How to Drive Company-Wide Sustainability: Openreach (Abby Chicken)

How does one of the UK's largest infrastructure companies successfully transition 27,000 employees to achieve net zero? Abby Chicken, Head of Sustainability at Openreach, reveals practical strategies for tackling major sustainability challenges - from electrifying the UK's second-largest van fleet to engaging thousands of employees and suppliers in sustainable practices. Whether you're leading a large-scale transformation or just starting your sustainability journey, this episode provides actionable insights on driving organisational change while maintaining business performance.

🎯 Key Takeaways:

Infrastructure Transition

• Fleet electrification is a major challenge for large organisations but critical for meeting net zero targets
• Openreach is successfully converting their massive van fleet to EVs by tackling infrastructure, behaviour change, and practical challenges simultaneously

Stakeholder Engagement

• Success requires buy-in across all levels, from field engineers to finance
• Openreach uses different messaging for different audiences - from clean air benefits for those with asthmatic children to ESG requirements for raising capital

Supplier Integration

• Net zero goals require transformation across the entire supply chain
• Openreach embeds carbon reduction requirements in supplier contracts and shares best practices across their network

⚡ Quick Wins (Next 24 Hours):

Action 1: Map your sustainability messaging [30 mins]

Resource needed: Stakeholder mapping template

Success indicator: Different value propositions identified for key stakeholder groups

Action 2: Audit supplier contracts [2 hours]

Resource needed: Current supplier agreements

Success indicator: Opportunities identified to embed sustainability requirements

Action 3: Identify potential sustainability champions [1 hour]

Resource needed: Employee roster and team structure

Success indicator: List of employees who demonstrate both business acumen and sustainability interest, representing different departments/levels

❓ Got a question?

We’re here to help you with your sustainability problems. Submit a question for the show here

🔄 Share Your Impact:

Help build our community of practice:

• Let us know how you implemented these actions: podcast@sustainabilitysolved.org
• Submit your case study
• Join our Sustainability Solved Hub

🛠 Tools & Resources:

Reading Recommendations:

• Material World by Ed Conway - Deep dive into the raw materials shaping our future
• How to Get Big Things Done by Bent Flyverberg and Dan Gardner

🎙 Guest:

Abby Chicken

Head of Sustainability, Openreach

Connect: LinkedIn

Organisation: Openreach

🏢 Green Element Group

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub.

Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click 'Got a Coupon' and enter code 'PODCAST' to claim discount.

👫 Credits

Hosts: Will Richardson, Charlie Luxton

Production: Soundquake

Exec-Producer: Sam Hamilton-Turner

Producer: Jake Lee-Savage

💚 Help us improve! Share your feedback

Mentioned in this episode:

Climate Transition that Works

Don't stop at carbon measurement. Go from insight to action with 51toCarbonZero. Measure & Report Effortlessly gauge your impact: swift and precise carbon footprint and ESG measurement. Transition Navigate towards net-zero and your impact goals: set accountable plans and governance. Engagement Inspire your stakeholders: the board, colleagues, suppliers, clients and investors More Than a Platform: Your Strategic Sustainability Partner Embark on your net-zero and sustainability journey with confidence with 51toCarbonZero. We go beyond providing a platform; with Climate Unlimited™, our expert advisory service, we ensure simplicity every step of the way. See us as an extension to your team; guiding you through the measurement process, charting your net-zero path, obtaining disclosures, engaging your stakeholders, consulting on complex climate subjects as well as addressing any questions that arise.

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Climate Transition that Works

Don't stop at carbon measurement. Go from insight to action with 51toCarbonZero. Measure & Report Effortlessly gauge your impact: swift and precise carbon footprint and ESG measurement. Transition Navigate towards net-zero and your impact goals: set accountable plans and governance. Engagement Inspire your stakeholders: the board, colleagues, suppliers, clients and investors More Than a Platform: Your Strategic Sustainability Partner Embark on your net-zero and sustainability journey with confidence with 51toCarbonZero. We go beyond providing a platform; with Climate Unlimited™, our expert advisory service, we ensure simplicity every step of the way. See us as an extension to your team; guiding you through the measurement process, charting your net-zero path, obtaining disclosures, engaging your stakeholders, consulting on complex climate subjects as well as addressing any questions that arise.

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