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How sustainable is Vodafone ?

Vodafone & sustainability


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Dont buy Click here for score rapport: 2 out of 17

Sustainability summary

Vodafone has achieved the E-label, because only a little information is published about a policy on sustainability. It is hard to see the effort Vodafone is making on sustainability. Therefore, more policy and transparency is needed.

Brand owner: Vodafone Group PLC
Head office: Newbury, England
Sector: Telecom
Categories : Telephony
Free Tags: Vodafone group, prepaid, postpaid, mobile, 360, simonly, mobile internet

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Vodafone sustainability score report

Last edited: 20 April 2018 by RSM - Students
Last reviewed: 20 April 2018 by Maarten

Questions about Climate Change/ Carbon Emissions

1 out of 10
1. Does the brand (owner) have a policy to reduce climate emissions generated from both its own operations and from beyond its own operations? Vodafone implements several measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions both from its own operations and from beyond its own operations, such as by using free air-cooling technology, monitoring suppliers and installing smart meters (see link, pages 21, 27-30). Source
2. Has the brand (owner) disclosed the annual absolute climate footprint of its 'own operations', and has it accomplished an overall absolute climate footprint reduction compared to the result of the previous reporting year? Vodafone has published the climate footprint of own operations in 2016 and 2017. However, Vodafone reports no reduction in its absolute climate footprint, which remained constant at 2.59 million tonnes of CO2e. Source
3. Is at least 10% of the electricity used by the brand (company) generated from renewable resources, such as wind or solar energy? Vodafone reports using on-site renewable energy, but is not clear about the total percentage share of renewables, nor its sources of supply (see link, page 24). Source
4. Is at least 40% of the electricity used by the brand (company) generated from renewable resources, such as wind or solar energy? See remark for carbon emissions policy question 3. Source
5. Is at least 70% of the electricity used by the brand (company) generated from renewable resources, such as wind or solar energy? See remark for carbon emissions policy question 3. Source
6. Is 100% of the electricity used by the brand (company) generated from renewable resources, such as wind or solar energy? See remark for carbon emissions policy question 3. Source
7. Is the overall average Power Usage Efficiency (PUE) of the data center(s) below 1.60? Vodafone presents an average power usage efficiency value for its data centers of 1,63 (see link, page 23). Source
8. Is the overall average Power Usage Efficiency (PUE) of the data center(s) below 1.40? See remark for carbon emissions policy question 7. Source
9. Has the brand (owner) disclosed its annual absolute climate footprint that is 'beyond own operations', and has it accomplished an overall absolute climate footprint reduction compared to the result of the previous reporting year? Vodafone reports on its Scope 3 emissions, but it is not clear how much exactly its total Scope 3 emissions are, and how this compares to the previous reporting year (see link, pages 27-29, 97-99). Source
10. Has the brand (owner) set a target to make at least its own operations fully climate neutral by 2030, and is the brand on track to achieve this target? Vodafone does not communicate any information on its climate footprint towards a climate neutrality goal for its own operations (see link, pages 4 & 9). Source

Questions about Environmental Policy

0 out of 4
1. Does the brand (company) report the recycled input materials it uses for its product offering and/or new electronics used in its own operations as a percentage of its total input materials? Vodafone explicitly states it does not disclose what percentage of materials used are recycled input materials (see link, page 112 under G4-EN2). Source
2. Does the brand (owner) publish its absolute waste materials footprint and has it decreased its waste footprint compared to the previous reporting year? Vodafone mentions it is active in waste separation and recycling. However, annual results of its waste reduction policy are not specified (see link, pages 28, 98). Source
3. Does the brand recycle at least 90% of its waste, rather than incinerating it or dumping it on a landfill? Vodafone reports that in 2017 96% of its e-waste was sent for reuse or recycling, but it is not clear how much of its total waste was recycled (see link, page 28). Source
4. Has the brand set a target to become fully circular by 2030, and is it on track to achieving this target? Vodafone does not report a target to become fully circular (e.g., see link, page 28). Source

Questions about Labour Conditions/ Fair Trade

1 out of 3
1. Does the brand (owner) have a supplier Code of Conduct (CoC) which includes all the basic standards to ensure workers' rights such as no child labour, no bonded labour, a safe workplace and no excessive overwork? And is there at least a progress report once every two years on implementation of this Code of Conduct? Vodafone has a supplier Code of Conduct that covers all the basic standards to ensure workers' rights (see link, pages 2-5). Vodafone's annual report from 2017 provides a summary about social compliance in the supply chain (see previous link, pages 25-29) . Source
2. Does the brand (company) have a clear policy to only source from smelters that have passed the conflict-free audits, and has the brand already achieved this for at least one metal/mineral? Vodafone determined that in 2016 the tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold in 57% of its in-scope products are sourced from smelters that are either certified as CFSP-compliant or are on the list of CFSP-active smelters. Thus, it is unclear if at least one of this minerals is sourced fully conflict-free (see link, page 4). Source
3. Does the brand (company) have a published list of direct suppliers that have collectively contributed to more than 90% of the purchase volume? Vodafone does not publish a list of direct suppliers. Source