Page 28 - SAMENA Trends - November 2020

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

BT Group Hits 100% Renewable Electricity Milestone Worldwide and Helps
5.7 Million People in the UK with Top Tips on Tech Campaign

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 organizations – including
advice and support – from BT’s Skills for Tomorrow program*.
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
Speaking at a Digital Impact & Sustainability Business Briefing something new as a result of the campaign and 2.1 million people
for analysts and investors, BT Group announced that its who saw the advert continued to put the knowledge they learnt
network, offices and shops worldwide are now powered with into practice.
100% renewable electricity. The company also announced that Andy Wales, Chief Digital Impact and Sustainability Officer at
its ground breaking Top Tips on Tech campaign has helped 5.7 BT commented: “Connectivity is playing a role like never before;
million people across the UK to learn and stay connected during whether that’s allowing you to work from home, keeping your
the Covid-19 global pandemic. kids entertained or staying in touch with friends and loved ones.
Switching to renewables It’s amazing that millions of people have been inspired by our
BT, the joint-largest private purchaser of electricity in the UK will campaign and are embracing technology to get through this really
run its global operations on renewable electricity where markets challenging time.”
allow and will purchase the remainder from neighboring markets Transitioning to a low carbon fleet
until local solutions can be found. While challenges remain in In a bid to drive emissions down, Openreach which has the second
sourcing renewable electricity in some countries, collaboration largest commercial fleet in the UK is aiming to switch out a third
with members of the RE100 initiative is helping to make of its 27,000 combustion engine vehicles to electric by 2025. With
improvements in supplies. BT’s transition to renewable electricity 33,000 vehicles, the entire BT Group fleet accounts for two thirds
has been delivered through supporting the development of local of its operational emissions. In June 2020, BT Group including
renewable energy markets, with 16% of its electricity supplied Openreach joined forces with the Climate Group to launch the UK
through corporate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and the Electric Fleets Coalition. The coalition of 27 companies has taken
remainder from high quality green tariffs or in a small number a leading role in communicating the benefits of switching from
of markets, renewable certificates. Making the switch to 100% combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) and has
renewable electricity will help BT reduce its carbon emissions in called for supportive policy measures which target 100% electric
the year to March 2021 by an estimated 54,000 tonnes compared car and van sales by 2030; extend grants for electric vehicles and
to last financial year. This is the equivalent of taking around charging points through to at least 2023 and speed up the rollout
21,000 combustion engine vehicles off the road for a year. Cyril of public charge-points across the country.
Pourrat, Chief Procurement Officer at BT, said: "As an organization Commitment to climate action
that consumes nearly 1% of the UK’s electricity, it is important for BT has led on climate action for over 28 years and was one of
BT to demonstrate its commitment to a green recovery. Our team the first companies in the world to adopt science-based targets,
has worked hard to secure renewable electricity contracts for our directly linking its own goals to the overall level of reductions
sites globally, a crucial step towards the Paris agreement’s 1.5°c in emissions needed to limit the most harmful impacts of the
target.” Welcoming the news, Sam Kimmins, Head of RE100, the climate crisis. As part of the transition to a low carbon business

28 NOVEMBER 2020