Climate Change Data

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Climate Change
• Digital Inclusion
• Sustainable Business Practices
• All 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals

Environmental Achievements

• Mobile operators avoided more greenhouse gas emissions than they generated by enabling other sectors to reduce emissions through digital solutions.
• Increased cellular IoT connections (1.5 billion in 2018), enabling smart city and smart building solutions that improve energy efficiency.
• Operators are improving energy efficiency, sourcing renewable energy, and working with stakeholders to decrease value chain emissions.
• Many operators set ambitious enablement impact goals (avoided emissions).
• Operators are targeting 100% renewable electricity.

Social Achievements

• Increased mobile adoption (5.1 billion subscribers) and mobile internet adoption (3.5 billion subscribers), enabling access to life-enhancing services.
• Significant progress on SDG 4: Quality Education (1.4 billion using mobile for education), and SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.
• Mobile money helped reduce financial exclusion (866 million registered accounts).
• Operators enabled digital birth registrations and digital identity.
• Mobile technology unlocked innovative models for access to utilities (e.g., PAYG solar).

Governance Achievements

• GSMA annually measures and publishes the mobile industry’s impact on the SDGs.
• Operators are incorporating sustainability into their business practices.
• The GSMA Sustainability Assessment Framework assesses operator corporate responsibility and sustainable development activities.
• Increased participation in the Humanitarian Connectivity Charter (HCC) for disaster response.

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• More than half the world’s population is still unconnected to the internet.
• Significant rural-urban coverage gap in low-income countries.
• Barriers to digital inclusion (affordability, literacy, digital skills, relevance, safety concerns).
• Climate change threatens sustainable development and network infrastructure.
• Lower use of SDG-enabling services in rural areas.

Mitigation Strategies

• Focus on reducing the cost of network deployment and increasing ROI.
• Technology innovations in mobile broadband infrastructure.
• Pro-investment and pro-innovation policies from governments and regulators.
• Improving network quality and resilience.
• Strategies to address local barriers to internet use and empower women and rural users.
• Collaboration and partnerships to improve affordability, awareness, digital skills, and safety/security.

Supply Chain Management

Responsible Procurement

• Embedding sustainability criteria in supplier contracts.
• Capacity building with suppliers on climate and circular economy principles.
• Benchmarking suppliers and negotiating target setting.

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks

• Extreme weather events (e.g., hurricanes, floods) damaging network infrastructure.

Opportunities

• Enabling energy-efficient solutions across other sectors.
• Developing innovative climate solutions using AI, IoT, and big data.

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: UN Sustainable Development Goals, GRI, SASB

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• All 17 UN SDGs

Mobile technology enables progress across all 17 SDGs through connectivity and services.

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Climate Impact
• Climate Risk
• Business Ethics
• Responsible Employer
• Employee Diversity
• Digital Inclusion
• Responsible Sourcing
• Waste and E-waste
• Health and Safety
• Customer Service
• Tax Transparency
• Mobile Communications and Health
• Child Online Safety
• Supplier Capacity Development
• Freedom of Expression
• Privacy and Cyber Security
• Shared Value
• UN SDGs

Environmental Achievements

• Improved disclosure and target setting on GHG emissions; 13 companies disclosed science-based targets, with 10 committed to setting them in the future; Significant emissions savings through smart connected technologies (estimated almost ten times greater than the industry's carbon footprint).

Social Achievements

• Improved disclosures on Business Ethics, Privacy & Cyber-security and Responsible Sourcing; Higher scoring companies focused on employee wellbeing, providing training, raising awareness of mental health issues, and ensuring effective remote work; Many companies demonstrated policies and strategies addressing workforce diversity, with some providing comprehensive data on gender, disability, and ethnicity; Companies reported active social and community engagement programs, with some measuring and reporting quantifiable program impacts.

Governance Achievements

• Improved disclosures on governance arrangements for material issues; Some companies linked executive compensation to ESG performance; Increased number of companies disclosing incentives for employees, managers, and executives linked to sustainability performance.

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Need for improved disclosures on Tax Transparency, Freedom of Expression, and Mobile Communications & Health; Need for better descriptions of governance arrangements; Need to demonstrate real impact or progress against the SDGs using suitable performance measures; Need to better connect sustainability programs with core business strategy and financial performance; Need to set suitable targets for all material issues and describe performance trends.

Mitigation Strategies

• GSMA provides guidance and training on Operating Responsibly; The framework is designed to drive the sustainability agenda at CEO and C-suite level and provide best practice examples; The GSMA updated its research on material issues and revised the assessment criteria.

