More data transferred, more robust infrastructure, and yet a radical decrease in carbon emissions. This is what characterizes the past business year at Vodafone from the point of view of non-financial data. The newly published Report on Sustainable Business gives an insight into the inner workings of the company as well. For example, it states that there are more and more women in top management, and it also breaks down the long-held stereotype that part-time work only appeals to mothers with small children.
Vodafone has been issuing a report on sustainable business for several years, but the report for the past business year provides the most detailed overview so far of how the company manages to fulfill its goals and strategies in building a digital society, protecting the planet or inclusion. "So that sustainable business is not just an empty platitude, it is necessary to collect a lot of often difficult-to-access data, which we subsequently audit internally and partially externally and publish transparently. This also belongs to proper sustainability management," says Zuzana Holá, director of communications and sustainability at Vodafone.
More data transferred with a smaller carbon footprint
As statistics not only from Vodafone show, the volume of transferred data has been growing significantly in recent years. Although their consumption rises dramatically, thanks to the modernization of networks and the use of green energy, Vodafone manages to gradually reduce its carbon footprint. "For example, our data shows that the amount of mobile data transferred increased by 40% last year," explains Zuzana Holá.
Vodafone's total electricity consumption rose by 22% in the last business year. Even so, thanks to the use of green energy, it was possible to drastically reduce the carbon footprint of our own operations (scope 1 and scope 2) to 1,850 tons of CO2, which is 86% less compared to the previous period. "If we look at the amount of emissions calculated per unit of transferred data, it even decreased by 91% year-on-year," adds Holá. This is a positive step towards achieving carbon neutrality, which the company plans to achieve in its own operations by 2030 and in the supply chain a maximum of ten years later.
In addition, however, Vodafone can help mitigate the impact on the environment for its business customers as well. "Smart solutions not only replace individual technologies, which can lead to energy savings, but can also manage consumption better. "Last year, we helped our customers save 21,822 tons of carbon dioxide using the Internet of Things solution, which is a 32% increase compared to the previous year," says Zuzana Holá.
Women in leadership and fathers on parental leave
The Czech Republic has long lagged behind in the share of women in the management of large companies. Vodafone stands out from the statistics and is moving forward in this regard. In the last business year, 40% of its top management were women (down from 11% two years ago). A similar figure also applies to their representation in the middle management of the company, where women managers are represented by 37% (compared to 31% in the previous period).
However, this is not the only area where Vodafone stands out compared to national statistics. According to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, only 5.7% of Czech employees worked part-time in 2021, which is one of the lowest proportions in the entire continent. Vodafone decided to actively change the situation and in May of last year introduced a revolutionary change - the possibility to work part-time for all employees, whether they are managers or salespeople. "Last year, 20% of newcomers chose this option, and a fifth of them were men," adds Zuzana Holá.
However, Vodafone also offers greater flexibility to new parents through a wide range of benefits, such as 16 weeks of paid leave for the second parent. In practice, it turns out to work great. Since its launch, 100 people have already used it. The company also thinks of mothers: Those who return to work within a year and a half of taking parental leave are offered a full salary at 80% of the working time. And during the first 16 weeks of maternity leave, it pays the difference between the mother's original salary and the maternity allowance.
Vodafone's full sustainability report is available HERE.
Vodafone Česká republika was ranked highest this year in the unique and comprehensive sustainability rating in the main category TOP Responsible large company. At the same time, it won the TOP Responsible Company award in digitization for the "Rescue Application" project and the ING - BPS TOP Responsible Company award in reporting.
