April 24, 2008 - Vodafone has pledged to reduce its carbon emissions 50% by 2020. The company's new climate strategy also calls for developing products and services that help customers limit their own climate emissions.

"We have reviewed the options, including carbon off-setting, and have concluded that the most effective strategy is to cut our CO2 emissions directly," says CEO Arun Sarin. "Through operational changes and technological innovation we will focus on improving energy efficiency in our networks, which account for 80% of our emissions, and we will use renewable energy when and where we can."

Sarin notes that, in addition to controlling costs, smart climate management resonates with customers as well. In an effort to reach out to climate-conscious consumers, the company aims to develop solar-powered phone chargers and universal phone chargers for Vodafone-branded handsets. Emissions reduction is "something [our customers] value more and more," says Sarin.

Vodafone's climate targets extend to the supply chain as well. The company says is currently gathering data on the carbon footprint of its newly acquired companies in India and Turkey, and plans to set climate change targets for these businesses "in due course."