Teliris' European Chairman, Martyn Lewis, in Teliris' VNOC Operations Centre
Pearson PLC – the deployment of Teliris’ VirtuaLive
Contributed by:
Joel Derbyshire
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How Pearson has used telepresence technology to improve operational efficiency and make a tangible contribution to reducing its carbon footprint.
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Overview
Pearson is an international media company with more than 29,000 employees based in 60 countries, the two most significant operational centres for Pearson are London and New York.
Effective leadership of a global business requires effective communication between the company executive team. It is a business reality that demands on executive time are growing and face to face meetings can only ever be a part of effective decision making.
As part of a wider corporate commitment to video-conferencing, Pearson has invested in the Teliris VirtuaLive system connecting its Head Office buildings in London and New York.
Making a real difference
This year, the Pearson Management Committee which brings together the top-level senior executive team has moved to an arrangement whereby eight of its ten annual meetings are held virtually using the Teliris VirtuaLive system. Previously all these meetings were face-to-face.
This provides Pearson Executives with greater flexibility as well as avoiding unnecessary time spent in airports. In addition, the Teliris VirtuaLive system allows split functions, including the Company Secretarial team, to meet regularly and keep in touch where contact at short notice is required.
The main benefits of using the Teliris VirtuaLive system for Pearson have been:
1. Operational efficiency
Operational efficiency is boosted through:
• Having senior executives able to meet, across the world if necessary, within minutes – delivering more timely and flexible decision making
• Saving time by senior executives not being tied up in airport lounges
There is a direct financial saving too. If the meetings that have taken place over the last 12 months using the Teliris VirtuaLive system had instead been convened face to face, the cost to Pearson would have been substantial in air fares alone.
2. Environmental
Environmental responsibility is integral to the way Pearson operates. It has an Environmental Management System and set targets to reduce its carbon footprint.
Video-conferencing is one way to achieve this target. The air travel equivalent of holding meetings face to face rather than using the Teliris VirtuaLive system would have exceeded 800 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide (CO2).
3. Human Resources
The Teliris VirtuaLive system offers an alternative that empowers Pearson employees to choose the option that suits their work/life balance. Air travel can be the best business option, but Pearson has found that people value the freedom to choose.
4. Technological excellence
The Pearson IT department is largely unaffected by the implementation of the Teliris VirtuaLive system in UK and US boardrooms and meeting rooms in London and Manhattan. The service is reliable and Teliris are proactive in managing and improving the service.
The managed service delivered by Teliris has significantly helped the IT department by handing off the key parts of delivery the service to the experts.
The VirtuaLive system is regularly used by senior company executives for day-to-day meetings; both small one-to-one meetings and for large formal events. Increasingly, the system is being promoted as a viable alternative to travelling.
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Key data
Completion Date: 01/02/2007
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