We’ve taken...
...a leadership role in the debate on climate change with key speeches from prominent Sky people, and we’re sharing the experience of trying to be greener with other companies.
May Day Business Summit
On 1 May 2007 Sky supported the May Day Business Summit on climate change held at St James’s Palace and regional events within the UK. This event, hosted by HRH The Prince of Wales, brought together over a thousand of the country’s top businesses to create a single action plan on climate change.
Sky also supported the 2008 May Day Business Summit as the broadcast partner for the event and the 2009 May Day Summit by taking a stall at the Market Place event and by launching Carbon Copies. Carbon Copies is a mentoring scheme to help like minded businesses take action on climate change.
Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change
Sky is also a member of the Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change. They’re working with the government to find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and are actively encouraging others to join in.
The group is made up of national and international businesses, and their overall aim is to put pressure on the government to develop long-term policies for tackling climate change. A particular focus of the Group for 2009 has been the preparation of a communiqué for the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen that sets out a statement from the business community ahead of the negotiations in December.
The Prince’s Rainforest Project
Sky has also been a supporter and partner of the Prince’s Rainforest Project since its inception in 2007. Our CEO, Jeremy Darroch, currently sits on the Steering Group and we have been working with the Project to help raise awareness of the issues surrounding deforestation.
KPMG Taking the Lead on Climate Change
On the 27 October 2008, our Chief Executive, Jeremy Darroch, spoke and took part in a Q&A with Ed Milliband at KPMG’s ‘Taking the lead’ event on climate change. Jeremy had been invited to the event to share Sky’s experience so far of taking action on the environment with others who are at the beginning of the journey.
Environment Agency Conference
On the 9th and 10th November, the environment regulator, the Environment Agency, held their annual conference - "Creating the Climate for Change". This took place with the aim of addressing some of the large scale changes business, local communities, and government will be required to make in tackling climate change. With this change will come opportunities, challenges, and regulatory changes at a local, national and international level. Over 500 delegates attended the two days conference from the Public Sector (County Councils, NHS, Fire Service), Business, Central Government and the Environment Agency and hosted a range of international speakers.
Our Chief Executive, Jeremy Darroch presented a key note address on the impacts and opportunities of climate change for business, and took questions as a part of panel alongside John Cridland (Deputy Director-General, CBI), Justin King (Chief Executive, Sainsbury’s), and Richard Brown (Chief Executive, Eurostar). Sky also exhibited at the conference and showcased our environment strategy including our targets to minimise our own impact and ways we are inspiring action with Global Action Plan and Sky Rainforest Rescue, as well as the Bigger Picture more widely.
Recognition
Our national advertising in 2007 won us the 2007 Green Award for Best Integrated Communications Campaign. The award recognised our efforts to encourage consumers, employees and others, to adopt greener lifestyles. In 2007 we were recognised for our work in trying to reduce our carbon footprint and in talking to our customers about tackling climate change. HRH The Prince of Wales, and former US Vice President Al Gore, presented us with the Business in The Community (BITC) Man Group International Climate Change Award.
Sky’s use of hybrid and low carbon transport within the business won us the Energy Saving Trust Fleet Heroes award in November 2007. We were awarded first place for leading the way within the fleet industry and runners up for the award for large fleet size over 500 vehicles - with 108 vans running on bio-diesel, an electric van being trialled, and a number of hybrid vehicles in use.
In December 2007 Sky won a "Highly Commended" for Energy Efficient Services in the National Energy Efficiency Awards for the roll out of Auto Standby on Sky set top boxes. Auto Standby ensures that set top boxes go into standby mode when they are not being used overnight, thus reducing their energy consumption.
In April 2009 we were awarded the Carbon Trust Standard for companies taking real action to reduce their carbon emissions. Our achievements were also recognised with a Green Award from the Federation of Communication Services, a Big Tick for Environmental Leadership from Business in the Community and being a finalist in the Business Travel category of the Green Business Awards 2009.