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Not disclosed

Responsible Procurement

• Not disclosed

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks

• Extreme weather and climatic conditions

Transition Risks

• Regulatory changes, market shifts

Opportunities

• Development of energy-efficient products and services; Reducing emissions of wider industries through smart connected technologies.

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: TCFD

Certifications: Null

Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• Not disclosed

Not disclosed

Sustainable Products & Innovation

• Not disclosed

Awards & Recognition

• Not disclosed

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Climate Change
• Digital Inclusion
• Industry Innovation

Environmental Achievements

• 43% of the mobile industry by revenue has committed to reach net zero by 2050 or earlier
• Network emissions per connection falling since 2021 and absolute emissions plateauing in Europe and North America

Social Achievements

• Nearly 2 billion people gained access to mobile internet in the past seven years.
• Mobile internet used by 47% of the world’s poorest 40% (1.5 billion people)
• 410 million new mobile internet subscribers in rural areas since 2015
• Significant strides made in reducing disparities in mobile internet adoption between different user segments, supporting SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.

Governance Achievements

• Launched ESG Metrics for Mobile – a first-of-its-kind, mobile-sector ESG reporting framework featuring 10 industry-specific KPIs.

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Progress towards SDGs is faltering globally.
• Covid-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine, and climate-related disasters slowed progress.
• Cost-of-living crisis disproportionately affects vulnerable populations.
• Only about 12% of 140 SDG targets with available data are on track.
• Average SDG impact score stalled in 2022 due to decline in mobile subscriber engagement in SDG-relevant activities.
• 400 million people still lack mobile broadband coverage.
• 3 billion people live within mobile broadband coverage but don't use mobile internet.

Mitigation Strategies

• Calls to action for mobile operators, governments, and stakeholders to accelerate progress.
• Reduce cost of network deployment through innovation in backhaul, base station technologies, and power supply.
• Improve affordability of internet-enabled handsets and data.
• Develop innovative data pricing strategies and handset-financing options.
• Provide targeted subsidies and tax policies.
• Expand availability of local content and services.
• Accelerate digitization of public services.
• Foster partnerships between startups, private-sector players, governments, and stakeholders.
• Support investments to enhance network quality.
• Formulate national standards and specifications for IoT devices.

Supply Chain Management

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: ESG Metrics for Mobile

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• 11
• 13
• 17

The report details how mobile technology contributes to each of these SDGs.

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Circular Economy
• Digital Inclusion
• Cybersecurity
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Environmental Achievements

• Initiatives to drive circularity in mobile phones, including e-waste management programs and partnerships to recycle and refurbish devices. Refurbished phones have an 87% lower climate impact than new ones.
• MTN Benin and Ericsson partnership to provide affordable and reliable mobile broadband services to remote rural areas in Benin using 100% solar and battery power.

Social Achievements

• Partnerships to expand smartphone access and economic empowerment (e.g., Bboxx and MTN Rwanda).
• Mobile money and fintech initiatives improving financial inclusion.
• Digital advisory solutions for farmers improving access to information and resources.
• Smart city solutions improving services for citizens (e.g., Ethio Telecom and Addis Ababa city administration).

Governance Achievements

• Collaboration with governments and regulators on spectrum policy for inclusive digital development.
• Advocacy for cybersecurity laws and frameworks to protect citizens and infrastructure.
• Promoting technology-neutral spectrum licensing.

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Smartphone affordability as a barrier to mobile internet adoption.
• Online safety concerns and cyberattacks.
• Lack of mobile broadband coverage in rural areas.
• E-waste generation from increasing mobile device usage.
• High spectrum prices hindering mobile service rollout.

Mitigation Strategies

• Device financing plans, installment payments, and partnerships with manufacturers to reduce smartphone costs.
• Development and review of cybersecurity laws, creation of independent cybersecurity authorities, user awareness campaigns, and training for cybersecurity experts.
• Exploration of new infrastructure models through collaborations (e.g., MTN Uganda and iSAT Africa).
• Initiatives to drive circularity in mobile phones, including e-waste management programs and partnerships to recycle and refurbish devices.
• Advocacy for fair spectrum pricing and technology-neutral licensing.

Supply Chain Management

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• SDG 9
• SDG 11
• SDG 7
• SDG 6
• SDG 4

The report details how mobile connectivity contributes to these goals through improved infrastructure, sustainable cities, clean energy, clean water and sanitation, and quality education.

