Environment, Social, and Governance.
1.
Environment
Ubiquitous acknowledges that the latest climate science indicates that the way we live is negatively impacting the environment.
As the UK’s leading Taxi Advertiser, our sustainability initiatives are an extension of our wider investment in the taxi trade and the OOH industry.
Our Commitment to Net Zero
We have committed to net zero by 2040 with carbon reduction schemes currently in place to help us reach our targets.
As an associate member of the OOH industry body Outsmart, we are guided by their key recommendations underpinning sustainability in OOH. Our environmental management and measurement protocols are driven by the protocols outlined by ISO14001.
We currently measure all our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions following GHG protocols and additionally measure a subset of Scope 3 emissions
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting
Our greenhouse gas emissions are measured annually and are classified in three scopes:
Scope 1 emissions are from our own sources or those we control directly.
Scope 2 emissions cover indirect emissions from the purchase of electricity, including our offices.
Scope 3 emissions include business travel, employee commuting, the supply of goods and services and the taxis we use.
Carbon Reduction Initiatives
Our team is currently reducing our carbon emissions to make a meaningful impact in the communities we serve.
1.
Moving to Hybrid Electric taxis. Our taxis currently include both diesel-powered and hybrid electric taxis. We’re leading a shift in the industry by prioritising Hybrid Electric taxis in our campaigns. Over the last three years we’ve reduced the number of diesel vehicles we use in our campaigns by over 80%.
2.
·Meeting strict production standards along the supply chain. Our design partners are required to meet strict production standards, including the use of recycled materials for our artwork vinyl. This also includes the reduction and consolidation of the transportation of all goods involved in the supply chain.
3.
Recycling our used vinyl. We partner with Veolia to turn our used vinyl into road aggregate to fix potholes.
Ubiquitous and Veolia
Did you know that vinyl takes 1,000 years to decompose? Achieve zero landfill with Ubiquitous instead.
In partnership with Veolia, our used vinyl undergoes a ‘clean air burn’ at 800 degrees; the energy and the ash from the burn is turned into road surface aggregate - filling in potholes on roads around the UK!
Waste Reduction Initiatives
Reducing waste in both our sales offices and our operation centres around the UK is just one way we’re making a difference.
Digital-first where possible. We have moved to digital-first operations for client-reporting and campaign approvals in our offices.
Sustainability practices down the supply chain. Our production partners must meet strict sustainability standards, including the use of recyclable or reusable materials for advertising assets.
Recycling in the workplace. We’ve introduced comprehensive recycling, energy-efficient systems, and waste audits to monitor progress.
Reducing our footprint where possible. Most of our footprint comes from vehicle washing. We work closely with our fleet partners to ensure this is done through certified car wash providers that use recycled water systems and minimal runoff processes wherever possible
We encourage our team and suppliers to reduce single-use plastics and unnecessary packaging where possible.
Commitment to diversity and inclusion
We have policies and processes in place to comply with national and international labour laws. This offers a clear expectation of working hours, child labour laws, and freedom of association.
We currently track and measure employee diversity metrics, including gender and ethnicity. This ensures we fulfil the relevant national and international standards that apply to our business. We’re proud to exceed the relevant national and international standard.
Our Partners
We contribute to many charities and groups with origins in the Taxi trade who work to benefit the wider community. This includes donating time and resources to each respective charity.
The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans
Formed in 1948, the charity and the London cabbies that support it help veterans in their day-to-day lives.
The Taxi Driver of the Year Charity Fund
This charity started in 1971 and has since raised more than £5m for organisations and charities supported by the London cab trade.
The London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children
Formed in 1928, this charity runs annual outings for special needs and disadvantaged children.
London Taxi Drivers Association
We have a longstanding connection with the London Taxi Drivers Association and continue to build on this relationship to the benefit of the industry.
We’ve also supported the following charity organisations on our Taxis:
Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital
Rays of Sunshine
Cystic Fibrosis Trust
Breast Cancer Now
Children with Cancer UK
The British Heart Foundation
Battersea Dog and Cat Rescue
3.
Governance
Board structure and practices
The board comprises two Executive Directors, Kaan Gunay and Mustafa Çiçek, from Ubiquitous’ parent company Firefly. They have a combined wealth of management experience with a particular focus on global transit media and technology.
Our board is passionate about making the working life of every Ubiquitous employee both positive and meaningful. This is achieved through the following stakeholder engagement practices:
Being a responsible employer.
We set the expectation that business must be conducted in an exemplary fashion across all management levels. This involves strict compliance with the relevant national and international workplace legislation and policies that apply. This extends to:
·Formal data security and privacy policies. We use an IT contractor to maintain the security of our business data. We have structures in place to ensure that personal data is safe and protected.
Our Whistleblower policy. We actively encourage all employees to report concerns regarding misconduct or unethical behaviour to their manager or human resources, without fear of retaliation.
Anonymous feedback about your line manager. We have the ability to anonymously feedback to HR about line managers for improvement and employee wellbeing.
Anti-bribery and corruption. We are consolidating our anti-bribery and corruption policy. Ubiquitous is compliant with all relevant anti-corruption laws. We have a zero-tolerance approach to illegal business practices with a commitment to integrity and transparency. To aid this, we are currently improving on our employee training process.
Health and safety procedures. Our health and safety procedures are for the benefit of all employees.
Our modern slavery statement ensures that we are not complicit in human rights abuses, nor knowingly profiting from the use of modern slavery including human trafficking, forced, compulsory, or child labour.
A copy of our most recent modern slavery statement is available on our website and can be viewed on request.
Risk Management and Controls
Our risk management strategies manage the relevant risks that apply to Ubiquitous.
The following have been identified:
1.
Ubiquitous operates in a highly competitive market.
2.
We can be impacted by adverse events in the UK economy.
3.
Advertiser and audience behaviour may be impacted by changes in technology.
The management team has taken the necessary steps to mitigate these risks and regularly reviews current and potential strategies to make sure that Ubiquitous maintains its strong market position.
Putting sustainability first
Our carbon reduction targets for 2030 and our total net zero emissions target for 2040 are a key focus for the board and our wider leadership team. Sustainability initiatives are an important part of our overall business strategy. It ultimately reflects our hopes for a greener and more productive future for all.
We recognise that ESG is an evolving area, and we are committed to continuously improving our approach. We are actively working with multiple third parties to improve our understanding. We welcome any insights or feedback to help us along our ESG journey.
2.
Social
Ubiquitous is represented by a diverse workforce around the UK. We’re passionate about making sure they are heard, seen, and respected.
Our modern slavery statement reports our efforts to prevent slavery and human trafficking within our own business and supply chains.