04
November
2020
|
10:00
Europe/London

BT Group hits 100% renewable electricity milestone worldwide and helps 5.7 million people in the UK with Top Tips on Tech campaign

bt-hotspot-image
bt-hotspot-image

  • Switching to 100% renewable electricity globally underpins BT’s commitment to build back better - creating a more resilient, low carbon society.

  • High profile digital skills campaign helps 5.7m people connect, learn and stay safe online during the Covid-19 global pandemic

  • Ambition for thousands of electric vehicles by 2025 in drive to cut emissions.

London, UK - 4th November 2020 – Speaking today at a Digital Impact & Sustainability Business Briefing for analysts and investors, BT Group announced that its network, offices and shops worldwide are now powered with 100% renewable electricity. The company also announced that its ground breaking Top Tips on Tech campaign has helped 5.7 million people across the UK to learn and stay connected during the Covid-19 global pandemic.

Switching to renewables

BT, the joint-largest private purchaser of electricity in the UK will run its global operations on renewable electricity where markets allow[1] and will purchase the remainder from neighbouring markets until local solutions can be found.

While challenges remain in sourcing renewable electricity in some countries, collaboration with members of the RE100 initiative is helping to make improvements in supplies.

BT’s transition to renewable electricity has been delivered through supporting the development of local renewable energy markets, with 16% of its electricity supplied through corporate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and the remainder from high quality green tariffs or in a small number of markets, renewable certificates[2].

Making the switch to 100% renewable electricity will help BT reduce its carbon emissions in the year to March 2021 by an estimated 54,000 tonnes compared to last financial year. This is the equivalent of taking around 21,000 combustion engine vehicles off the road for a year.

Cyril Pourrat, Chief Procurement Officer at BT, said: "As an organisation that consumes nearly 1% of the UK’s electricity, it is important for BT to demonstrate its commitment to a green recovery. Our team has worked hard to secure renewable electricity contracts for our sites globally, a crucial step towards the Paris agreement’s 1.5°c target.”

Welcoming the news, Sam Kimmins, Head of RE100, the Climate Group, said: “We congratulate BT on their tremendous work to switch entirely to renewable electricity. BT was an early pioneer in setting a 100% goal, and has made impressive progress. Now, by transparently sharing not only their successes but also the challenges they face in a few remaining markets, BT is helping to accelerate local solutions and unlock clean energy use around the world.”

Top Tips on Tech

Back in April, BT teamed up with some of the nation’s best-loved talent to teach the nation a range of vital digital skills including; getting to grips with the popular messaging service WhatsApp, help with home schooling, tips for getting your business online and how to use online services to help with physical and mental wellbeing.

The three-week campaign, in partnership with ITV saw Clare Balding, Rylan Clark-Neal, Peter Jones, Marcus Rashford and David Walliams, amongst others feature in 12 bitesize lessons delivered twice a day during ITV ad break takeovers.

The campaign also advised viewers on how they could access further free resources from a range of organisations – including advice and support – from BT’s Skills for Tomorrow programme*.

Independent research by Ipsos MORI* found that 64% of UK adults saw at least one advert, with 68% of people who saw the ads recall seeing an average of four ads each. 5.7 million people learnt or did something new as a result of the campaign and 2.1 million people who saw the advert continued to put the knowledge they learnt into practice.

Andy Wales, Chief Digital Impact and Sustainability Officer at BT commented: “Connectivity is playing a role like never before; whether that’s allowing you to work from home, keeping your kids entertained or staying in touch with friends and loved ones. It’s amazing that millions of people have been inspired by our campaign and are embracing technology to get through this really challenging time.”

Transitioning to a low carbon fleet

In a bid to drive emissions down, Openreach which has the second largest commercial fleet in the UK is aiming to switch out a third of its 27,000 combustion engine vehicles to electric by 2025. With 33,000 vehicles, the entire BT Group fleet accounts for two thirds of its operational emissions.

In June 2020, BT Group including Openreach joined forces with the Climate Group to launch the UK Electric Fleets Coalition. The coalition of 27 companies has taken a leading role in communicating the benefits of switching from combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) and has called for supportive policy measures which target 100% electric car and van sales by 2030; extend grants for electric vehicles and charging points through to at least 2023 and speed up the rollout of public charge-points across the country.

Commitment to climate action

BT has led on climate action for over 28 years and was one of the first companies in the world to adopt science-based targets, directly linking its own goals to the overall level of reductions in emissions needed to limit the most harmful impacts of the climate crisis.

As part of the transition to a low carbon business model, BT has pledged to become a net zero carbon emissions business by 2045 and has set targets in line with the most ambitious aim of the COP21 Paris Agreement - linking its targets to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

Since 2016/17, BT has reduced the carbon emissions intensity of its operations by 42% and has reduced carbon emissions by 8% in its supply chain over the same timeframe.

Last year, BT helped its customers save 13m tonnes of carbon – three times as much carbon as its own end-to-end carbon emissions – achieving its 3:1 carbon abatement target one year early. For every tonne of CO2 emitted by BT – three tonnes of customer emissions were saved.

BT’s commitment to reducing its carbon intensity will help the UK Government meet its target of net zero emissions by 2050 and is calling on other companies to take similar measures and make similar commitments.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

  • RE100 is a global initiative bringing together the world’s most influential businesses committed to 100% renewable power. Led by the Climate Group in partnership with CDP, the group have a total revenue of over US$6.6 trillion and operate in a diverse range of sectors. Together, they send a powerful signal to policymakers and investors to accelerate the transition to a clean economy. 
  • *BT’s Skills for Tomorrow programme launched in 2019 with the aim of helping 10 million people, families and businesses across the UK boost their digital know-how. Since the pandemic started, BT has ramped up the service by adding a wealth of new content aimed at providing support and helping people tackle specific difficulties they’re facing during lockdown.
  • * This research carried out by Ipsos MORI used a nationally representative sample and was independently verified by social impact research agency Chrysalis Research.
  • In June 2020, BT pledged its support for a green recovery launching two new initiatives; the Green Tech Innovation Platform and the UK Electric Fleets Coalition.
  • For more information about BT's work on Digital Impact and Sustainability please visit: https://www.bt.com/about/digital-impact-and-sustainability
  • Our Digital Impact and Sustainability report for 2019/20 can be found here: http://www.bt.com/annualreview

For further information:

Adam Emberson 07740 008408

  • [1] 99.9% of the global electricity BT sources will be renewable. The remaining 0.1% represents where markets don’t allow due to non-availability of renewable electricity (this represents 8 countries from the 85 BT Group operates in).
  • [2] Precluded markets: Where a renewable supply is not available either within the country or from the source market for the country, BT purchases renewable certificates in a market or country interconnected to our operations or in an adjacent market or country.