BT - reducing the environmental impact

BT is one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries across the world. Its principal activities include networked IT services, local, national and international telecoms services and broadband and internet products and services.

BT consumes 0.7 per cent of the UK's electricity annually in order to meet the demands of its 18 million customers. As a result, it is well placed to make a significant contribution to reducing carbon emissions and protecting the environment.

BT has been reducing its impact on the environment since it published its first environment report in 1992 and, in order to support Kyoto targets, it set out to reduce its 1996 carbon footprint by 25 per cent by 2010. Since that date the company has set itself a new target of an 80 per cent reduction by 2016.
 
In order to achieve its targets BT has a strategy that includes reducing its own footprint, influencing customers and suppliers to reduce their footprints and engaging with employees to help reduce their personal carbon footprints.  As part of this, BT is conducting an audit of energy consumption by its network and data centres, evaluating the potential of 100 per cent renewable energy, reducing emissions from its vehicle fleet and reducing travel emissions through greater use of technology.

BT aims to have at least 20 per cent of its 104,000 employees actively reducing their carbon footprint by 2012. BT’s use of audio and videoconferencing services already saves many face-to-face meetings and reduces CO2 emissions from travel.  As well as conferencing services, BT offers solutions to customers that help them work flexibly, which reduce their environmental impact. It also offers them the opportunity to calculate their own footprint using a new carbon calculator web site.

In addition, BT is working with a wide range of organisations on innovative environmental initiatives, including its Paper-free Billing programme in partnership with the Woodland Trust.