Sprint Named Corporate Sustainability Leader by Independent Analyst Firm Verdantix; Releases Industry-Leading Carbon Reduction Metrics

Sprint Nextel [NYSE: S] is a top U.S. wireless provider for corporate sustainability performance, according to a new study from independent analyst firm Verdantix¹. The report, Green Quadrant Sustainable Telecoms (US) 2012, analyzed the 12 largest telecom service providers in the country. In a further testament to Sprint’s sustainability commitment, the carrier today announced its 2011 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions metrics, showing that the company is now halfway to its absolute reduction goal of 20 percent by 2017.

“The Verdantix recognition is a tremendous honor, especially since the study examines the larger role our industry can play in reducing businesses’ impact through travel reduction and smart machine-to-machine (M2M) solutions,” said Bob Azzi, Sprint’s senior vice president of Network. “It’s also a perfect opportunity to share our just-completed 2011 emissions reporting – since, while the study accurately describes a potential telecom emissions boom resulting from increasing bandwidth, we at Sprint have taken great strides to implement a Network Vision that enhances customer experience while increasing efficiency.”

Sprint is the first and, to date, only U.S. telecom company to publicly announce an absolute GHG emission reduction goal. Sprint’s 2011 analysis showed an absolute emissions reduction by 3.5 percent versus 2010. Though Sprint cites absolute (or total) emissions as its primary measurement, the company also for the first time released emissions intensity metrics (the ratio of emissions compared to the amount of data transmitted) and found a year-over-year reduction of 31 percent.

The full emissions scorecard, which will be available on Sprint.com next month, shows progress despite continued rollout of the company’s higher-performing 3G and LTE networks. This seemingly contradictory reduction was in large part due to the consolidation of existing network technologies and the introduction of more-efficient network equipment, which helped reduce demand for electricity (at 83.5 percent, electricity use at network sites is by far the largest driver of emissions). Sprint achieved additional reductions through fleet improvements, such as replacing six-cylinder vehicles with four-cylinder SmartWay-certified vehicles, and operations improvements, such as installing air conditioner zone controls, proximity lighting, and variable frequency drives at data center sites. The company also provided energy-efficiency training to facility managers and increased its investment in clean energy.

Sprint is now halfway to its goal of a 20 percent absolute emissions reduction by 2017 and, at an overall reduction of 60 percent since 2007, has nearly reached its emissions intensity reduction goal of 75 percent. In addition to setting these goals in 2007, the company pledged to increase its use of renewable energy to 10 percent. As part of its membership in the World Wildlife Fund Climate Savers Program, Sprint has agreed to work with suppliers to measure, report and reduce supplier emissions; find opportunities to reduce emissions associated with mobile phone charging; and develop and promote communications solutions that help others reduce their own emissions.

Verdantix is the fastest-growing independent analyst firm focused on energy, environment and sustainability. The firm’s Green Quadrant Sustainable Telecoms (US) 2012 provides a detailed comparison of 11 solutions categories linked to energy and environment: video collaboration, web/online collaboration, sustainable hosting, cloud computing, sustainability consulting, smart meters and other remote monitoring (M2M) solutions, intelligent building solutions, fleet telematics, telecommuting, sustainable equipment and handsets, and sustainable vertical market solutions. Key findings of the study:

• U.S. buyers are becoming more sustainability-aware: Between 13 percent and 35 percent of panel respondents consider sustainability to be the primary purchase driver, ahead of cost savings, efficiency, productivity, and brand enhancement.
• The top five performers – AT&T, BT, Orange (France Télécom), Sprint and Verizon Enterprise Solutions – are cited because they apply sustainability as a business strategy and have an in-depth organizational commitment to sustainability.
• Sprint was cited for leadership in areas including smart meter and remote monitoring services, and absolute carbon reduction targets; additionally, the company is part of an industry movement to further integrate sustainability into future corporate strategy.

Sprint’s commitment to sustainability as a core part of its business strategy continues to receive recognition. Earlier this week, the carrier was named No. 4 – and the only wireless provider – on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Top 20 Technology & Telecom list of green power users within the sector. Earlier this month, Sprint Buyback – which has diverted millions of phones from landfills – was once again named the best buyback program in the wireless industry by Compass Intelligence. For the third year in a row, Sprint ranked highest among all U.S. telecom companies and No. 3 overall on Newsweek’s rankings of America’s greenest companies, up from No. 6 in 2010 and No. 15 in 2009. Sprint was also named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 56 million customers at the end of the second quarter of 2012 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers in customer satisfaction and most improved, across all 47 industries, over the last four years. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in its 2011 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

¹ Verdantix Green Quadrant report is based on interviews with an independent panel of 15 buyers of sustainable telecom services in U.S.-based firms representing various industries. The members of the customer panel are all in senior positions and represent firms with combined revenues of more than $316 billion.