Virgin Media O2 Business launches carbon footprint tool

To help business customers feeling under pressure to make sustainable changes, Virgin Media O2 Business has launched the Carbon Calculator.

According to research carried out by Virgin Media O2, a quarter of UK businesses are either without or unsure if they have an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy. And for those that do have one, businesses are struggling to prioritise sustainability due to financial constraints, lack of capacity and a lack of real strategy. But firms cannot afford to fall behind on their ESG goals, or they risk struggling to attract increasingly eco-conscious customers and employees, or even hefty fines for non-compliance with government legislation.

Three-quarters of organisations surveyed said that they have established ESG strategies or goals, but there’s a gap between intention and action. Almost two-thirds of businesses believe that they could better leverage technology to accelerate progress – and that’s why Virgin Media O2 Business has launched the Carbon Calculator.

Despite business leaders expecting transparency from suppliers on their carbon impact, more than two-thirds of businesses aren’t receiving enough information to track the carbon footprint of products from suppliers – or they can’t rely on the accuracy of the information that is supplied.

The Virgin Media O2 Business Carbon Calculator aims to provide clear and trustworthy information on emissions. In minutes, the calculator can generate insights based on the customer’s service information – as inputted by an account manager – and forms the basis of an annual report on their carbon footprint.

Using a model verified by the Carbon Trust as conforming to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Product Lifecycle Standard, decision makers can use the information from the calculator to understand the impact their telecoms services have on their overall carbon footprint, helping them to progress on Net Zero goals.

Jo Bertram, Managing Director at Virgin Media O2 Business said: “Beyond target setting, consumers want to see measurable changes when it comes to sustainability. Organisations are looking for transparency and support from their suppliers to reach social and environmental goals, and technology can be a useful tool for this progression.

“The introduction of the Carbon Calculator underscores our commitment to reach Net Zero and eliminate digital poverty together with partners. We are ready to guide organisations as they work toward achieving less where it matters – less carbon, less waste and less inequality.”

Visit Virgin Media O2 Business’ new sustainability page to learn more.