Comcast NBCUniversal
CEF Lead Executives
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SARA CRONENWETT
Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Environmental Sustainability
Sara is responsible for developing the environmental sustainability strategy for Comcast at the enterprise level. Sara and her team work closely with sustainability teams within Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, and Sky as well as other Corporate leaders to develop and manage the sustainability vision, goals, and strategy across the company, including our roadmap to become carbon neutral by 2035. In addition, Sara and her team are responsible for reporting on environmental sustainability, including Comcast’s enterprise-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Prior to joining Comcast in 2020, Sara spent 6 years at Gartner where she served as the Group VP for product development and management of the Gartner Business Services products. Sara began her professional career at McKinsey & Company where she spent 7 years serving clients across the tech, media, and telecom practices. Sara is a graduate of Stanford University where she earned both a Bachelor of Science and Ph.D. in Physics.
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TRACY BAUMGARTNERList Item 2
VP of Business Process Effectiveness -- Environment
With 30 years of experience in cable operations, communications, and corporate social responsibility, Tracy brings a 360-degree perspective to her role building the organization’s environmental responsibility program to achieve the company’s goal of being Carbon Neutral by 2035, and helping determine near-term emission reduction goals. Prior to this role, Tracy served as the Executive Director of Sustainability for Comcast NBCUniversal. Before that, she spent nearly five years as Executive Director of Community Investment for Comcast Corporation and a decade as VP of Public Relations for the West Division of Comcast Cable in Denver. She is an active member of WICT who hored Tracy as the 2010 Chapter President of the Year and the 2008 Woman of the Year by its Rocky Mountain chapter. She is an inaugural member of the Cable Center Ambassador’s Council and was inducted into the Cable Pioneers in October of 2021. Tracy received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a dual emphasis in Marketing and International Business from the University of Colorado Boulder.
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MATTHEW BERBÉE
Vice President, Facilities Operations, Engineering & Sustainability
Matt is responsible for NBCUniversal’s Sustainability programs including decarbonization, emissions reporting, production Sustainability and initiatives to achieve the Comcast/NBCU’s public commitments for Carbon neutrality by 2035. Matt leads NBCUniversal’s Sustainability team dedicated to Data Solutions, Strategy, Production & Content. In addition, Matt serves as Head of Facilities for NBCU’s West Coast Studio Operations consisting of the Universal Studio’s Lot, 10Universal City Plaza and DreamWorks Campus. Matt has 20 years of experience in Sustainability, Energy Management and Facilities Operations & Engineering. Prior to joining NBCU, Matt served as the Director of Operations & Energy Services at the California Institute of Technology and started his career as the Energy Manager for the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Matt holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Pepperdine University, a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from California State Polytechnic University Pomona. Certifications include, Facilities Professional, Certified Energy Manager and LEED GA. Matt has been recognized by NASA with the Blue Marble award for excellence in environmental & energy programs, the U.S. Department of Energy as an Energy Champion, the State of California as a leader in the Flex Your Power program and by the Association of Energy Engineers as an engineer of the year.
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MARK KANE
VP and Co-leader of Responsible Procurement
Mark is part of Comcast Enterprise Procurement as leader of Enterprise Supplier Management, global Consulting and co-leader of Responsible Procurement. Mark has been with the company for 10 years.
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FIONA BALL
Group Director of the Bigger Picture at Sky
Fiona Ball is Group Director of the Bigger Picture at Sky, Europe’s leading media and communications company with 24 million customers, and part of the Comcast group. She is responsible for Sky’s sustainability strategy and performance, spearheading the group’s responsible business, social impact and cause-related strategy, marketing, plans and campaigns. The Bigger Picture strategy focuses on three material issues - Young People, Environment and Communities, and under Fiona’s leadership, has delivered world-leading strategies and campaigns including Sky Zero, Sky Ocean Rescue, Sky Cares and Sky Academy Studios. Fiona was also responsible for Sky Rainforest Rescue, Sky’s six-year campaign and partnership with WWF. Alongside this, Fiona is responsible for Sky’s environmental impact, through sustainability of its product and services, access services, responsible sourcing, child safety, stakeholder engagement and reporting, and maintaining Sky’s leadership position on climate change. Sky is committed to being Europe’s first net zero carbon entertainment company by 2030 and a Principal Partner and Media Partner of COP26.
