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To: David Varney at BITC
Date: 13 March 2004
Subject: Business in the Community
Dear David
I respect your stance greatly on issues of corporate social responsibility, your work with Business in the Community, and indeed to the espoused public values of O2. It seems ironic, given the story below, that you are also on the Council of the Royal Society of Medicine.
I trust that as you are shortly to step down from some of these roles, you will maintain your lifelong commitment to CSR and real people as they encounter big business.
I was very interested therefore to reflect on the broadcast opinions of Pete Richardson, your MD of O2 Airwave, on Radio 4 last Thursday, in regard to planning permission for Tetra masts and also to the very many reports of ill health associated with their use all over the UK. It seems that those who are being disregarded on issues of siting, or worse, suffering such disorders as sleep deprivation and headaches, require your help at O2 to ‘understand’. You can hear the programme still on the BBC ‘You and Yours’ website, obtain a transcript, or see some of the comments at www.worthingnotetra.org.uk/national/picture.php. I have in writing, as well as personal word, that the Chair of Sussex Police Authority feels it necessary to publicly dissociate the Authority from O2 owing to its attitude.
As I am so sure you cannot endorse this behaviour, which sadly reflects the attitude O2 Airwave has taken so often across the UK, I want you to find out for yourself the extent of O2’s problem, and before you stand down, take remedial action. If not, sooner or later the value of O2 will probably be hit by financial claims, and its reputation tarnished forever by its attitude towards UK communities.
A great many more people have been affected by Tetra masts over the matter of interference. Television reception has been lost and electronic equipment rendered useless. The cause is well-known and proven nation-wide. The most regrettable incident near me is a family with a dangerously ill baby who are in the care of Great Ormond Street. Their baby monitor, which is part of the 24/7 observation needed, no longer operates. Imagine the stress this is causing.
In all cases, every communication with O2 results in denial of any responsibility for anything at all: interference, ill health, planning abuse. This is itself counter both to your corporate values and to the expressions of "concern" by Pete Richardson who says he will ‘work with those communities’ (which O2 does not).
No letter of mine can adequately document the social fiasco that O2 Airwave is causing around the UK. The recent history of business indicates that the truth will out. Perhaps the precautionary approach recommended by the Stewart report (but ignored by the Home Office and O2) should have included a precautionary approach by business based on this technology.
I am writing to you now because having met you I know your personal approach to such matters, and your standing with BITC. Furthermore, I live in Worthing, where particular health concerns as well as TV interference etc. have been thrust upon my neighbourhood and woken, not protesters, but very ordinary and uncomplaining people with no history of public objection. If that were not enough, I am one of those suffering the ill effects. I can manage without Coronation Street. I’m a little less happy to be scratching itchy skin in public meetings. I certainly don’t enjoy the headaches that won’t go away. But worst of all, I cannot sleep more than two hours at a time (since the mast was activated on 26 February) and am becoming sleep deprived. All my symptoms are experienced by other residents, and all are both unusual and coincident with the operation of the mast. All are entirely consistent with the experience of other communities in the UK. Maybe I can survive this, but I think my employer [—], who are keenly researching CSR, will be less pleased when I call in sick. But then I’m safer at work than at home, and might sleep more soundly there.
yours sincerely
Andy Davidson
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