en.Wedoany.com Reported - Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) has released a plan called the "Green Transition Plan," adding long-term targets to the company's Responsible Business Plan announced in May. The telecom operator outlined new measures in two areas: climate and circular economy.
In terms of climate, the plan aims to reduce the network's impact through decarbonization, supporting natural restoration, and enhancing the resilience of network infrastructure against climate risks. The company noted that networks, data centers, and devices are driving approximately 1.7% of global carbon emissions, while increasing climate risks threaten digital infrastructure. To address this, VMO2 has identified several priority areas: near-term decarbonization, targeting a 90% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions and a 50% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2030, with the company already achieving a 63% reduction compared to its 2020 baseline; a long-term net zero goal, aiming for full value chain net zero carbon emissions by the end of 2040; carbon-free electricity, supporting the UK's energy transition by procuring 100% carbon-free energy from UK sources and improving operational energy efficiency; and climate resilience, building and operating more resilient broadband and mobile networks.
In the circular economy area, VMO2 emphasized that devices discarded before the end of their lifespan increase e-waste and waste finite resources. To address this, the company has set targets: promoting "two lives" for each device, giving technology products such as smartphones, tablets, or gaming consoles a second life through repair, recycling, or refurbishment for sale as "like-new" products; aiming to double the number of people purchasing refurbished devices from VMO2 by 2030; also doubling the number of people recycling unwanted devices through O2 Recycle; and, through a partnership with Coventry City Council, advocating for a device reuse culture in 30 cities by 2030, supporting related programs and initiatives to extend technology use and promote digital inclusion.
Supporting this new strategy are "14 transformation levers," including supply chain collaboration, carbon-free energy procurement, and continued investment in networks to support the UK's net zero transition. VMO2 also called on the UK government to support the electrification of commercial fleets by developing a nationally led strategy. While these net zero targets are not novel or groundbreaking compared to similar targets common over the past decade, the question remains about the actual credibility of corporate targets when they are not mandatory and can be adjusted at any time. Nigel Topping, co-founder of Ambition Loop and UN Climate Champion for COP26, commented that what matters is not just ambition, but how targets are actually achieved through transparent, accountable, and measurable actions across the entire value chain. He expressed confidence in VMO2's implementation path, stating that the plan demonstrates leadership and helps strengthen confidence in the feasibility of the transition. VMO2 Chief Sustainability Officer Dana Haidan called the plan a milestone and said it represents a long-term commitment involving actions across multiple areas to achieve net zero, give technology a second life, and build climate-resilient networks.
