MTN has been rated among the top 500 global companies on corporate sustainability and environmental impact in the 2014 Newsweek Green Rankings.
The rankings are one of the world’s most recognised assessments of corporate environmental performance. Newsweek partnered with Corporate Knights Capital and leading sustainability minds from non-governmental organisations and the academic and accounting communities, to complete the rankings.
“The ranking is particularly significant for MTN because we are in a small select group of global companies whose revenue is generated off a relatively low environmental impact basis. The recognition ahead of some of the major global brands is humbling, particularly as we operate in markets where it’s not regulation driving responsible environmental behaviour. MTN is on this journey not only because it makes commercial sense; we operate in some of the most environmentally-vulnerable parts of the world, where our customers often have the fewest economic resources to cope with the effects of climate change. As a result, we are conscious of the positive role we can play,” says Paul Norman, MTN Group Chief HR & Corporate Affairs Officer.
The 2014 Newsweek Green Rankings measures the environmental performance of large public companies using eight clearly defined performance indicators, including Combined Energy and Waste Productivity. MTN is ranked in position 276, with a Green Score of 35.4 percent.
“This ranking is recognition of our years of hard work on being environmentally responsible across the business. By ensuring we take our environmental responsibilities seriously, we hope to mitigate our impact on our customers’ environments,” adds Norman.
In a recent development, MTN South Africa has partnered with the National Business Institute’s (NBI) Private Sector Energy Efficiency (PSEE) in an initiative that complements MTN’s UN Carbon Emission Reduction tri-generation programme and other energy conservation activities. These initiatives will help MTN to further improve on efforts to reduce energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Across Africa and the Middle East, MTN’s programme to reduce energy use and switch to alternative energy has seen affordable solar-powered charging solutions rolled out to customers in Uganda, Rwanda and Nigeria, and climate-friendly technologies implemented from Cyprus to Swaziland. MTN also offers cloud-computing and machine-to-machine products to address water leakage, air quality requirements, grid power and much more.
MTN has also successfully concluded a partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft fűr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), which saw the company handover approximately 469 tonnes of electronic waste and electrical equipment (e-waste) to waste handlers and recyclers. This initiative will help MTN ensure e-waste is responsibly dismantled, reused or disposed, while ultimately improving the financial sustainability and ability of the e-waste handlers to create more employment. Three of the four permanent handlers selected by MTN are SMEs. Along with over 40 other organisations, the e-waste handlers also received free training.
More information on MTN’s sustainability initiatives is available in the 2013 MTN Group Sustainability Report. The report contains an overview of how MTN is working towards digital inclusion, creating sustainable economic value and addressing environmental and ethical responsibilities.
