Vodafone India has unveiled the third edition of its annual sustainability report, “Footprints-III.”
Complimenting the initiative, Dr. Shashi Tharoor, the Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development, said, “Telecommunications have a vital role to play in nation building. By virtue of the services telecoms provide, the sector enables inclusion and facilitates holistic growth.”
The Minister further said better connectivity will help the government fulfill national priorities of educating all, greater financial inclusion and smarter distribution of government benefits to the citizens.
Marten Pieters, managing director and CEO, Vodafone India, said, “At Vodafone, sustainability is an ongoing journey and engrained in the business we do. We see our customers, employees, shareholders and the community we operate in as our most important stakeholders.”
Vodafone aspires to become the most trusted and respected telecommunications company in India, Pieters said. “We will continue to partner with government and the developmental sector to make meaningful contributions for the social and economic development of our country.”
The latest edition of the report has been compiled referencing G4 — the most recent guidelines from Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). The G4 guidelines ensure up-to-date disclosures on governance, ethics and integrity, supply chain management, anti-corruption and Green House Gas emissions.
Vodafone has introduced a new platform, Vodafone Cares that integrates all the good that Vodafone India does as an organization.
The initiatives under ‘Vodafone Cares’ are built around 3Es – Empowerment, Education and Environment, the strategic components of sustainability at Vodafone India.
Vodafone India also partnered with TERI, an independent, non-profit research organisation that focuses on energy, environment and sustainable development, for further embedding and promoting sustainability in Vodafone India’s operations and initiatives.
The areas of engagement between the two corporate partners include strategic advisory and knowledge sharing, energy conservation and carbon footprint reduction for Greener Telecom.
The two organisations will also explore opportunities to jointly build advocacy and promote the cause and purpose of sustainability in the public domain, Vodafone India said.