Sprint Announces New Climate Protection Commitments
Sprint CEO Dan Hesse Announces at CTIA Agreement with World Wildlife
Fund to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Sprint (NYSE: S) marked another environmental milestone today by
announcing new climate protection commitments with World Wildlife Fund′s
(WWF) Climate
Savers program. Sprint CEO Dan Hesse made the announcement during
his keynote address at CTIA. Sprint is the first Climate Savers partner
in the United States that will address all scopes of greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions through their agreement with WWF.
WWF is the world′s largest conservation organization and has effectively
mobilized more than two dozen companies to take aggressive measures to
scale up climate protection efforts as part of its Climate Savers
program.
'Our admission into World Wildlife Fund′s Climate Savers program
illustrates Sprint′s commitment to making a difference by reducing
greenhouse gas emissions,' said Hesse. 'Joining the Climate Savers
program is an important part of our ongoing climate protection efforts.
My hope is that our commitment encourages other companies to follow.'
As one of only 28 companies in the program, Sprint joins IBM, The
Coca-Cola Company and Johnson & Johnson. Sprint′s collaboration with WWF
bolsters its already aggressive goals to reduce the company′s climate
impact. As the only U.S. company to address all scopes of GHG emissions
through the WWF agreement, Sprint joins KPN, a Dutch telecommunications
company, as the only other partner in the Climate Savers program to
commit to such a multifaceted GHG emissions reduction strategy for its
own operations, suppliers and consumers. Sprint′s commitments include:
- Reducing
Sprint′s own greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent.
Partnering with device manufacturers and suppliers to measure, report
and reduce their emissions.
Identifying opportunities to reduce emissions associated with
customers charging their mobile devices.
Identifying opportunities for Sprint to help other companies reduce
their emissions, particularly through our machine-to-machine
partnerships.
'We are excited to have Sprint join Climate Savers and we look forward
to a fruitful partnership,? said Jason Clay, senior vice president of
Markets at WWF. 'Sprint′s commitment to reducing emissions beyond their
own operations will not only help protect our fragile climate, but also
help conserve nature′s resources we all depend on for life. This is why
we partner with influential, forward-looking companies like Sprint. It′s
a powerful way to protect the places and species at the core of our
mission.?
Since 1999, leading corporations have partnered with WWF to establish
ambitious targets to voluntarily reduce their GHG emissions. To be
included, companies in the program agree to reduce their CO2
emissions in accordance with an individual reduction target defined by
WWF, the company and independent technical experts. During the past
decade, WWF's Climate Savers partners have reduced emissions by an
estimated 50 million tons, the equivalent of taking some 11 million cars
off the road.
Sprint is the only U.S. telecommunications company to commit to reducing
its GHG emissions by an absolute 20 percent by 2017. Through energy
efficiencies and renewable energy, Sprint has made significant steps to
reduce the company′s carbon footprint. In late 2010, Sprint announced Network
Vision. Through Network Vision, Sprint will upgrade its existing
wireless network infrastructure to allow multiple spectrum bands, or
airwaves, on single, multimode base stations. Sprint′s cell sites will
be more compact, more energy efficient, and able to provide better
coverage and call quality. Network Vision is expected to be a
significant driver to achieve Sprint′s GHG reduction goal.
Sprint also has a considerable renewable energy strategy, which includes
wind, solar, hydrogen fuel cells and geothermal power. Wind power
provided more than 93 percent of the electrical energy needed for
Sprint′s Overland Park, Kan., headquarters campus in 2010. This wind
power purchase provided a reduction of 78,173 metric tons of C02
equivalents in 2010, and according to the EPA GHG equivalencies
calculator, is the equivalent of:
Taking 15,328 passenger cars off the road for one year.
Consuming 181,798 fewer barrels of oil a year.
The electricity used in 9,747 households each year.
Preserving 774 acres of forest from deforestation.
Reporting and disclosure are critical for effectively setting and
managing C02 emissions. Sprint worked with Trucost, a leading
assessment firm, to develop a
comprehensive analysis of Sprint′s supply chain carbon emissions.
Sprint was also among the first wireless carriers to complete and
publicly release a supplier carbon assessment and leveraged those
findings as part of their agreement with WWF. Sprint was the only
telecommunications company in the S&P 500 to externally assure its 2010
scope 1 and scope 2 GHG emissions.
Sprint continues to research and implement a variety of solutions to
better measure the effects of its environmental programs and
initiatives. Collaborations like those with WWF establish critical
relationships that will enable Sprint to reach their climate change
targets.
For more information on Sprint programs that protect the environment, go
to www.sprint.com/responsibility,
or follow @SprintGreenNews
on Twitter.
About World Wildlife Fund
World Wildlife Fund is the world′s largest conservation organization,
working in 100 countries for half a century. With the support of almost
five million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering
science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life
on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate
change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org
to learn more.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline
communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers,
businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 52
million customers at the end of 2Q 2011 and is widely recognized for
developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including
the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United
States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid
brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance
Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities;
and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No.
6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation′s greenest
companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn
more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com
or www.facebook.com/sprint
and www.twitter.com/sprint.
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Sprint
Marci VerBrugge Rhind, 913-794-6319
marci.j.verbrugge@sprint.com