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Environment
• Digital Inclusion
• Digital Integrity
• Supply Chain

Environmental Achievements

• Average 5% year-on-year reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions among participating operators in ESG Metrics for Mobile pilot.
• Average year-on-year change in Scope 3 emissions among participating operators amounted to -4%.

Social Achievements

• On average, 0.24% of subscribers received digital skills training across the 10 pilot operators in 2022 (more than 13 million people globally).
• 95% of the population has access to mobile broadband coverage.

Governance Achievements

• All participating operators in the ESG Metrics for Mobile pilot reported the existence of a digital rights policy.
• Most operators assessed have clear policy and governance structures for ensuring customer privacy and security.

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Lack of consistency in reporting approaches across the mobile industry.
• Difficulty in making comparisons between Scope 3 emissions of operators due to variances in reporting boundaries, methodologies, and databases.
• Challenges in disclosing information related to Scope 3 emissions.
• Limited data disclosure on e-waste.
• Significant challenge of handset affordability, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
• Variation in the reporting levels among participating operators in the ESG Metrics for Mobile pilot.

Mitigation Strategies

• Development of two frameworks (GSMA Sustainability Assessment Framework and ESG Metrics for Mobile) to assess sustainability performance and improve consistency.
• Publication of specific guidance for operators to help with Scope 3 reporting.
• GSMA Intelligence will run an extended version of the ESG Metrics for Mobile pilot in 2024, based on new 2023 data.
• Continued industry dialogue to identify best-practice reporting and ensure the set of ESG KPIs remain material and appropriate.
• Emphasis on internal buy-in for operators to strengthen sustainability reporting.

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Not disclosed

Responsible Procurement

• Policies relating to ethical, social, human rights and governance standards.

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks

• Not disclosed

Transition Risks

• Not disclosed

Opportunities

• Not disclosed

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: GSMA Sustainability Assessment Framework, ESG Metrics for Mobile

Certifications: Null

Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• Not disclosed

Not disclosed

Sustainable Products & Innovation

• Not disclosed

Awards & Recognition

• Not disclosed

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Agriculture and food security
• Energy
• Climate action
• Healthcare

Environmental Achievements

• Improved crop yields through AI-driven insights on pest and disease detection, and optimized irrigation and fertilization strategies (Aerobotics)
• Reduced water wastage through AI-enhanced water monitoring and controlled irrigation (Tshwane University of Technology)
• Enhanced biodiversity monitoring and wildlife protection using AI-powered real-time monitoring (FruitPunch AI, Rainforest Connection)

Social Achievements

• Improved access to agricultural knowledge and resources for farmers through AI-powered advisory platforms (Saai, Mezzanine)
• Enhanced access to healthcare information and support for pregnant mothers through AI-enabled virtual agent (MomConnect)
• Improved medical imaging diagnosis accuracy and remote diagnosis capabilities (Envisionit Deep AI, Quro Medical)

Governance Achievements

• Not disclosed

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Low productivity in agriculture, limited access to loans and markets, unpredictable weather patterns
• Aging energy infrastructure, reliance on coal, unreliable electricity supply
• Vulnerability to climate change impacts, water scarcity
• High chronic disease rate, inadequate diagnostic facilities, unequal access to healthcare
• Limited data availability and quality, lack of local language datasets, insufficient digital skills
• High cost of compute, unreliable electricity supply, brain drain of skilled workers
• Lack of synergy between stakeholders, insufficient funding for AI initiatives

Mitigation Strategies

• Development of AI-powered solutions for data-driven advisory, market linkages, and food security monitoring
• Use of AI for predictive maintenance, smart energy management, and off-grid renewable energy solutions
• Development of mobile-based early warning systems, AI-enhanced disaster response, and biodiversity monitoring tools
• Use of AI for medical imaging diagnosis, disease prediction, and efficient hospital operations
• Initiatives to build local language datasets, enhance digital skills, and improve data management processes
• Investments in local compute infrastructure, exploration of public-private partnerships for reliable electricity supply
• Promotion of multi-stakeholder partnerships, blended finance models, and increased government funding for AI initiatives

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Not disclosed

Responsible Procurement

• Not disclosed

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks

• Heatwaves, droughts, floods

Transition Risks

• Not disclosed

Opportunities

• Development of climate-resilient agricultural practices, renewable energy solutions

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: Null

Certifications: Null

Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• SDG 1 (No Poverty)
• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)
• SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
• SDG 13 (Climate Action)
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)

The report highlights how AI can contribute to achieving these SDGs in South Africa.

Sustainable Products & Innovation

• AI-powered solutions for agriculture, energy, climate action, and healthcare

Awards & Recognition

• Not disclosed