Virgin Media

How ethical and sustainable is Virgin Media? 

Virgin Media is included in The Good Shopping Guide‘s Ethical Broadband Providers Ratings Table. The TV and broadband provider has yet to meet our ethical standards, but we believe that in the future, the brand will make the necessary changes to function as a more ethical organisation.

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 Ethical Broadband Providers Ratings Table compare it to other suppliers.

What does Virgin Media do?

Virgin Media was founded in 2006 and provides customers with Broadband, TV and Mobile phone deals. Virgin Media is a joint venture between Telefonica S.A. and Liberty Global Plc as both companies own 50%.

For which criteria does Virgin Media perform poorly? 

Virgin Media received a low rating for its Political Donations and Animal Welfare issues. Virgin Media’s parent brand Telefonica also has several military contracts earning Virgin Media a middle rating for Armaments.

Past Criticisms of Virgin Media’s ethical record

Virgin Media faced criticism of its ethical record after parent company Liberty Global was sued by the US government as the company was accused of avoiding paying tax.

In what areas does Virgin Media score well for its ethics?

Virgin Media receives a high score for its Environmental Report, no Nuclear Power issues or links to the usage of Fossil Fuels. Virgin Media has a ‘Journey to Net Zero’ document that details serval carbon emission reduction targets as the brand aims to be Net Zero by 2040.

How can Virgin Media improve its Ethical Rating?

The Ethical Rating of a brand is divided into three research categories by The Good Shopping Guide: the Environment, People and Animals.

Virgin Media could improve its rating and fulfil our fundamental Ethical Benchmark by ensuring that its parent companies cease all Political Donations so the brand is not affiliated with any specific political views.

Why not check out The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Accreditation if you work for or with a TV or Broadband company that wants to improve its ESG, CSR or sustainability initiatives, or has an outstanding ethical track record? Contact us to learn more about Ethical Accreditation, or complete our application form for an ethical evaluation.