TIDMVOD
Vodafone Group Plc
23 June 2021
23 June 2021
VODAFONE'S EUROPEAN NETWORK 100% POWERED
BY ELECTRICITY FROM RENEWABLE SOURCES
Vodafone today confirmed that its entire European operations -
including mobile and fixed networks, data centres, retail and
offices - will be 100% powered by electricity from renewable
sources from 1 July 2021, marking a key step towards Vodafone's
goal of reducing its own carbon emissions to 'net zero' by 2030 and
across the company's entire value chain by 2040.(1)
Vodafone will celebrate the milestone across Europe and raise
awareness of its green network with a simultaneous consumer
campaign that will include Vodafone's iconic brand turning 'green'
across key digital and social channels in 12 markets.
In the last year, Vodafone has continued to make significant
progress towards ensuring the greening of the company's own
activities, whilst accelerating the role that Vodafone's digital
networks and technologies play in helping to address climate
change. In July 2020, Vodafone brought forward its plan to purchase
100% renewable electricity in Europe to July 2021 from its previous
target of 2025 and is committed to achieving the same step-change
in Africa by 2025.
Vodafone Group CEO Nick Read said: "From 1 July 2021, Vodafone's
customers across Europe can be reassured that the connectivity they
use is entirely powered by electricity from renewable sources. This
is a major milestone towards our goal of reducing our own global
carbon emissions to net zero by 2030, helping our customers reduce
their own environmental footprint and continuing to build an
inclusive and sustainable digital society in all of our
markets."
96% of Vodafone's total energy use during FY21 was in the form
of purchased electricity. Following today's announcement, 100% of
Vodafone's purchased electricity in Europe is now from renewable
generation sources including where Vodafone is a tenant on other
landlord's sites.
Vodafone's Planet Actions
Reducing carbon emissions and driving energy efficiency
In 2020, Vodafone set an approved 2030 Science-Based Target in
line with carbon reductions required to keep global warming to
1.5(o) c, becoming the first major telecoms operator to follow the
emission reduction pathway developed for the ICT sector.
During the last year, Vodafone reduced its total Scope 1 and 2
greenhouse gas emissions by 30% year on year, to 1.37 million
tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent), driven by Vodafone's
ongoing focus on energy efficiency and an increase in the
proportion of renewable electricity purchased in Europe from 33% in
FY20 to 80% in FY21.
Vodafone's energy use has remained broadly flat during the last
year, despite a 47% year-on-year increase in mobile data traffic
over the same period from 7,983 petabytes (PB) in FY20 to 11,714 PB
in FY21. This is due to increased use of more energy efficient
mobile technology and analytics, including M-MIMO that is
approximately 70% more efficient than 4G.
Vodafone has invested EUR65 million during the last year in
energy efficiency and on-site renewable projects, leading to annual
energy savings of 135 GWh. Key energy efficiency initiatives have
also included sourcing and deploying more efficient network
equipment, gradually switching off the relatively less energy
efficient 3G network and decommissioning legacy equipment in our
core network.
From October 2020, Vodafone introduced a 20% weighting for
environmental and social criteria when suppliers tender for new
work. Vodafone's updated process now examines whether suppliers
have environmental policies to address carbon reduction, renewable
energy, plastic reduction, circular economy and product life
cycle.
Vodafone's efforts have been recognised by global environmental
non-profit organisation CDP for its decisive actions and
transparency on environmental impact, securing a place on CDP's
climate change 'A List'.
Enabling Vodafone's customers to reduce their own emissions
In July 2020, Vodafone committed to helping its business
customers reduce their own carbon emissions by a cumulative total
of 350 million tonnes globally over ten years between 2020 and 2030
- equivalent to Italy's total annual carbon emissions for 2019.
Most of this saving will be made through Vodafone's Internet of
Things (IoT) service, which improves the efficiency of logistics
and fleet management, smart meters, manufacturing and other
activities.
The Carbon Trust has calculated that Vodafone enabled its
customers to avoid an estimated 7.1 million tonnes of CO2e during
FY21, with more than 54% of Vodafone's 123 million IoT connections
directly enabling customers to reduce their own emissions.
In March 2021, Vodafone became a founding member of the European
Green Digital Coalition, which brings together ICT sector companies
to work with EU policymakers and experts to drive investment in,
and implementation of, digital solutions in action against climate
change.
