For more than three decades, Sky has been a global leader in delivering cutting edge media and telecommunications, as well as using their platform to campaign environmental issues. They have a history of sustainability breakthroughs and world firsts: from being the first media company to go carbon neutral in 2006, to launching the first automatic standby mode for its set-top boxes. Now, they have launched Sky Glass, the world’s first TV to be certified as CarbonNeutral®.

It Requires a Multi-faceted Approach

Sky's industrial product designers, hardware and software engineering teams made and developed Sky Glass with sustainability and efficiency in mind.

The design: Their team are using crucial insights from detailed lifecycle analysis, looking at the product's impact across its lifespan. They take responsibility for the product’s entire lifecycle, driving ongoing changes across their value chain and its use in customer homes.

The technology: with the TV, set-top box and soundbar all built into one product Sky Glass saves up to 50% electricity compared to having a separate TV, Sky Q set-top box, and soundbar. The screen adapts to ambient light - in cases where there is lower light levels in a room, the Sky Glass automatically reduces backlight to optimal levels, increasing energy efficiency and reducing glare for the viewer. On-screen messages let customers know that the auto-standby feature is saving them energy.

The packaging: building on years of learning from the Sky Ocean Rescue, Sky Glass comes in recyclable packaging, free from single-use plastics. The packaging is taken away by their installers, ensuring it can be reused as much as possible.

Engaging suppliers: Sustainability is a core part of their long-term engagement with partners, driving efficiencies and carbon reductions associated with the creation of their products, including improving the efficiency of the power used in their supply chain and transitioning to renewable energy.

Renewable energy and carbon offsetting: So that Sky Glass is powered from renewable electricity for its first year of use in customer homes, Sky invested in Energy Attribute Certificates. An Energy Attribute Certificate (EAC) is the official documentation to prove renewable energy consumption and represents proof that 1 MWh of renewable energy has been produced and added to the grid.

Where Sky cannot avoid the carbon emissions, they are offsetting with Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Projects that enable the development of wind power infrastructure. Projects developed under the VCS Program must follow a rigorous assessment process to be certified.

Beyond carbon-neutrality:  Sky have supported the planting of 200,000 native tress, "sowing the seeds for a net-zero future". Together with the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, a landowner in the Cairngorms and Natural Capital Partners, Sky are undertaking landscape scale research into maximising climate, nature, and community benefits from reforestation, to inform international best practice.

What Comes Next?

Only a wave of action by business, governments and individuals  will solve the climate crisis. Sky’s showcases how an ambitious public target allows their business and suppliers to align behind the same goal. But more than that, they hope it can inspire others, creating a ripple that helps catalyse the exponential change the world needs.

Sky is a signatory to the UN Global Compact, and proud to support the Business Ambition for 1.5°C. They are working with their partners at Business in the Community to galvanise support for a 2030 trajectory and WWF to invest in nature. They are also members of RE100 and EV100.

SKY’S JOURNEY TO CARBON NEUTRAL

Sky Zero shows Sky’s commitment to get to net-zero carbon by 2030.

Sky Zero

To get there, they will cut the carbon emissions created by their business, by their suppliers across the world and by the use of their technology products, by at least 50%. They have committed to plant trees, mangroves and seagrass to absorb what they can’t cut yet, and will spread the word through their channels and shows, inspiring as many people as they can to join them and #GoZero.

• 2006: first CarbonNeutral® media company.

• 2007: launches auto-standby in their set-top box, Sky+.

• 2009: Sky Rainforest Rescue, a campaign to save one billion trees in Brazil, raise awareness and deliver emission reductions through forestry projects.

• 2017: Sky Ocean Rescue, campaign to raise awareness and eliminate plastic waste from our oceans and makes a commitment to be single-use plastic free in its operations and product.

• 2018: Sky Ocean ventures: investing £25 million in innovations to end the devastating flow of plastic into the sea, across the world.

• From 2019: all UK-commissioned original productions made CarbonNeutral®,  including its hit show Chernobyl.

• 2020: Sky commits to net-zero carbon by 2030.

• 2021: Principal Media Partner at COP26 in Glasgow, with a live dedicated Sky News channel amplifying the conference voices from a studio on location.

• 2021: built the first TV to be certified as a CarbonNeutral® product.

• 2022: Sky Studies Elstree, a sustainable film & TV studio.

• Beyond 2022: switch out  their entire fleet of 5,000 vehicles to zero emissions and continue to restore forests, mangroves and seagrass eco-systems.