Fiona possesses an honours degree and masters in environmental management from Brunel University, is a Chartered Environmentalist and a member of the Institute of Environmental Management. She lives in Surrey with her husband and three children.
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CHANDLER CLAY
Senior Director, Environment Communications
Chandler leads Comcast’s internal and external communications strategies on the environment. Prior to Comcast, she led communications for agriculture, water, and wildlife programs at Environmental Defense Fund, where she collaborated with corporate partners to support their environmental goals. Chandler has a B.A. in Ecomics and Environmental Studies from Princeton University, and a M.A. in Journalism and Public Affairs from American University.
Sustainability Goals
Sustainability Goals
Comcast NBCUniversal
- Achieve carbon neutrality across its global operations (Scope 1 and 2) by 2035.
- Committed to set near-term science based targets with SBTi.
- Committed to awarding 13,000 BIPOC-owned small businesses across the U.S. with monetary grants, technology makeovers, and marketing services from Comcast RISE by 2022.
- Committed $1 billion over the next 10 years to reach an additional 50 million low-income Americans and ensure communities of color have the skills and tools necessary to succeed in the digital economy
- Committed $40 million to local nonprofits to advance strategies creating pathways to economic mobility
Past Goals Achieved
- Provide 500,000 volunteer service hours on environmentally friendly projects by 2020. (Goal Met in 2019)
Sky (Subsidiary)
- Become net-zero carbon by 2030
- Reduce emissions from operations, suppliers, and energy use by at least 50% by 2030
- Source 100% renewable energy (Goal Met in 2021)
- Transition to a zero emissions fleet (5,000 vehicles)
- Become zero-waste to landfill (Goal met in 2021)
Latest Sustainability Report
(June 2023)
Highlights
- Reduced Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 38% since 2019.
- In 2022, estimated its Scope 3 emissions for the first time and joined the Science Based Targets initiative on climate action.
- In 2022, issued its first Green Bond of $1 billion to allow investors to support environmental efforts underway or under consideration at Comcast.
- Signed new renewable energy agreements totaling more than 183,000 MWh per year in 2022, bringing the company’s contracted total to over 1 million MWh per year, roughly 25% of Comcast’s projected 2026 energy load once the new projects come online.
- Expanded its electric and hybrid vehicle fleet, saving nearly 9.5 million gallons of fuel since 2019.
- In 2022, announced plans to double network efficiency by 2030 and have so far reduced the electricity needed to deliver each byte of data across its network 36% since 2019.
- 59 NBCUniversal TV and feature film productions were awarded Environmental Media Association Awards, up from 46 in 2021.
- In 2022, fulfilled a $100 million commitment set in 2020 to accelerate work advancing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, through Project Up.
- Comcast RISE, a two-year program to support diverse entrepreneurs hit hard by COVID, achieved its goal in 2022, distributing $110 million in grants and resources to 13,000 small businesses.
- Spent $5.0 billion on direct purchases from 4,250 diverse suppliers in 2022, up from $4.3 billion in 2021.
- In 2022, people of color made up 45.7% of workforce, 37.8% of managers, and 33.3% of the board; women made up 37.1% of workforce, 43.9% of managers, and 22.2% of the board.
(Oct 2023)
Highlights
- Outlines the partial allocation of proceeds from its inaugural $1 billion green bond issued in February 2023, with $421.8 million of the total allocated so far, including:
- $410.4 million on 644,000 square feet of new or expected certified green real estate;
- $8.9 million on annual GHG reductions (700 mtCO2e);
- $1.5 million on energy efficiency, with an annual reduction in energy consumption of 5,000 MWh;
- And $1.0 million on renewable energy, avoiding 300 mtCO2e.
- Projects include new green construction at Universal City Studios; the Sky Innovation Centre, England’s first all-electric building; and electric vehicles including tour and shuttle buses.
