This Statement applies to Verizon Communications Inc. and its subsidiaries (“Verizon”).
Statement
Verizon’s Credo defines who we are and how we operate. It states that we are accountable and that we are committed to doing the right thing. Our Credo underlies the company’s human rights commitments, as expressed in this Human Rights Policy.
Verizon is committed to operating with respect for internationally-recognized human rights, including those affirmed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Guided by the human rights due diligence framework set forth in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, we are committed to assessing the impacts of our business activities on human rights and to addressing adverse impacts. Our efforts include attention to the human rights impacts of our products, services, and strategy and to our engagements with employees, customers, communities, governments, business partners, and suppliers. We pay particular attention to the rights of vulnerable and marginalized groups.
At Verizon, we transmit critical communications, hold customer data, and provide for the exchange of ideas. We assess, identify, and prioritize attention to our salient human rights risks, including the rights to privacy, free expression, and non-discrimination, and rights in the workplace and supply chain. Through our commitment to operating with respect for human rights, we consider both the human rights impacts of our current activities, and with an eye on the future, we endeavor to understand and address the potential impacts of tomorrow’s technologies and business practices.
Our Credo also states that trust is critical to our relationships and that we communicate openly, candidly, and directly. We are committed to regular engagement regarding the impacts of our current and future activities. We also maintain communication channels so that stakeholders may raise concerns if they believe we are not operating consistent with our human rights commitments.
At Verizon, our approach is one of continuous learning. Our efforts include regular training and awareness-raising activities to provide Verizon employees with guidance on our human rights commitments and with the tools they need to operate consistent with those commitments.
Our Credo emphasizes that integrity is at the core of who we are as a company. Our Human Rights Policy is fundamental to our commitment to operate with integrity in everything we do. This Policy is consistent with our Credo and our Commitment & Values, and is supported by our Code of Conduct and our Supplier Code of Conduct.
Governance
The Corporate Governance and Policy Committee of the Board of Directors oversees Verizon’s efforts to manage the human rights impacts of its operations. The Corporate Governance and Policy Committee assists the Board in oversight of risks related to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and public policy matters, and the Committee’s charter sets out its oversight responsibilities in relation to human rights in particular. Our Business & Human Rights Program, under the remit of the Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer works to implement the commitments reflected in this Statement, in partnership with teams throughout the Public Policy, Law & Security and Global Supply Chain organizations, as well as other functions, including Corporate Social Responsibility.
Updated August 2022