We’re committed to reaching Net Zero

Going online and using the internet is not the first thing we associate with the causes of climate change.

But streaming box sets, gaming, using social media and watching YouTube and Tik Tok are all contributing to the massive year-on-year growth in data usage that’s now part of our everyday lives.

This exponential growth in data usage inevitably means using more energy to power our Wi-Fi connected devices, Xboxes, TVs and tablets as well as the network supplying them with information.

That means our increasingly online lives play a major part in creating the carbon causing global warming. And while industry-heavy regions such as Humber are an essential and valuable part of the UK’s economy they also produce high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The Humber itself is the most carbon intensive industrial cluster in the country, emitting 12.4 million tonnes a year. Out of the six largest industrial clusters in the UK, the Humber is responsible for around 37 per cent of CO2 emissions in the UK.

That’s why here at KCOM we’re committed to playing our part in reducing CO2 emissions and helping our region to reach net zero.  

We’ve pledged that all our operations will become net zero by 2040, ten years ahead of the UK Government’s target date.

To do this we are working on a plan which will include science-based targets to reduce our carbon footprint and have already implemented a number of schemes to achieve this. These include investing in electric vehicles, installing solar panels and using energy saving lighting and cooling systems in our offices.

We’re reducing our environmental impact of our waste streams by looking at how we reclaim materials, including rare earth metals from redundant equipment while also recycling used PPE.

We are also looking at how our services can be delivered using the most efficient technology as the UK as a whole moves towards a fully fibre-based phone and broadband infrastructure.

We’ve recently also signaled our commitment to net zero by signing up to the Oh Yes! movement.

This means joining forces with the region’s major business, public sector and academic stakeholders to support Oh Yes! which aims to develop an innovative economic model to reduce carbon emissions in Hull and support a net zero future in an economically viable and sustainable way.

We believe our business, as part of a coordinated region-wide response to combatting carbon emissions can make a huge difference now and for generations to come.

Our journey to becoming a net zero business has already begun and we’re committed to making huge strides towards our target in the months and years ahead, building a better future for everyone.

For more information about the Oh Yes! campaign click here.

To read more about KCOM environment and sustainability visit here