Ribbon Communications (Nasdaq: RBBN)
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2020-2021, 2021-2022, 2022, 2023)
Reporting Period: 2020-2021
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Supply Chain
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 9% on a square foot basis in 2020
- Reduced operational Scope 1 and 2 carbon footprint by double digits since 2018 when normalized to employee count or square footage
- Reduced the number of equipment racks in laboratories and data centers by more than 21% since 2012
Social Achievements
- Implemented a unified online platform for enterprise learning, making training materials available to all employees
- Launched Ribbon Engagement Committees to enhance employee satisfaction and engagement
- Conducted an Employee Experience Survey with a 64% response rate to gather insights on employee satisfaction and key issues
Governance Achievements
- Reviewed and amended the Code of Conduct in 2020
- Achieved 100% employee completion of Code of Conduct recertification in 2020
- Implemented a new risk tracking tool to manage corporate risk information
Climate Goals & Targets
- Achieve net zero carbon emissions
- Reduce direct carbon emissions by 30% by 2030
- Increase women in management to 30% by 2025
Environmental Challenges
- COVID-19 pandemic impact on operations and employee well-being
- Need to improve workforce diversity, particularly women in management
- Need to improve controls in the supply chain to enhance ethical and sustainable conduct
Mitigation Strategies
- Transitioned most employees to work from home, implemented safety protocols in offices, and provided resources for remote work
- Developed initiatives to attract and advance women in the workplace, including women-friendly hiring practices and leadership development programs
- Implemented a regular quality audit program with strategic contract manufacturers and quarterly business reviews with key suppliers
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: 100% of Tier 1 facilities audited in 2020
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Code of Conduct
- Quarterly business reviews with key suppliers
- Audits for conformance to Code of Conduct
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Disruption to services at facilities or disruption to internet infrastructure
Transition Risks
- Increasing carbon regulation and pricing
Opportunities
- Continued provision of products and services supporting digital transformation
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD
Certifications: ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 17025:2015, ISO 27001:2013, TL 9000:R6.2/R5.6, SI 10000:2013
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Apollo platform with higher traffic loading and reduced power consumption
Awards & Recognition
- 2020 Global Sustainability Award for Excellence in Software
Reporting Period: 2021-2022
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Supply Chain
- Business Integrity
- Data Privacy
Environmental Achievements
- 10% reduction in absolute Scope 1+2 carbon emissions in 2021 compared to 2018 base year
- 39% reduction in GHG emissions per million $ revenue
- 36% reduction in GHG emissions per square meter
- 73% waste diversion (up from 68% in 2020)
- 98% of contract manufacturing operations now included in Scope 3 emissions
Social Achievements
- Increased women in management roles from 16% in 2020 to 18% in 2021
- 28% of new hires were women (up from 23% in 2020)
- 10% reduction in total injury rate from 0.177 in 2020 to 0.158 in 2021
- 700 employees volunteered more than 2,500 hours in Ribbon’s 2021 Global Day of Service
- 82% of employees confirmed they would recommend Ribbon in our global employee survey
Governance Achievements
- Established new standards, supplier assessments and audit protocols throughout our supply chain
- 80% response rate from priority suppliers in our Supplier Code of Conduct assessment, and enhanced monitoring mechanisms for supplier conformance
- No major non-conformances discovered in ISO 27001 adherence in 2021
- No fines or sanctions related to noncompliance in 2021
Climate Goals & Targets
- Achieve net zero emissions
- Reduce direct carbon emissions by 30% by 2030 from a base year of 2018 (Scope 1+2 CO2e)
- Audit 30% of Tier 1 suppliers with actions complete to ensure 100% adherence to Ribbon’s Supplier Code of Conduct by 2025
- Increase women in management to 30% by 2025
Environmental Challenges
- Supply chain disruptions due to the global pandemic and political unrest
- Increasing customer demand for carbon emission solutions throughout their supply chains
- Need to improve gender diversity, particularly at management levels
- Addressing risks associated with the use of critical materials
Mitigation Strategies
- Consolidated merged business and expanded presence in many markets
- Implemented power-efficient innovation and streamlined operations
- Implemented new training and mentoring programs to enhance progress towards gender diversity targets
- Aligned supplier ethical conduct assessments and developed a framework for ESG risk assessment
- Developed alternative sourcing strategies
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: 100% of Tier 1 facilities audited in 2021
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Code of Conduct (SCoC) aligned with Responsible Business Alliance standard v7.0
- Criminal conduct screening of prospective suppliers
- Quarterly business reviews of supplier performance
- New internal Responsible Procurement Policy
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Disruption to services at facilities or disruption to internet infrastructure
Transition Risks
- Increasing carbon regulation and pricing
Opportunities
- Continued provision of products and services supporting digitization and national digital transformations
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD
Certifications: ISO 9001:2015, TL 9000: R6.3/5.7, SI 10000:2013, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 17025:2015, ISO 22301:2019, ISO 27001:2013, ISO 45001:2018
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 9
Ribbon's contribution to bridging the digital divide aligns with UN SDG 9, target 9c
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Apollo product platform with higher traffic loading and reduced power needs
