Just the job

Donna Young was appointed as BT's head of Climate Change in 2006. Here she discusses her role and its main objectives.

Hi Donna, what's your background at BT?

Until about eight months ago when I took up head of Climate Change job, I'd enjoyed a series of product and marketing roles at BT for a number of years. For example, I worked in market research, consumer product strategy and new product development. I then joined BT Wholesale working on the roll-out of Broadband Britain. Eventually I ended up here in the CSR team.

How and why did you make the leap?

This is something I've always wanted to do. It's something I've always believed in and I waited a long time for the opportunity to come about.

For me, it was about bringing my commercial skills into the CSR team. It was also an opportunity for me to use my knowledge and experience of the BT organisation. I think I've got a good track record in getting things done in this company and I strongly believe that this role needs that sort of know-how.

How did the position 'head of Climate Change' come to be?

My colleague Chris Tuppen can be credited for the creation of the role. He predicted that climate change and carbon reduction were going to become very big agenda items for business organisations. He managed to persuade the right people that BT needed to become thought leaders in the area of climate change and that included someone taking responsibility for a climate change strategy as their full-time job.

So you must have been thrilled when they chose you for that role?

Of course. I'd persevered for four years to move into something like this. I was highly delighted when others saw how my skill-set would marry into the needs of this position.

What are you responsible for delivering Donna?

I'm responsible for delivering BT's Climate Change  Programme which has three main objectives and they are all equally challenging.

I have to deliver an 80 per cent reduction in BT's carbon emissions based on our 1996 figure. I also have to ensure that our procurement principles are implemented throughout the entire supply chain. That means changing the behaviour of everybody who's responsible for buying products and services throughout the company.

Finally I'm responsible for actively engaging 20 per cent of our workforce into tackling climate change either at work or at home. This involves persuading more than 20,000 people worldwide to make a pledge to do something positive.

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