Sustainability News for 13th October: Introduction
Welcome to this week’s Sustainability News for 13th October. At Play It Green, we know positive stories don’t always make headlines, so we share them with our community to remind everyone that progress is happening.
This week brings three uplifting stories: global asset owners holding firm on ESG commitments despite political pressure, Ocado rolling out solar-powered refrigerated trucks, and Virgin Media O2 expanding its circular tech reuse programme in Coventry. Each one shows how finance, business, and community innovation continue to reshape our world for the better.
Asset Owners Refuse to Ditch ESG
Morningstar’s global survey of more than 500 asset owners has found that seven in ten still use the term ESG, despite political pushback. Importantly, six in ten now see environmental and social factors as part of their fiduciary duty, up from 53% last year. One in ten already apply ESG criteria across their entire portfolio, double last year’s figure. Another 27% cover at least half their assets, highlighting growing consistency in strategy.
Climate and energy risks remain top concerns, with most owners focusing on energy management, physical climate impacts, and the low-carbon transition. The US shows the biggest divide, where more respondents believe ESG has become less material over the past five years. But globally, the signal is clear: asset owners view ESG as vital to long-term returns.
The survey also found that 55% of owners believe ESG reporting and due diligence regulations help their business. Politics may have made the label controversial, but the underlying practices are seen as smart risk management. For the Play It Green community, the lesson is reassuring: sustainability is still embedded in mainstream finance, and resilience wins in the long run.
Ocado Adds Solar Refrigerated Trucks to Its Fleet
Ocado has introduced two Sunswap Endurance electric refrigerated trailers, complete with rooftop solar panels. The trailers can run frozen goods for 24 hours on a single charge, while chilled loads can last for weeks without plug-in charging. Each unit has six battery modules, solar integration, and smart sensors to keep multiple compartments at different temperatures.
Compared with diesel models, each trailer saves 20.5 tonnes of CO2e annually. Sunswap customers also report operating cost reductions of up to 81%, showing that clean technology can be good for both the planet and the bottom line. Tesco, Cranswick Foods and Birds Eye are among other adopters.
For Ocado, the move supports its 2040 net-zero goal, verified by the Science Based Targets initiative. Interim milestones include cutting Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% by 2030 from 2021 levels. The new trailers prove that logistics can decarbonise while keeping costs competitive. For our community, this shows how solutions like solar refrigeration can ripple across supply chains and reshape entire industries.
Virgin Media O2 Expands Tech Reuse in Coventry
Virgin Media O2 has extended its partnership with Coventry City Council to rehome unused tech devices through the #CovConnects scheme for another 18 months. The programme tackles both digital exclusion and e-waste. In Coventry, more than 40% of residents lack access to a laptop, and the initiative has already rehomed over 4,700 refurbished devices.
The devices are donated by businesses and public organisations, securely data-wiped, and distributed via a local ‘device bank’. Partners include NHS ICB Coventry and Warwickshire and the University of Warwick. Virgin Media O2 and Coventry City Council are now inviting other local authorities to join a best-practice group, creating a reuse-first model that can be replicated nationwide.
Dana Haidan, Virgin Media O2’s Chief Sustainability Officer, called this “a landmark moment for creating a reuse-first circular economy for tech in the UK.” For the Play It Green community, the impact is clear: fewer devices gathering dust in drawers, more families connected, and a reduction in harmful e-waste. A small step with huge social and environmental rewards and a great way to finish the sustainability news for 13th October!
Sustainability News for 13th October: Wrap-Up
This week’s Sustainability News for 13th October proves that sustainable action is thriving across sectors. Asset owners are staying committed to ESG, Ocado is greening logistics with solar-powered trailers, and Virgin Media O2 is giving tech a second life while connecting communities.
For the Play It Green community, these stories are reminders that finance, business, and local partnerships all contribute to a more resilient world. Let’s carry this energy forward and keep proving that together, we can turn ambition into impact.
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