Virgin Media O2 has reported significant strides in its sustainability efforts, notably cutting carbon emissions and expanding its electric vehicle (EV) fleet. The UK telecom company announced a 56% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions compared to its 2020 baseline, showing progress towards its goal of slashing these emissions by 90% by 2030 under its Better Connections plan.
Last year, the company had achieved a 45% reduction, with a 23% drop recorded during 2023 alone. Although it didn’t provide a year-on-year update this time, Virgin Media O2 reaffirmed its broader ambition of reaching net zero emissions, including Scope 3 supply chain impacts, by 2040—ten years ahead of the UK’s national target.
Virgin Media O2 has also expanded its electric vehicle fleet to over 350 vehicles, up from 281 a year ago. However, despite this growth, progress remains slow. The initial commitment to fully transition its 4,300-strong fleet to EVs by 2030 has quietly been removed, reflecting ongoing challenges, including global supply chain disruptions first cited in 2022.
Beyond vehicles, the company has achieved a 15% energy saving in data centre cooling across 20 sites through a partnership with EkkoSense, resulting in a £1 million saving. Additionally, Virgin Media O2 eliminated plastic packaging from its own-brand products and reduced supplier packaging by 27% from 2022 levels. It now uses 100% renewable electricity at sites it controls and has launched initiatives to curb supply chain emissions.
