This year has been a pivotal year for long-term protection and sustainability of our planet. The recent outcome of the COP21 negotiations have shone a spotlight on the extent of change needed to slow the rate of warming of our planet. As I think about Sky’s role in helping to achieve this, I reflect on what we achieved this year. What were my own highlights? And what resolutions will I set myself in the year to come?

For responsible business at Sky 2015 was a strong year. We made good progress in setting a baseline for carbon intensity across our newly European business. We are more than a quarter of the way to reaching our target of one million young people taking part in Sky Academy in the UK and Ireland by 2020.  And our amazing partnership with WWF, Sky Rainforest Rescue, helped to save 1 billion trees in the Amazon and showcased ways in which it is possible to make trees worth more standing than cut down. A true highlight of my year was the recent announcement of zero net deforestation commitments from the Brazilian and Acre governments – and I was extremely proud that Sky Rainforest Rescue was able to demonstrate the viability of slowing deforestation on such a scale and give confidence that change of this kind is achievable.

Like a good New Year’s resolution, setting the overall ambition is just the first step to making progress. To really change the rate of global warming, it’s the action plan and follow up that really counts. So, what does the outcome of the COP21 negotiation mean going forward if we are to make real progress?

For business, after the adrenaline surge of success at the negotiations, there’s likely to be plenty of rocky moments as individual country’s commitments are implemented. Business should keep focussed on setting themselves up to prosper in a low carbon economy. For a business like Sky, that means growing as a business, whilst at the same time reducing our carbon emissions through continuing to invest in energy-efficient buildings, procuring energy from renewable sources, building onsite renewables such as our great wind turbine and CCHP, and transforming our fleet to be more efficient. Business needs to get organised, and quickly, to start to systemically drive down its footprint at scale - something that Sky will continue to do, engaging our suppliers and supporting smaller businesses to also measure and reduce their impact.

For wider society, the engagement and understanding of the issues at hand and the action each of us can take to make a difference is key. Every person can play a role to significantly slow our rate of warming. That’s why at Sky we’ll continue to focus on engaging our customers through partnerships such as our support of WWF’s Earth Hour. We want to give people the confidence that change is possible and the things they do, little or large, will lead to better lives for everyone.

So, as we close the door on 2015 and a good result from COP21, I look forward to 2016 and to see tangible steps being made towards the ambition of a low-carbon economy. It’s set to be another exciting year, here at Sky, for wider business and society, and the planet.