For all communications services providers, sustainability and energy reduction are not just worthy goals, they have become business imperatives. With this in mind, Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) has revealed through its Better connections plan that it reduced emissions in 2024 by 56% against its 2020 baseline.
It has supported consumers to carry out 8.5 million “circular actions” since 2022 as part of its goal to reach 10 million actions by the end of 2025 and that more than four million devices have been processed through the O2 Recycle scheme since 2009, paying out some £350m to consumers.
Forming VMO2’s environment, social and governance (ESG) strategy, the Better connections plan has the ultimate near-term Science Based Target goal of reducing operational emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) by 90% by 2030.
At the core of the plan is a commitment to making sure the business operates in a sustainable and ethical way where all people can play a part. The company’s overall ambition to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across its products, operations and supply chain by the end of 2040, which is 10 years ahead of the UK’s net-zero goal.
An audit of the company’s 2024 performance showed it had achieved 15% savings in datacentre cooling energy across 20 sites, and it had rolled out more than 350 electric vehicles as part of its goal to transition to a fully electric fleet.
It has also eliminated plastic packaging from own-brand products delivered to customers and worked with suppliers to cut plastic packaging at source by 27% against a 2022 baseline. VMO2 added that it had continued to use 100% renewable energy across sites where it controls the bill, and it had introduced a programme to reduce Scope 3 carbon emissions from its supply chain.
The data released showed that the O2 Recycle scheme had helped people – regardless of their mobile operator – take 8.5 million “circular actions” since 2022 as part of its 10 million goal by the end of 2025. This includes recycling tech such as smartphones, tablets and consoles, and the scheme has processed more than four million devices and paid out £350m to consumers since 2009.
O2 Recycle has extended to accept consoles and MacBooks, alongside smartphones, tablets, wearables and earbuds. Companies can donate unused devices via O2 Recycle for Business. In addition, more than 21,000 smartphones have been donated to Virgin Media O2’s Community Calling initiative with environmental charity Hubbub, which sees devices re-homed to people in need.
VMO2 has relaunched its Like New range of refurbished phones, offering consumers a choice of second-hand devices which have gone through 40 quality checks to ensure they are in acceptable condition.
Other key details of the announcement include more than 170,000 people experiencing data poverty were connected in 2024 thanks to the National Databank, which is available at more than 300 O2 stores nationwide, and in total 3,000 locations across the country.
To galvanise further action to reduce its carbon emissions, VMO2’s annual bonus scheme includes a metric based on the company’s carbon reduction performance.