Reducing waste and helping to build a circular economy
Vodafone has pledged to reuse, resell or recycle 100% of the
company's network waste by 2025. Vodafone has implemented resource
efficiency and waste disposal management programmes across every
market to minimise the environmental impact of network waste and
redundant IT equipment.
98.7% of Vodafone's network waste, excluding hazardous waste,
was sent for reuse and recycling during FY21 , with an overall
reduction in network waste year-on-year of 22.5% to 6,307 tonnes
from 8,138 tonnes in FY20.
In 2020, Vodafone launched an internal asset marketplace that
encourages Vodafone's markets to re-sell and re-purpose excess
stock or large decommissioned electrical items like masts and
antennae. This has avoided over 1,250 tonnes of CO2e, saving more
than EUR10 million in the process. Vodafone is currently assessing
the possibility of expanding the solution to partner markets and
other operators.
Vodafone supports the move towards a fully circular economy for
devices sold to customers and has accelerated initiatives to extend
the lifespan of devices through repair, refurbishment and resale
before encouraging the responsible recycling of devices at the end
of their useful life.
Most Vodafone markets already operate trade-in and device
buyback schemes and repair services to encourage customers to
repair or return their old devices. Vodafone is striving to
refurbish and reuse fixed-line equipment multiple times, with
significant associated environmental and cost savings.
In 2021, Vodafone joined the Circular Electronics Partnership,
which brings together leaders across the value chain - from
manufacturing, reverse logistics, material recovery, to e-waste
management - to drive circularity solutions for electronics.
In May 2021, Vodafone joined forces with four of Europe's
leading network operators to launch a new pan-industry Eco Rating
labelling scheme to help consumers identify and compare the most
sustainable mobile phones and encourage suppliers to reduce the
environmental impact of their devices.
- ends -
Notes for Editors
1. 100% of the grid electricity that Vodafone uses in its
European network is certified to be from renewable sources like
wind, solar or hydro. Vodafone has direct Power Purchase Agreements
in the UK and Spain. In Italy, Germany, Ireland, Hungary, Romania,
Spain, Greece, Turkey and Czech Republic, Vodafone has sourced
Renewable Energy Certificates ('RECs') or tariffs. In Albania,
approximately 67% of electricity consumption is sourced from local
renewable sources, and Vodafone has purchased the equivalent of the
remaining annual consumption in the form of RECs through our
partner in Italy.
Data is calculated using local market actual or estimated data
sources from invoices, purchasing requisitions, direct data
measurement and estimations. Carbon emissions calculated in line
with GHG Protocol standards. Scope 2 emissions are reported using
the market-based methodology. For the full methodology see our ESG
Addendum 2021.
For further information:
Vodafone Group
Media Relations Investor Relations
GroupMedia@vodafone.com IR@vodafone.co.uk
About Vodafone
Vodafone is a leading telecommunications company in Europe and
Africa. Our purpose is to "connect for a better future" enabling an
inclusive and sustainable digital society. Our expertise and scale
give us a unique opportunity to drive positive change for society.
Our networks keep family, friends, businesses and governments
connected and - as COVID-19 has clearly demonstrated - we play a
vital role in keeping economies running and the functioning of
critical sectors like education and healthcare.
Vodafone is the largest mobile and fixed network operator in
Europe and a leading global IoT connectivity provider. Our M-Pesa
technology platform in Africa enables over 48m people to benefit
from access to mobile payments and financial services. We operate
mobile and fixed networks in 21 countries and partner with mobile
networks in 49 more. As of 31 March 2021, we had over 300m mobile
customers, more than 27m fixed broadband customers, over 22m TV
customers and we connected more than 123m IoT devices.
We support diversity and inclusion through our maternity and
parental leave policies, empowering women through connectivity and
improving access to education and digital skills for women, girls,
and society at large. We are respectful of all individuals,
irrespective of race, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual
orientation, gender identity, belief, culture or religion.
Vodafone is also taking significant steps to reduce our impact
on our planet by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by
2025 and becoming net zero by 2040, purchasing 100% of our
electricity from renewable sources by 2025 and by July 2021 in
Europe, and reusing, reselling or recycling 100% of our redundant
network equipment.
For more information, please visit www.vodafone.com , follow us
on Twitter at @VodafoneGroup or connect with us on LinkedIn at
www.linkedin.com/company/vodafone .
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