A greener future: our journey to an eco-friendly fleet

The drive towards sustainability

Building and maintaining our network sustainably is one of our driving principles. It shapes our operations and demands that we constantly challenge ourselves and others to develop new and better ways of working so that we look after the environment.

Our mission – to build Full Fibre – will create a more sustainable communications network: more energy efficient, more reliable, and an integral part of a greener economy that is fit for the future.

Our progress so far

We’re very conscious of our carbon emissions and we’re determined to limit them. We will be a Net Zero business by 2031. The electricity that powers our network and operations is already 100% renewable. We use innovative route and task planning to reduce the miles our engineers’ vans must cover. And those vans are changing too: we have more than 4,000 electric vehicles and our fleet will be fully converted to zero emissions by 2031.

Our ambition doesn’t stop at the vehicles themselves either, last year we signed a deal with Ground Control to install an initial 8,500 charging points outside Openreach engineers’ homes and at key operational sites. Early in 2024, we also signed a new collaboration with First Bus to grant Openreach access to the bus operator’s charging facilities at its network of depots, initially in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Leicester.

Joining forces with EV100, a global initiative championing electric vehicles (EVs) and founding the UK Electric Fleet Coalition alongside BT and The Climate Group, we're actively advocating for an accelerated transition to electric mobility. These partnerships underscore our belief in collective action to drive significant environmental change.

Reducing our fleet's impact

Innovation and technology play pivotal roles in our sustainability journey. By harnessing telematics data, our engineers are not only driving more safely but more efficiently, leading to reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Initiatives like our trial of lithium battery packs to replace petrol generators for roadside equipment, and exploring electrically operated booms for our hoist vehicles, are testaments to our commitment to cutting emissions.

The road ahead

As we venture further on our sustainability journey, the focus now shifts to scaling our EV deployment. This entails validating the viability of medium-sized EVs and introducing new technologies across our fleet. Yet, challenges such as the availability of public charging solutions and finding zero-emission alternatives for our heavier vehicles remain. To navigate these obstacles, we need robust support and innovative policy.

Our journey towards an eco-friendly fleet is a central pillar of our commitment to sustainability. By collaborating with government bodies, local authorities, and other stakeholders, we can overcome the challenges ahead. Together, we can drive forward a greener, more sustainable future for all.

For further details on our sustainability efforts and how you can support our green transition and the installation of more electric vehicle chargers in your constituency, please contact us at sustainabilityteam@openreach.co.uk.