KCOM

How ethical and sustainable is KCOM?

KCOM is listed on The Good Shopping Guide‘s Broadband Providers Ethical Ratings Table and while it has not yet met ethical standards, we believe the brand will make the necessary changes to operate as a more ethical and sustainable broadband provider and organisation. KCOM can increase consumer confidence by seeking ethical certification from The Good Shopping Guide. This includes suggestions, some sustainability consultancy, and more thorough scrutiny and advice on ethical development. Find out more about Ethical Accreditation.

More information on why ethics should be considered before you switch Broadband providers may be found in The Good Shopping Guide to Ethical Broadband Providers. Then, in our Broadband Providers Ethical Ratings Table compare it to other suppliers.

What does KCOM do?

KCOM began as a telephone department in 1904 and now is one of the longest-established providers of communication services in the UK. The broadband provider has been owned by Macquarie Group since 2019. You can read more on KCOM here.

The brand also offers Ultrafast broadband and reliable Wi-Fi connections.

For which criteria does KCOM perform poorly? 

KCOM received a low rating for its Political Donations. The brands parent company Macquarie group donated over £269K in recent political election cycles. The brand also received a middle rating for its Environmental Report as KCOM’s Sustainability Report is brief with no clear future targets. KCOM is doing better than many other broadband providers hence the middle rating.

Past Criticisms of KCOM’s ethical record

KCOM faced criticism after Macquarie Bank faced a possible fine after the corporate watchdog claimed that it failed to properly monitor transactions by financial advisors in its client accounts. This was looked into after a former advisor was sentenced to at least four years in prison after pleading guilty to 15 dishonesty offences involving the handling of clients’ money.

In what areas does KCOM score well for its ethics?

KCOM receives a high score for Nuclear Power concerns, Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare, Armaments and Human Rights issues. The brand’s parent company does own Hawaii Gas which is in charge of installing gas lines throughout Hawaii but this company is marketed as a clean energy company and therefore the brand still receives a top rating.

How can KCOM improve its Ethical Rating?
KCOM can apply for Ethical Accreditation for more detailed guidance on how to improve. The Ethical Rating of a brand is divided into three categories by The Good Shopping Guide: the Environment, People and Animals.

KCOM may improve its rating and fulfil our fundamental ethical requirements by ceasing all Political Donations.

Why not check out The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Accreditation if you work for or with a TV or Broadband company that places ethics and sustainability high on its priority list? Contact us to learn more, or complete our short form for an initial ethical and sustainability evaluation.