Uplands recognises our impact on carbon-production and our efforts to prevent climate change is more than a corporate social responsibility issue, but a business-critical act.
Being in business for over 40-years means that sustainability is ingrained into everything that we do. Ensuring the longevity and reliability of our service, solutions and business operations. Enabling us to deliver the very best service for our customers today and for the future, from an economic, social and environmental perspective.
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Our commitment to minimising our environmental impact
As a leading communications provider, we are committed to minimising the environmental impact of our operations through the adoption of sustainable practices and continual improvement in environmental performance.
We are actively conscious of the environment beyond our immediate operations and take steps to minimise our carbon footprint, prevent pollution and minimise environmental harm and nuisance.
- Awareness – We conduct an Energy Consumption Audit and Carbon Trust energy matrix enabling us to be aware of how our business operations impact the environment.
[vc_separator type=’transparent’ position=’center’ color=” thickness=’16’ up=” down=”] - Education – Underpinned by our Energy Consumption Audit and Carbon Trust energy matrix our teams are educated on their impact on carbon output and global warming and are educated on ways in which they can reduce this both in and out of the workplace.
[vc_separator type=’transparent’ position=’center’ color=” thickness=’16’ up=” down=”] - Prevention – Reduce, reuse and recycle is the fundamental foundation of our environmentally conscious business acts. Taking steps to improve energy efficiency and to reduce emissions through the promotion of; recycling waste and reducing the use of single-use items; only travelling for business when necessary favouring the use of remote working and conferencing technology for virtual meetings; minimising the printing of documents, utilizing secure cloud applications instead; ensuring appliances are switched off in non-work hours and only energy-efficient appliances are used.
[vc_separator type=’transparent’ position=’center’ color=” thickness=’16’ up=” down=”] - Carbon Offsetting – Uplands are a Global Portfolio Partner for Carbon Footprint offsetting verified to the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), this means that for the emissions that we do produce, through the investment in emissions reductions projects we help to reduce carbon output across the world.
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Carbon neutrality, a joint effort
As a communications reseller, we ensure our business decisions consciously consider our impact on climate change and make efforts to combat this. An important factor in these decisions is ensuring our chosen partners also reflect this.
That is why we prioritise partnerships with businesses who prioritise carbon neutrality.
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O2 Net Zero by 2025
As an O2 Direct Partner, our chosen network is making leaps and bounds along it’s Route to Zero, with a commitment of our direct partner becoming Net Zero by 2025.
With a clear plan in place of how this will be achieved, O2 plans to switch third party landlords that support the O2 network over to renewable energy, while creating technical and energy transition solutions across its whole business where needed.
O2 already uses 100% renewable energy where it controls the energy bill. O2 have also committed to reducing supply chain emissions by 30% by 2025, O2 will be working with the wider Telefonica Group to implement more ambitious carbon reduction targets to encourage suppliers to accelerate their efforts to reduce emissions.
Hugh Jones, Managing Director, Business Services, The Carbon Trust, said: “We are pleased to have worked with O2 for over a decade most recently providing advice on the reduction of their supply chain emissions by 30% by 2025. This is a crucial step in helping the company achieve its ambitions”
In addition to O2 Net Zero by 2025 they also tackle climate change with the following initiatives:
- Smart Network: Using advanced automation, O2’s networks operate on a ‘smart turn-off’ function – saving energy by dropping capacity when demand is low, saving over 6,000-megawatt-hours of energy, the same amount of energy required to make 360 million cups of tea.
[vc_separator type=’transparent’ position=’center’ color=” thickness=’16’ up=” down=”] - Renewable energy: O2 started its renewable energy procurement in 2008. Since this time, it has invested £400 million in renewable energy sources.
[vc_separator type=’transparent’ position=’center’ color=” thickness=’16’ up=” down=”] - Recycling: Since 2009, O2 has helped customers recycle over three million devices and saved 450 tonnes of waste from landfill. This is the longest-running major UK network recycling initiative. O2 also recycles old retail uniforms turning them into ‘processed fibre’ used to make new product
[vc_separator type=’transparent’ position=’center’ color=” thickness=’16’ up=” down=”] - Customer-facing initiatives: O2 was the first to introduce an Eco rating scheme2 for new phones, and to work with manufacturers to take chargers out of the box on new device sales. The Telefónica Group has been included on the CPD A-list for six consecutive years, the non-profit’s independent survey which recognizes corporate leaders acting to address environmental risks.
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Source: https://news.o2.co.uk/press-release/o2-set-to-become-uks-first-net-zero-mobile-network/#:~:text=O2%20unveils%20plans%20to%20cut,carbon%20economy%20through%20efficient%20technology.
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Gamma Carbon Neutral
As one of our chosen unified communications partner, in 2006 Gamma committed to reducing their carbon footprint across their network, through investment in the efficiency of their IP based network and other assets as well as an active offset management programme.
Today Gamma is a fully certified CarbonNeutral® company, one of the few communications providers in the UK to have a net-zero carbon footprint.
Working with Gamma an environmentally pro-active company means:
- Carbon emissions from our entire range of Gamma applications and services are now offset to net-zero
- Our services can help organisations in the public sector where carbon reduction is a key objective
- We’re an environmentally friendly provider
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Gamma ensures CarbonNeutral by:
- Measuring every year – Gamma is independently assessed by Greenstone Carbon Management for its carbon footprint at the end of each financial year, taking into account all utility usage, business travel and waste across each site, as well as the electricity consumed by the network.
[vc_separator type=’transparent’ position=’center’ color=” thickness=’16’ up=” down=”] - Reducing our emissions – To be a certified CarbonNeutral® company, Gamma needs to demonstrate that they have worked to reduce our emissions. They take steps to improve energy efficiency and to reduce emissions through investment in their soft-switch network (which replaces a power-hungry hardware infrastructure) and they also promote recycling of waste, a ride to work scheme and car-sharing as well as encourage staff to make conference calls instead of travelling by car to business meetings.
[vc_separator type=’transparent’ position=’center’ color=” thickness=’16’ up=” down=”] - Offsetting emissions and investing – Each year, Gamma offset our remaining net emissions by investing in voluntary emissions reduction projects. So, for every 1 tonne of net CO2 emissions that Gamma emits, they’re reducing 1 tonne of CO2 somewhere else in the world.
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Source: https://www.gammacommunicationsplc.com/csr/the-environment-and-carbonneutral/
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Continual improvement
Uplands recognises that carbon reduction is a business essential and through our increasing efforts, teamed with our valued partners, we look forward to achieving this in the years to come.
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To find out more call us on 0800 24 00 00
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Everything we deliver is underpinned by our multi-award-winning level of Customer Care, most recently recognised at the Comms National Awards 2020 as Best SME Reseller and Best Mobile / IOT Solution and at the Mobile News Awards 2020 as Best B2B Dealer, and by our valued customers through our 5* Trust Pilot Rating.
During these uncertain times, we are prioritizing the flexibility and adaptability of our services. Which means we are able to facilitate businesses continually changing requirements, so you benefit from flexible contract terms, great value and dedicated customer service.
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* Content within this blog post is subject to change, terms and conditions. Uplands Mobiles Ltd accepts no responsibility for the results generated by this blog post.
* Source: https://news.o2.co.uk/press-release/o2-set-to-become-uks-first-net-zero-mobile-network/#:~:text=O2%20unveils%20plans%20to%20cut,carbon%20economy%20through%20efficient%20technology.
* Source: https://www.gammacommunicationsplc.com/csr/the-environment-and-carbonneutral/