Caring for environment: our strategy
The next ten years will be critical in meeting the challenges of climate change. Telecommunications services can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, in this way, reduce the risks associated with climate change. For example, telecommunications can provide an alternative to commuting and travel, monitor and optimize energy use in buildings and reduce energy usage through intelligent transport systems. From virtual healthcare to dematerialization, the ICT industry can enable a projected 15% reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions by 2020*.
Thanks to our Bell Labs research and development innovation engine, we are uniquely positioned to implement groundbreaking, cost effective, environmentallyfriendly technologies and solutions. These enable applications that not only reduce global emissions but also use less energy.
* SMART 2020: Enabling the Low Carbon Economy in the Information Age, Report by GeSI and The Climate Group, 2008.
Driving toward comprehensive eco-sustainability
For us, eco-sustainability combines business goals with corporate responsibilities. It means creating exceptional value for our customers, shareholders and employees, as well as providing equitable care and respect for the natural environment and the people and communities where we do business. That is why we have established our comprehensive eco-sustainability program, “Driving an Eco-sustainable Communications Transformation.”
Our strategy focuses on:
- Direct eco-benefits: We are building smarter, more energy-efficient, eco-sustainable networks and we are addressing innovation at all layers. We evaluate the environmental impact of our products and networks to help drive innovation in both new and existing networks and equipment.
- Indirect eco-benefits: We are creating innovative solutions and services that enable significant environmental benefits in different business sectors while enriching people’s lives in sustainable ways through such techniques as smart metering, smart buildings, smart transport and teleworking.
- Eco-efficient operations: We are embedding environmental responsibility into the way we think and operate. The following pages show how we are integrating eco-sustainability throughout our opreations.
Our objectives
Sustainable development requires sustained commitment, accountability and the willingness to set ambitious goals. To fulfill our responsibilities, we have pledged to meet a series of specific targets and achieve measureable results over the short-, mid- and long-term in order to:
- Reduce the impact of our products on the environment. Read more.
- Reduce our own carbon footprint and improve our EHS performance (Environment, Health and Safety). Read more.
Alcatel-Lucent and the United Nations Global Compact “Caring for Climate” Initiative
Alcatel-Lucent signed the “Caring for Climate” initiative in December 2007. We remain committed to setting goals, implementing corporate strategies and practices to increase energy efficiency and reducing our carbon footprint.
An Eco-Friendly Decision
As an example of eco-attitude, the 2008 Business Review and Corporate Social Responsibility report will only be available online. In terms of CO2 emissions, the estimated savings is equal to 10.35 metric tons of CO2 equivalent. That is to say driving around the earth one and a half times, or for 60,000 kilometers. Some 748,000* sheets of paper are being saved, which represents a column of A4 sheets 113 meters high, or as tall as a 40-story building.
*748,000 sheets of paper represent 11,000 printed reports, each report containing 68 pages.
