A group of UK telcos has released a joint letter urging their suppliers to act more robustly on emission targets.

The move was initiated through the auspices of the UK Government’s primary advisory group on digital connectivity, the Digital Connectivity Forum (DCF).

It was signed by ten UK telcos, including some of the biggest hitters in the sector, such as BT, Vodafone, Sky, TalkTalk, CityFibre, and Virgin Media.

The joint letter encourages suppliers to take meaningful steps to reduce emissions across their supply chain. This includes the disclosure of emissions data and setting clear, achievable goals to improve energy efficiency.

One of the major barriers to the decarbonization of the sector is Scope 3 emissions – indirect greenhouse gas emissions that occur in an organization’s value chain. According to DCF’s State of the Industry report, Purchased Goods and Services represented the largest source of Scope 3 emissions.

The joint letter set out four minimum targets:

• Publicly disclose Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions data annually, with third-party verification for Scopes 1 and 2.
• Publicly disclose a science-based carbon reduction target.
• Establish goals to improve the energy efficiency of the products they provide, reduce their embodied emissions, and increase “circularity” through higher reuse and reduced waste, for example.
• Implement Life Cycle Assessments or Product Carbon Footprints for relevant goods they supply, where feasible.

In the letter, DCF and the signatories urge the suppliers to sign up to the minimum targets and engage across their supply chain. However, the letter does not set out a clear verification process to ensure that suppliers adhere to the targets, with the decision purely voluntary.

“Each Signatory shall independently decide the application of these standards. Suppliers will be free to determine how they will meet these standards,” the letter reads.

To support meeting these targets, DCF has published guidance for SMEs on how to reduce emissions.

Reflecting on the joint letter, DCF head Alex Mather said: “By encouraging suppliers to adopt these practical and achievable standards, we are fostering collaboration across the supply chain to deliver meaningful climate action while supporting the UK’s world-leading connectivity goals.”

Most major telcos in the UK have set ambitious carbon emission targets. BT is aiming to reduce its carbon emission intensity across its operations by 87 percent by the end of March 2031. Vodafone has committed to achieving net-zero emissions across its own operations by 2030 and across its value chain by 2040.