Author Archives: Bill Eyres

About Bill Eyres

Bill Eyres is Head of Sustainability at O2/Telefonica UK and Telefonica Europe. Since joining Telefonica in 2008 he has developed the Think Big programme in the UK and across Europe, a £10 million programme supporting young people as well as a range of innovations include the mobile industry's first eco-rating system for phones and a major phone recycling initiative O2 Recycle which reinvests its profits in Think Big. In March O2/Telefonica UK published the Think Big Blueprint a set of bold 2015 sustainability goals to help 10 million customers live more sustainable lives, offer carbon benefits to customer ten times our carbon footprint and give skills for life for 1 million young people. In October he helped to launch the Gothinkbig initiative with Bauer media to democratise work experience and skills at a time of crisis for young people. Bill previously worked at The Body Shop, The Co-operative Bank, Labour's shadow transport and heritage teams and Peabody Trust, London's largest housing charity.

Keeping our kids safe online

by Bill Eyres, Wednesday 20 June 2018
Three years ago, O2 recognised that online safety was one of the top concerns for our customers – and particularly parents – across the UK. So we joined forces with the NSPCC to help equip them with the knowledge, skills and confidence to help keep their children safe online. The partnership brought together O2’s digital … more »

Seven Proud Years

by Bill Eyres, Friday 10 March 2017
The 10th of March – the birthday of Think Big – is a day I like to reflect on what we have achieved with young people. Seven years ago when O2 launched its youth programme at an event in Hoxton Square, we knew we had a simple but powerful idea – create a platform that … more »

Measuring up against our Think Big Blueprint goals

by Bill Eyres, Friday 24 April 2015
In 2012, we launched the Think Big Blueprint, our first sustainability plan that set big, ambitious goals that we hoped would transform our role in the world around us. We set three goals, 40 commitments and gave ourselves three years to achieve them. The idea at the heart of the Blueprint is that not only … more »

Youth social action: an opportunity for business

by Bill Eyres, Friday 28 March 2014
For BITC’s 2014 Responsible Business Week, I have been asked to speak at the session ‘Youth social action: an opportunity for business.’ It’s an opportunity that Telefónica UK (you probably know us as O2) has been embracing for some time.  We encourage youth-led social action, funding young people to turn their ideas into reality and … more »

Creating a sharing co-operative future

by Bill Eyres, Friday 20 September 2013
The rise of collaboration fuelled by digital platforms is paving the way for a new, more sustainable ‘sharing economy’, argues Telefónica UK’s head of sustainability. Are we at the edge of a revolution that will see today’s social and economic systems transformed on a scale that changes the face of capitalism for good? Many sustainability … more »

The power of movement marketing

by Bill Eyres, Thursday 21 March 2013
This week I was asked to join a panel to debate the rise of cause related marketing and discuss if “Doing good makes for good advertising”.  I head up the sustainability team at O2, and have to prove the worth of our ‘good deeds’ to the business.  Particularly to my marketing colleagues.  So this is … more »