BT Conferencing reveals study results of environmental impact
BT has saved thousands of tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere through internally promoting the use of conferencing as an alternative to travelling to meetings, according to the results of an FDS International Ltd study. And BT has also saved itself millions of pounds in travel costs whilst enhancing employees’ lives through reducing travel-related stresses and strains.
James Wilsdon, Senior Policy Adviser, Forum for the Future, said: “We welcome the findings highlighted in BT Conferencing's environmental impact report. Traffic is forecast to grow by 25 per cent in the next decade, with serious consequences for our cities, our climate and our health. We need to harness the power of new technologies to reduce our transport impacts, and one obvious solution is to encourage the use of conferencing, as BT has done.”
BT predicts that its own use of conferencing will provide the following benefits to the environment:
- CO2 emissions will be reduced by 54,000 tonnes this year alone
- 12 million litres of car fuel will be conserved this year, saving an estimated £9.7 million
- Society in general will benefit to the tune of around £3.5 million per year from reduced impacts associated with travel – such as the effects of noise and air pollution on our health.
David Sales, Director of BT Conferencing, commented: “Last year, BT increased its use of phoneconferencing by 30%, and 75% of all phone conferences are now replacements for face to face meetings. In the UK, two and a half hours are added to work-related journeys each week because of congestion – this is crazy when you consider that no special equipment is needed for phoneconferencing in the workplace or home. BT Conferencing believes that conferencing is the easiest and most effective way for companies to kick-start an environmental policy whilst improving employees’ work/life balance.”
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