Professor Adam Beaumont named Top 5 in UK’s Net Zero 50 List

December 17, 2025
All, Awards, Digital Leaders, Green, Professor Adam Beaumont

The list, announced late in 2025, celebrates the innovators who are forging the UK’s path to Net Zero

17 December 2025 – Leeds, United Kingdom – Professor Adam Beaumont, Chairman of aql, has been selected as one of the top five individuals on the United Kingdom Net Zero 50 List. The list recognises 50 people from across the UK who are helping to deliver practical progress towards decarbonisation. Professor Beaumont is ranked second amongst private-sector leaders – behind only Greg Jackson of Octopus Energy – securing a spot in the overall top five.

The Net Zero 50 List was created to highlight the UK’s role in global sustainability efforts, to support informed, cross-sector dialogue, and to strengthen networks focused on practical solutions for achieving Net Zero.

Professor Beaumont’s commitment to Net Zero is central to how he runs aql and his wider private-sector ventures. aql operates critical communications and data infrastructure that supports the United Kingdom’s digital economy, so reducing its environmental impact is treated as a core responsibility.

Net Zero by 2050

The United Kingdom has set a legal target to reach Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This requires a whole-economy transition away from fossil fuels towards renewables, electrification, energy efficiency and carbon removal technologies.

Professor Beaumont said, "The private sector has a central role in ensuring the United Kingdom meets its Net Zero target. We believe that those of us who operate essential digital infrastructure have a particular duty to lead by example. As a country, we have already made strong progress, but there is more to do.

"This list is a useful reminder of the need to shift our focus away from carbon creation and towards long-term, sustainable energy projects that will support a resilient future for everyone in the UK."

A lifelong commitment, building a practical framework for the private sector

Professor Beaumont has a long history of supporting environmental initiatives, including serving as a Trustee of the Eden Project and as founding Chair of UK 5G’s Climate and Environment working group, part of the government-backed United Kingdom 5G (UK5G) advisory board. Under his leadership, aql has set out a six-part approach to its environmental commitments, which is intended as a practical framework other private-sector organisations can adopt or adapt:

1. Protect woodland

2. Reduce carbon footprint

3. Reduce waste

4. Develop green initiatives

5. Adopt reuse strategies

6. Efficiency by design

"These are practical commitments, not slogans," said Professor Beaumont. "Our aim is to provide a set of pledges that any company in the private sector can consider and implement in a way that fits their own operations.

"If we work together with this level of focus, Net Zero is achievable and can support a stronger, more sustainable future for our great country - and the whole world.”

For further information

To read more about how aql is supporting a greener digital future, see the below list of recent activities and visit https://aql.com/about/our-green-credentials/.

Recent carbon-reduction projects by aql include:

Protecting 400 acres of ancient forest
Pioneering “Green in, Green out” datacentres, using 100 per cent renewable energy and exporting waste heat from datacentres into community heating schemes
Expanding the use of a fleet of electric vehicles (EVs)
Integrating with the Leeds district heating network
Collaborating with the Eden Project and the Royal Air Force (RAF) Astra programme to support the delivery of carbon neutrality and, where possible, climate-positive outcomes