across its operations, products and supply chain by the end of 2040, and is committing to the Science Based Target initiative’s (SBTi) Net-Zero Standard

➤ It is one of the first companies to work towards the Carbon Trust’s robust ‘Route to Net Zero Standard’ and will undergo a challenging, three-phase certification to help manage and reduce carbon emissions to achieve net zero

➤ VMO2 has become a member of the Climate Group’s EV100 initiative where it has committed to transitioning its fleet of more than 4,000 vehicles to electric vehicles by the end of 2030, and it has joined The Climate Pledge – a collective of more than 300 organisations committed to climate action and being net zero carbon by 2040.

Powering next-gen green tech

➤ VMO2 will use its gigabit broadband and 5G mobile networks to power next-generation technology and services that will prevent 20 million tonnes of carbon from entering Earth’s atmosphere by the end of 2025

➤ The connectivity giant will also support key sectors to decarbonise faster, enabling Internet of Things (IoT) devices and Artificial Intelligence for cleaner transport including Connected Autonomous Vehicles; reduce traffic and congestion and improve air quality in the UK’s smart cities; and power smart factories of the future with automated production lines and advanced robotics for more efficient manufacturing

Circular Economy

➤ VMO2 has set a goal to help consumers to carry out 10 million circular actions by the end of 2025 – from sustainably recycling devices, to sending back old kit and donating unwanted smartphones and tablets to people who need them – to tackle electronic waste by the end of 2025

➤ It will encourage customers to use O2 Recycle; to donate devices to those in need via Community Calling; and to use the Eco Rating scheme to make greener device choice

➤ The company will build on the success of its ‘take back’ scheme where more than nine million routers and set-top boxes have been refurbished and reused since 2014

➤ VMO2 will also champion re-use of materials again and again, in its operations and products. New products will be designed to be more easily refurbished and repaired to extend their lifecycle

➤ VMO2 will become a zero waste business by the end of 2025 by ensuring more than 95% of operational waste is recycled, and less than 5% will go to energy from waste facilities. The measures to become a zero waste business by the end of 2025 include:

o All customer packaging for own branded products will become widely recyclable and contain zero single use plastic by the end of 2025

o The company will reuse or recycle 100% of all returned customer and network equipment

o Using recycled material and reused aggregate when building its network

Connected Communities

➤ VMO2 has set a goal to connect one million digitally excluded people through free and affordable connectivity and services by the end of 2025

➤ This includes measures such as Essential broadband for people who receive Universal Credit; the expansion of the Shared Rural Network to enhance rural mobile coverage for communities across the UK; and the National Databank – a foodbank for data, set up by Virgin Media O2 and digital inclusion charity, Good Things Foundation, to tackle data poverty

➤ VMO2 will also help to improve the digital skills and confidence of two million people, expanding its digital skills agenda with Good Things Foundation, and continuing to support parents and families to be safer online with Internet Matters. The company will also continue its partnership with Carers UK to improve unpaid carers’ access to digital tools, support and resources to make caring easier

➤ Finally, VMO2 will help its employees to play a greater role in the places they live by offering five annual paid volunteering days, with the ambition to support 1 million people in communities across the UK by the end of 2025