Vodafone Australia today released its first corporate responsibility (CR) report, which sets measurable
commitments to reduce its environmental impact and examines the company’s performance on a wide
range of social issues.
The CR report covers material issues in four core areas pertinent to Vodafone’s business: its people, the marketplace, communities and the environment. The CR report includes an analysis of Vodafone’s
carbon footprint and discusses current and future measures to reduce its impact on the environment.
Vodafone Australia CEO, Russell Hewitt says: “As a values-based organisation Vodafone encourages all employees to be vocal and proactive in all aspects of their work, and this includes the way we choose to develop and express the collective social conscience of our company.
“The Vodafone CR Report is a public acknowledgement of our desire to be open and accountable for the way we run our business. We believe in an enduring trend that will see customers and the community exerting greater influence over corporate behaviour. Australians are already directing their spending to encourage and demand that businesses be more accountable and respectful for their impact on the environment and the communities in which they operate.
“We are immensely proud of the work highlighted in our inaugural CR Report and are fully committed to publishing CR reports that will set further targets by which our sustainability and progress on a wide range of initiatives will be measured.”
The Vodafone CR Report includes details of the following programs:
- Energy management and climate change - the purchase of 10,000 MWh of renewable energy,
which is 16 per cent of Vodafone Australia’s total energy consumption. This is equivalent to taking 2,268 cars off the road over a year*. - The Vodafone Australian Foundation ‘World of Difference’ program, which offers four Australians the opportunity to work for a community organisation of their choice for a year, with their salary and expenses covered.
- Red Dust DreamStream - Vodafone has been an integral partner of the indigenous program, Red Dust, since its inception, providing the essential technology, called DreamStream, which links young people in remote communities with positive, long-term role models.
- The ‘Beyond You’ program provides Vodafone employees with the opportunity to contribute to
environmental management at work by donating some of their work time to a charity or community organisation of their choice. - Mobile Muster is a national, industry-wide mobile handset recycling program.
Vodafone is also creating opportunities for its customers to show their support for worthwhile causes,
launching Australia’s first phone plans that allow customers can give back to the community without
having to sacrifice their own time, or money. Vodafone’s 24-month capped contracts now include a bonus option, which allows customers to donate five percent of their cap towards Conservation Volunteers Australia or UNICEF, while still receiving the same value.
The Vodafone Australia CR Report 2007 is available online at www.vodafone.com.au/responsibility.
Vodafone spokesman available for interview:
Ramana James, Corporate Responsibility Manager, Vodafone Australia
Media Contacts:
Greg Spears, Vodafone Australia on 0406 315 014 or greg.spears@vodafone.com
Jessica Forrest, Vodafone Australia on 0419 933 920 or jessica.forrest@vodafone.com
Laura Keith, Pulse Communications on 0405 534 955 or laura@pulsecom.com.au
*Based on Green Fleet calculations (www.greenfleet.com.au) of cars on the road over a one year period (4.36 tonnes of CO2 per car / per year).
About Vodafone
Vodafone is the world's leading international mobile telecommunications group with equity interests in 27 countries and 33 partners across 5 continents. The company provides quality services to 3.68 million Australian customers and has more than 200 million proportionate customers worldwide.
© Vodafone Pty Limited 2007: VODAFONE and the Vodafone logos are trade marks of the Vodafone Group. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trade marks of their respective owners.