Recent News
2023
DCF Pledge for Collaborative Emissions Reduction Action — The Digital Connectivity Forum launched a pledge for collaborative action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from the telecommunications value chain. To make the greatest collective impact, participants agreed to focus on four types of Scope 3 emissions: purchased goods & services, capital goods, end-of-use of sold products, and downstream leased assets. The pledge was signed by twelve of the largest connectivity providers in the UK, including Sky of CEF Member Comcast NBCUniversal. DCF’s Climate & Sustainability Work Group will provide a platform for the facilitation of this collaboration. (July 2023)
UFEG —Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG), a division of Comcast NBCUniversal, announced it has launched the GreenerLight Program, an initiative focused on embedding sustainability across the entire filmmaking process through development, production, and distribution. This expands the existing Sustainable Production Program, which addressed issues such as food and set materials and energy efficiency. This program will now add in other factors, including script development, locations and set needs, and on-screen behaviors. (March 2023)
Announced the company’s first green bond offering, to support its effort to become carbon neutral by 2035. This $1 billion 10-year green bond includes five investment areas, including renewable energy; energy efficiency; green buildings, campuses, communities, and cities; clean transportation; and circular economy. (Feb 2023)
2022
New Secretariat to Address Connected Device Emissions — Global climate consultancy, the Carbon Trust, and technology companies Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Samsung and Sky, are developing the industry’s first specification for measuring, accounting for, and decarbonizing the emissions associated with connected devices while being used by customers. Connected devices, which include phones and laptops, used a total of 500 Terawatt hours in 2020. The group aims to produce an accurate baseline for reporting energy efficiency improvements and establish rules for matching electricity consumption with renewable energy generation, as well as applying technology to optimize energy use of connected devices by consumers. (Sept 2022)
Announced a plan to double its network energy efficiency by 2030, cutting the electricity per consumed terabyte of data in half. The plan includes investing in virtual, cloud-based technologies, which require less energy per unit of data. (Sept 2022)
Announced an 15-year agreement with Constellation Energy for the purchase of 250 megawatts (MW) of energy and renewable energy certificates (RECs) sourced from Scout Clean Energy’s Blue Sky Solar Project, currently under construction in Illinois. The purchase will cover about 12 percent of the total power used by Comcast’s US operations. (April 2022)
2021
The Climate Content Pledge — In an industry first, the
CEOs of 12 UK broadcasters and streamers
signed a new
pledge
to use content that helps audiences make greener choices and understand the path to net zero. The pledge was convened by
albert. Signatories represent “over 70% of time UK audiences spend watching TV and film” and include
BBC, Discovery,
and Sky.
(Nov 2021)
MORE »
COMCAST — Announced that a second round of cities will receive 600 grants worth $6 million for small businesses owned by people of color, as part of the Comcast RISE Investment Fund. It also announced its fourth round of Comcast RISE recipients, a group of 1,100 small businesses that will receive a TV campaign, consulting services, production of a TV commercial, equipment or services from Comcast Business, and access to the Ureeka platform.
32 companies that have prioritized their workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
(e.g., by establishing safety practices, disclosing demographic details to drive racial equity, worker benefits)
have outperformed companies on the Russell 1000 by 8.6%, according to a JUST Capital
ranking of companies “leading for their workers” by industry. CEF members
BlackRock, Chevron, Comcast, Dow, Ford, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Lockheed Martin, McKesson,
and Procter & Gamble are among the 32 companies featured. (Sept 2021)
MORE »
SKY — Announced it is now powered by 100% renewable electricity across its entire operations, which has resulted in a 22.7% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions (2018 baseline). The company also
published its Scope 3 reporting methodology.
(Aug 2021)
MORE »
Earned the Red Dot Design Award for its Xfinity Eco Capsule, which is made from bamboo, sugarcane, paper, and soy ink, with materials from responsibly managed forests, and has the world’s first resealable pulp lid. (July 2021)
Committed to achieving carbon neutrality across its global operations (Scope 1 and 2) by 2035.
(May 2021)
MORE »
Committed to awarding 13,000 BIPOC-owned small businesses across the U.S. with monetary grants, technology makeovers, and marketing services from Comcast RISE by 2022. Comcast RISE stands for “Representation, Investment, Strength, and Empowerment” and is a coordinated cross-company effort to address digital inequities through sustainable programming and investments. (May 2021)
Over 170 CEOs from U.S. companies issued a public letter to Congress backing President Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package and urged rapid, bipartisan adoption. CEF member companies involved included BlackRock, Comcast, Google, JetBlue, Mastercard, Morgan Stanley, Siemens, and Visa. (March 2021)
2020
Comcast announced the completion of a 760-panel rooftop solar installation at its multi-purpose facility in Washington, D.C. The system will reduce approximately 272 metric tons of CO2 in the regional electricity grid — as much as 385 megawatt-hours of energy annually, or the equivalent of 37 homes' worth of electricity. (Feb 2020)
Comcast's British media company Sky has pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. (Feb 2020)