TeliaSonera reduces environmental impact by being energy efficient, choosing telecommunications solutions instead of travel and by responsible waste handling. Our products and services enable customers to reduce their environmental impact, while increasing efficiency and well-being, and reducing costs.
Group environmental commitment
TeliaSonera is committed to operating in an environmentally sustainable way. We contribute to global sustainability by developing, promoting and utilizing resource-efficient and environmentally friendly services and through our actions to minimize the environmental impact of our own activities. In order to minimize our environmental impact we strive to:
- Reduce our own carbon footprint
- Use energy as efficiently as possible
- Use raw materials as efficiently as possible, including minimizing related waste
- Promote the use of our services
These ambitions are clearly stated in the TeliaSonera Code of Ethics and Conduct. However, there are large regional differences within the group with respect to defining these ambitions on a more detailed level.
TeliaSonera companies in the Nordic and Baltic regions are leaders in environmental development. For instance, in Sweden the quality and environmental management systems are based and certified according to the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards. In Denmark and Finland, parts of the organization have a management system based on these standards.
In other parts of the group, the local conditions, including shifting availability of energy sources and public agenda priorities, pose a challenge to the implementation of uniform standards across the group.
Services that reduce environmental impact
We offer our customers services that can increase their productivity and energy efficiency while minimizing travel, and subsequently resulting in reduced CO2 emissions, time savings and cost efficiency.
Across the group, we prioritize the use of telecommunication services to minimize our own business travel and to work more efficiently whatever the time and location. An increased use of M2M solutions is a powerful tool in increasing logistics and energy efficiency. For instance, with our remote metering solutions for utility companies we are the market leader in Finland.
We work with a number of large corporate customers to define the role that telecommunication can play in optimizing their communications, energy management and logistical needs, including unified communications services, teleconferencing, videoconferencing or introducing wireless heating and cooling controls. Moreover, we arrange webinars and training events for customers on a regular basis to introduce and discuss these services and the opportunities they offer.
Focusing on energy efficiency
Energy efficiency is a cornerstone of TeliaSonera’s operations, of how we run our networks, data centers and offices or replace business travels with teleconferences or videoconferences. Our customers demand 24/7 connectivity, and at the same time we are expected to address climate change.
The energy consumption required to run our own operations makes up the major part of our calculated carbon footprint: one of our constant priorities is to find more energy-efficient solutions for our networks and data centers, where cooling makes up a significant part of maintenance costs.
Technology that reduces the amount of energy needed to run the operations also reduces the cooling needs, generating significant potential energy and cost savings. Where feasible, our facilities use lake water, seawater or free air for cooling. In some operations, excess heat can is reused, replacing purchased energy.
Increasing the use of renewable energy
We aim to increase the use of renewable energy in our operations. The Nordic countries are leading this development. In Sweden and Finland, 100 percent of electricity purchased by TeliaSonera is from renewable sources. We have tested and use sun powered systems in Eurasia, wind turbines for back-up power in Finland, fuel cell systems in Sweden and our Norwegian operations continue to run on hydroelectricity. In Eurasia alternative sources are evaluated on an ongoing basis.
The calculated share of renewable energy in the group’s purchased electricity consumption was 67 percent in 2010, up from 65 in the previous year.
Handling waste
Handling waste generated by our operations is an increasingly relevant environmental issue. The weight of reported waste totaled 36,000 metric tons at the end of 2010, and network upgrades accounted for the main part of this. The share of waste that is recycled varies greatly between countries, from 0 percent to over 95 percent.
Of total waste in 2010, 56 percent was categorized as hazardous waste. This is something that is characteristic of the industry: when we upgrade networks, old poles are being dismantled and they make up a large proportion of our current hazardous waste. It also includes batteries, lamps and certain cables.
We select waste management suppliers and recyclers with high environmental standards and performance to handle all different types of waste categories.
ICT industry enabling low-carbon societies
The ICT sector is one of the key drivers in the transition to a low-carbon economy. This is recognized by the EU Commission, which in a recommendation in 2009 encouraged intensified efforts from the sector.
To make an active contribution to the international debate, TeliaSonera is working through telecom industry organizations ETNO and GSMe, both members of GeSi, where these issues are addressed from a global ICT perspective.
Read more about our environmental commitments and achievements in the Corporate Responsiblity report 2010