BASKING RIDGE, N.J. - Verizon's environmental policies and customer-facing initiatives have earned the company Frost & Sullivan's 2008 Green Excellence of the Year Award in the Corporate Leadership category for the telecom services industry.
The award recognizes significant progress in enhancing long-term sustainability and managing the environmental impact of company operations that lead to a measurable improvement in the company's overall environmental impact within its industry sector. The award also recognizes companies that have excelled in green product and technology innovation, and service achievements that promote sustainability.
"Verizon, through its environmental initiatives, has excelled in every measurement criteria of this award, and is the obvious choice for it," said Roopa Shree, Frost & Sullivan senior industry analyst. "The Verizon leadership is keenly aware of the value of corporate social responsibility in today's increasingly green-focused business environment as well as the importance of being a good corporate citizen."
In recognizing Verizon, Frost & Sullivan noted that in 2007 alone Verizon's energy conservation efforts eliminated an estimated 76,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Verizon achieved this by improving the energy efficiency of its buildings and by using alternative energy sources such as clean-burning fuel cells or micro turbines for its central offices.
"This recognition by Frost & Sullivan reinforces our commitment to run our business in an environmentally friendly way while helping our customers meet their goals to go green," said Kathryn Brown, Verizon senior vice president - public policy development and corporate social responsibility. "Whether it is opting for electronic billing or trading business travel for a video conference, we can help customers protect the environment and balance life and work. Conservation is not only smart business - it is everybody's business."
Verizon has long encouraged employees to reduce their energy consumption and has taken steps to help customers adopt strategies to reduce the need to travel and cut carbon dioxide emissions that are considered harmful to the environment. These actions include:
- Creating a commuter services program to help employees find commuting alternatives to work at some key sites. For this effort, the company was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) as one of the "best workplaces for commuters."
- Offering a wide range of solutions for large-business and government customers that can play a big role in helping reduce energy consumption and environmental impact. Among them are: global IP-based networks to facilitate e-commerce; mobility solutions to provide teleworkers with secure, reliable connections to corporate resources; conferencing and collaboration services that reduce travel by enabling virtual meetings and distance learning through audio, Web and video conferencing; and electronic billing options to help customers cut paper use.
- Encouraging registered shareholders to receive all shareholder communications electronically. Verizon is a founding member of the U.S. eTree initiative and for each shareholder who signs up, the company contributes money to American Forests, a nonprofit conservation organization. More than 2,500 trees have been planted thus far on behalf of Verizon shareholders.
- Collecting cellular phones through the Verizon Wireless HopeLine(r) program to refurbish and resell for reuse or recycle, and using funds generated from this initiative to support victims of domestic violence through grants and education. More than 5 million cell phones have been recycled or refurbished, and more than 200 tons of electronics waste and batteries have been kept out of landfills since 2001.
- Recycling more than 18,000 tons of paper and cardboard in 2007, and spending more than $3 million on recycled office supplies. More than 7 million Verizon bills were viewed and paid online in 2007, saving 387 tons of paper.
As one of the world's leading communications providers, Verizon is committed to helping employees and customers do their part to reduce their impact on the environment. For information about environmental initiatives at Verizon, visit http://www22.verizon.com/pages/environment/ and www.verizonbusiness.com/about/environment.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving nearly 69 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 228,600 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of $93.5 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.
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