corporate responsibility report
The Group recognises that it has a responsibility to ensure that its business is conducted in a socially responsible manner, resulting in a high standard of social and environmental behaviour.
The Group is committed to achieving environmental best practice and strives to minimise its adverse environmental impact. The Group endeavours to achieve these goals by ensuring the efficient use of materials and energy, recycling and promoting the use of recycled materials wherever possible, minimising waste and addressing environmental issues in staff training programmes.
The Group regards environmental laws, regulations and codes of practice in each country where it operates as a minimum standard in its target of environmental performance, particularly those relating to the generation, storage, handling and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes. Further, the Group endeavours to monitor its impact on carbon emissions by measuring power consumed and implementing initiatives designed to maximise efficiency in order to reduce overall impact.
Examples of this policy are the Group's data centres in Sweden, where the majority of energy used in the facility for its standard operational requirements is from renewable sources and, from launch, the new London Powergate facility where 10% of the power used will be from renewable sources. Both new data centres in London and Amsterdam are incorporating some of the most advanced energy efficient technology available.
Towards the end of the year the Group's French subsidiary won the Annual Award for Innovation by the Franco-British Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The award recognised the pioneering work of the Group's engineering team in France as they became the first data centre provider to test hydrogen fuel cells as an alternative power source at one of its Paris data centres. The fuel cell was tested to see if it could provide a highly autonomous backup in the event of a grid power outage, ensuring that control is maintained over vital site operations such as access control, CCTV surveillance, fire detectors and alarms, fire suppression methods, lighting, building technical management and telecommunications.
The Group endeavours to ensure that a safe and healthy environment and adequate welfare facilities are provided for its staff, contractors and visitors. Through the provision and implementation of systems, training and supervision, the Group aims to ensure that staff, both individually and as a company, achieve the highest possible standards. The Group is dedicated to training and development, and invests time in ensuring that appointed staff are aware of their responsibilities in respect of their appointment and function.
Throughout the year TelecityGroup supported a number of national and international charities including The Loomba Trust, Derian House Children's Hospice and Starlight Children's Foundation.