Virgin Media O2 is setting out a comprehensive plan to reduce its environmental impact, becoming more resilient to the climate crisis as part of its new Green Transition Plan.
Virgin Media O2’s Green Transition Plan (GTP) highlights the actions the communications operator is taking to achieve net zero carbo emissions, build and operate climate-resilient networks, and extend the life of its technology.
“Our Green Transition Plan is a milestone in Virgin Media O2’s journey to become a more resilient, lower carbon business,” outlines Dana Haiden, Chief Sustainability officer at Virgin Media.
The GPT underpins the ‘Climate’ and ‘Circularity’ focus areas of Virgin Media O2’s new environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy and its Responsible Business Plan, where the company is taking greater ownership over the full lifecycle of its operation.
This means greater ownership from how the network is built and run, to the impact its products and services may have on people and the planet.
With its GTP, Virgin Media O2 is sharing a long-term approach to becoming a low-carbon business, coupled with reducing risk and adapting to the complexity posed by the climate crisis, keeping customers connected now and in the future.
Haidan emphasized how the plan is “a long-term commitment backed with action across many interconnected areas where we’re working to reach net zero, give technology a second life, and build and operate climate-resilient networks.”
This includes a range of measures to decarbonize, support nature recovery, strengthen the resilience of its network infrastructure to climate risks, and drive device reuse and recycling.
By 2030, it hopes to double the number of people buying refurbished devices and the number of people recycling unwanted devices.
By 2030, Virgin Media O2 also wants to build on its partnership with Coventry City Council by championing a devise reuse culture in UK 30 cities, supporting use for longer tech use and digital inclusion.
“Embedding responsible business into every decision Virgin Media O2 make is key, as we reduce our environment impact, help protect the planet, and keep our customers connected,” Haidan adds.
“Credible climate transition plans are becoming a defining feature of responsible business leadership,” Nigel Topping, co-founder of Ambition Loop and UN Climate Champion COP26, outlines.
“What matters is not just ambition, but clarity on how targets will be delivered in practice – through transparent, accountable, and measurable actions across the whole value chain,” he adds.
Topping also believes that businesses must prepare for the physical impact of the climate crisis, strengthening their resilience while reducing emissions.
That is why he welcomes Virgin Media O2’s leadership in publishing a clear and robust GTP.
“Plans like this help build confidence among investors, policy makers and the public that the transition is both achievable and underway,” Topping outlines.
“Connectivity and digital solutions are central to the UK’s transition to net zero and in enabling climate adaptation,” said Lutz Schüler, CEO of Virgin Media O2.
Schuler believes the impacts of global climate and natural crises are already visible and are only set to increase.
Within the climate of changing energy prices, extreme weather and vulnerabilities of global supply changes, combined with rapid advances in technologies like AI, there are new demands on the infrastructure that is critical to their network.
“In this changing context, navigating the climate, energy, and resources transitions is central to our business’ resilience and future growth,” Schuler surmises.
