O2 launches ambitious Blueprint to help Britain build back better

• O2 commits to support a green, inclusive, and resilient recovery as part of its latest Responsible Business Plan, using the power of mobile and digital connectivity to deliver carbon savings across society.
• Other commitments include supporting a more digitally connected society through the roll out of the shared rural network, as well as trialling and deploying smart digital solutions to help communities grow and thrive
• The company also reaffirms its commitment to building a Greener Network, targeting net zero by 2025 and a 30% reduction in supply chain emissions in the next five years
• Commitments are laid out in O2’s latest Blueprint – the third edition of O2’s responsible business plan, published today

Today, O2 – the UK’s largest mobile network with over with over 34million connections – publishes the third edition of its responsible business plan, originally launched in 2012.

The Blueprint sets out O2’s continued commitment to be one of the UK’s leading responsible businesses, with ten core areas of focus across three interconnected pillars of sustainability, customer and community support, and ethical business.

Building a Greener Network

O2 continues to push forward with its Greener Network ambitions, restating the goal announced earlier this year to become a net zero business by 2025, while working with supply chain partners aiming to reduce carbon emissions by 30% in the next five years.

The company is also committed to leveraging the enabling role of mobile technology in supporting a decarbonisation pathway for the UK. New research commissioned by O2 and conducted by IC&CO and Cenex reveals that solutions powered by advanced connectivity like 5G are forecast to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions by up to 269 megatonnes by 2035, demonstrating the critical role of the mobile sector in securing a low carbon future.

O2 is committed to playing its part and continues to invest heavily in its network and 5G rollout, as well as supporting digital innovation as part of the UK’s first region-wide 5G test bed, in partnership with West Midlands 5G (WM5G).

Consumers also have a vital role to play in Britain’s greener future, which is why O2 is also marking the launch of its new Blueprint with its “Go Green” campaign – a week of activities, offers, and prize draws on Priority to encourage people to build on the connection to nature that many have begun to forge during lockdown. O2 will also be installing a ‘plantable’ billboard for two weeks in Shoreditch to encourage passers-by to grab a little bit of green by planting seeded paper in their balconies and gardens this summer.

Helping society thrive

Covid-19 has reaffirmed that connectivity is vital, connecting customers to the people and things they love, supporting businesses to flourish, and making our essential public services available when we need them most. Ensuring Britain stays connected will be critical to getting the nation back on its feet.

O2 will lead the roll out of the Shared Rural network, which aims to help eliminate partial “not spots” in rural communities and will allow over 1,800sq miles of the country to get 4G for the first time, enabling more people to enjoy the benefits of connectivity. Linked to this, O2 will continue to tackle digital exclusion through targeted regional and local initiatives like ‘Community Calling’ which invited individuals to donate their old mobile phones to vulnerable members of the community.

O2 remains committed to supporting its most vulnerable customers, with dedicated customer service teams to support those in financial difficulty, those experiencing bereavement and those with mental health, physical or learning disabilities who may require more tailored support. The company also plans to continue its work with NSPCC to keep kids safe online, via the flagship Net Aware service.

Importantly, O2 is also engaged in a series of trials and partnerships to explore how mobile technology – including IoT, AI, and data analytics – can be used to deliver smart solutions which can improve key verticals including transport, healthcare and enhanced places and spaces. These include a Mobile Clinic on Wheels delivering Covid-19 testing in Glasgow, transport and air pollution trials as part of the Adept Thames Valley trial, and autonomous vehicles trials at the Millbrook Proving Ground, all of which will secure key insights to drive smarter towns and cities across the UK.

Driving forward inclusivity

O2 is committed to continuing its journey to be a leading inclusive employer. The company has set its sights on becoming a truly representative business by 2025, seeking to achieve a 50:50 gender balance – alongside Black, Asian, and minority ethnic representation of at least 15% – at all levels, to better reflect the UK population.

The company has also outlined a series of activities to encourage and nurture diverse talent and build a more inclusive culture, introducing Conscious Inclusion training for leaders and hiring managers and setting out plans to launch an O2 Allies programme in the Autumn.