- TM400_2 line card for Apollo’s optical transport system
Awards & Recognition
- Newsweek’s Most Responsible Companies 2022
- 2021 Award for Excellence in Network Equipment Sustainability at the Annual TIA QuEST Forum Sustainability Awards
- EcoVadis Silver Sustainability Rating in 2022
Reporting Period: 2022
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Supply Chain
- Business Integrity
- Secure and Inclusive Technology
- Low Carbon Economy
- Future-Fit Workforce
Environmental Achievements
- 16% reduction achieved in absolute Scope 1+2 carbon emissions in 2022 compared to our 2018 base year
- 7% reduction of direct carbon emissions in 2022 versus 2021
- 57% waste diversion due to recycling efforts to reduce landfill
- Bengaluru operation switched entirely to renewably sourced electricity
- 88% cumulative reduction in equipment and laboratory space compared to non-optimized operations
Social Achievements
- 33% reduction in our total injury rate from 0.158 in 2021 to 0.106 in 2022
- 83% of employees confirmed they would recommend Ribbon as an employer
- 870 employees volunteered more than 3,500 hours in Ribbon’s 2022 Global Day of Service
- 26% of new hires were women
- Launched Ribbon Wellness Program and global Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Governance Achievements
- Ribbon was not subject to any fines or sanctions related to noncompliance in any area of our business in 2022
- 100% of employees completed Code of Conduct initial training or recertification
- No major non-conformances were discovered in our ISO 27001 adherence in 2022
Climate Goals & Targets
- Net zero emissions
- Reduce direct carbon emissions by 30% by 2030 (Scope 1+2)
- Increase women in management to 30% by 2025
- Achieve 30% of our Tier 1 suppliers audited with zero major non-conformances by 2025
- Not disclosed
Environmental Challenges
- Progress on increasing women in management was slower than planned in 2022
- Supply chain disruptions
- Need to improve Scope 3 emissions reporting
- Increasing carbon regulation and pricing (long-term)
Mitigation Strategies
- Plan to audit key suppliers in 2023
- Working with contract manufacturers to identify ways to improve carbon efficiency
- Reviewing options to improve low carbon options in business travel
- Ongoing efforts to accelerate the advancement of women
- Robust business continuity planning
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: 100% of Tier 1 facilities audited in 2022
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Code of Conduct (SCoC) aligned with Responsible Business Alliance standard v7.0
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Disruption to services at facilities, disruption to internet infrastructure
Transition Risks
- Increasing carbon regulation and pricing
Opportunities
- Continued provision of products and services supporting digitization and national digital transformations
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD
Certifications: ISO 14001, ISO 27001, ISO 22301, ISO 45001, ISO 9001, ISO 17025
Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Apollo OT9408 optical transport platform
Awards & Recognition
- Newsweek’s Most Responsible Companies 2023 (6th among 50 software & telecommunications companies)
- TIA QuEST Global Sustainability Award 2022
- EcoVadis Silver Sustainability Rating in 2022
Reporting Period: 2023
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Supply Chain
- Diversity & Inclusion
Environmental Achievements
- 33% cumulative reduction in absolute Scope 1+2 GHG emissions in 2023 compared to the 2018 base year, exceeding the 2030 target
- 17% reduction in the rate of waste sent to landfills compared to 2022
- 90% cumulative reduction in equipment and laboratory space compared to non-optimized operations
Social Achievements
- 91% of employees confirmed they felt accepted and valued in our 2023 Employee Experience Survey
- 26% of new hires were women
- 1,100+ employees volunteered more than 5,100 hours in Ribbon’s 2023 Global Day of Service
Governance Achievements
- 21% of Tier 1 suppliers completed third-party audits against our Supplier Code of Conduct with zero critical findings
- 100% of active employees completed the annual mandatory Code of Conduct review and survey in 2023
- Annual ISO 27001:2022 certification across our corporate financial and customer support organization
Climate Goals & Targets
- Net zero emissions
- Increase women in management to 30% by 2025
- Maintain and improve Scope 1+2 emissions reduction
- Audit 30% of Tier 1 suppliers by 2025
Environmental Challenges
- Maintaining and further improving Scope 1+2 emissions reduction
- Increasing representation of women at management levels
- Monitoring, managing and mitigating risk in the supply chain
Mitigation Strategies
- Ongoing resource efficiencies and optimization of operations, adoption of renewable energy
- Investment in programs and processes to accelerate greater representation of women in management roles
- Multiyear plan to continue auditing and embedding ethical conduct requirements for suppliers
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: 21% of Tier 1 suppliers audited in 2023
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Code of Conduct (aligned with Responsible Business Alliance standard v8.0)
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Disruption to services at facilities, disruption to internet infrastructure
Transition Risks
- Increasing carbon regulation and pricing
Opportunities
- Provision of products and services supporting digitization and national digital transformations
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD
Certifications: ISO 14001:2015, ISO 27001:2022, ISO 22301:2019, ISO 45001:2018, TL 9000
Third-party Assurance: CDP-accredited expert for energy and emissions data
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Power-efficient data transport products and optical networking hardware
Awards & Recognition
- Newsweek’s Most Responsible Companies 2024 (6th among 54 software & telecommunications companies)
- Newsweek’s Greatest Workplaces for Women 2024
- EcoVadis Silver Sustainability Rating (top 16% of peers)
- America’s Climate Leaders 2023
- Bharti Foundation’s Changemaker Award for excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility in India