Virgin Media O2 and Hubbub have teamed up with environmentalist and TV presenter George Clarke to tackle electronic waste (e-waste).
The trio are working together to provide a grant of £500,000 for initiatives that tackle both e-waste and support digital inclusion.
Hubbub co-founder Gavin Ellis said e-waste is a “pressing environmental issue,” with the UK generating the second largest amount of digital waste as a country in 2022.
Virgin Media O2 and Hubbub’s research shows there are more than 19 million unused smartphones and laptops in homes and garages. The Time After Time fund — now in its second year — was established in 2022 in response to the nation’s growing problem.
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This year’s scheme will fund projects which reduce e-waste and address the digital divide. This could include projects which help rehome devices to people in need.
Virgin Media O2 chief sustainability officer Dana Haidan said the fund “will play a key role in protecting the planet, championing circularity and improving people’s lives across the country.”
The initiative forms part of Virgin Media O2’s sustainably strategy, the Better Connections Plan, that aims to support its customers to carry out 10 million circular actions to tackle e-waste by the end of 2025, and connecting 1 million digitally excluded people across the UK through free and affordable connectivity and services.
