Building on its legacy as a leader in sustainable business practices, today Sprint announced new corporate environmental goals. Among them is a commitment to source 100% renewable electricity across its entire operations — all retail stores, offices, call centers, and network sites — by 2025. Sprint also re-committed to responsibly reuse or recycle 100% of electronic waste directly generated from business operations, and divert 50% of operational waste from landfills by 2025.
“We recognize the global importance of operating a sustainable company — it’s the right thing to do and it makes good business sense,” said Sprint president and CEO Michel Combes. “I’m proud that Sprint will be among the companies around the world committed to decreasing our carbon footprint and addressing the impacts of climate change. This is an issue that requires immediate and bold action, and that is why Sprint is stepping up in a big way.”
100% carbon-neutral by 2025
The path to reaching 100% carbon neutrality includes efforts to directly reduce Sprint’s overall energy consumption as well as investments in alternative energy that offset carbon emissions.
Existing efforts to directly reduce energy use include implementing various energy efficiency projects. For example, Sprint’s headquarters is equipped with an intelligent system that has reduced energy consumption by 6%. In retail locations, intelligent thermostats have seen an average of 10 to 14% reduction in energy consumption. And, nearly 75% of Sprint’s commercial properties operate under a green lease, recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy as a national leader in this space.
Current investments in renewable and alternative energy include two 12-year virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs). The recently announced Maryneal project with Duke Energy Renewables — combined with an aggregation agreement announced with Apple, eBay and Samsung to purchase renewable energy from Apex Clean Energy’s White Mesa Wind Project — will offset Sprint’s CO2 emissions 30% by 2021. Looking forward, Sprint will continue to evaluate alternative energy investments and direct clean energy purchasing, including conversion of electric accounts in parts of Virginia from local utility to clean solar power later this year.
Divert 50% of operational waste from landfills by 2025
At its corporate headquarters campus, Sprint provides several waste and recycling programs, including composting, access to surplus office supplies, e-waste collection and glass recycling. Outside headquarters, Sprint runs a national waste hauling and recycling program at office and retail locations, data centers and network facilities across the nation — either through onsite services or a mail collection program. Sprint’s two national haulers report diversion tonnages through monthly cloud-based reporting, which has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Waste Wise program as “best in class” for large companies.
Reuse or recycle 100% of electronic waste
The e-waste goal is further reinforcement of Sprint’s current sustainable waste management practices. This covers internal e-waste generated from our business operations and wireless devices held in inventory and returned devices by customers and non-customers for recycling. Customers can also choose to donate their device to the 1Million Project Foundation, an initiative launched by Sprint in August 2017 with a mission to help one million high school students achieve their full potential by giving them free mobile devices and high-speed internet access. Sprint focuses on the full lifecycle of the electronics bought and sold, and is committed to buying greener electronics, extending the useful life of equipment, facilitating the collection of used equipment, maximizing the reuse of electronics and responsibly recycling through accredited third-party certified vendors. Sprint continues to be recognized by the EPA Sustainable Materials Management Electronics Challenge Awards for diverting electronics from landfills.
These new goals demonstrate a continued commitment to limiting the environmental impacts of our business while contributing to a more environmentally sustainable future for all. Sprint tracks progress against these goals and publicly shares reports.
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