Vodafone, Verizon At Opposite Ends of Sustainability Rankings

Vodafone (Nasdaq: VOD), Nokia (NYSE: NOK), HP (NYSE: HPQ) and France Telecom (NYSE: FTE) topped a sustainability ranking of the world’s largest information and communications technology (ICT) companies.

Tomorrow’s Value Rating, created by the sustainability consultancy Two Tomorrows, finds that these leading companies are developing products and services to support the world’s response to climate change.

However, the Rating finds there is considerable room for the sector to improve its management of its direct environmental impacts. Vodafone which placed first in the rating was given an overall score of 60%.

“Vodafone has implemented comprehensive governance mechanisms for sustainability issues. It listens and responds to stakeholders both locally and globally, and has a strong track record of developing services that help improve the lives of disadvantaged people and remote communities,” said Thomas Krick, manager of the Tomorrow’s Value program.

Vodafone is followed closely by Nokia and HP, with Sony (NYSE: SNE), AT&T (NYSE: T) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ) trailing at the foot of the table.

Thomas continues: “The results of the Rating reflect a broader trend of ICT companies showing sustainability leadership. They are increasingly recognizing the commercial opportunity that lies in helping other sectors to reduce their carbon footprint, or in using their technology to offer health or education services to remote communities. Companies in the sector are also working together, especially in trying to address social and environmental challenges in their supply chains, and in regard to electronic waste management.”

The full ratings list:

1. Vodafone   60%
2. Nokia    55%
3. HP    52%
4. France Telecom    49%
5. Siemens    47%
6. Ericsson    46%
7. LG Electronics    46%
8. Panasonic    44%
9. Telefonica    42%
10. Motorola    42%
11. Cisco    42%
12. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation    41%
13. Deutsche Telekom    40%
14. Hitachi    38%
15. Alcatel-Lucent    34%
16. Toshiba    32%
17. Samsung Electronics    32%
18. Sony    31%
19. AT&T    28%
20. Verizon 23% 

In the US, the smart metering technology developed by SmartSynch and being deployed by the TVA communicates via public wireless networks developed by companies like AT&T and Verizon.