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Success Stories - Telecommunications
Success Stories
Organization Type
- Utilities
- Telecommunications
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Organization Size
Bell Atlantic
With close to 25,000 tons of surplus or obsolete telecommunications equipment, Bell Atlantic repaired and reused defective equipment and sold marketable equipment for a total corporate cost avoidance and revenue of $24 million.
Verizon Communications Inc. - NY
With more than 200,000 employees and millions of customers, Verizon is a telecommunications giant that believes in taking responsibility for managing the environmental effect of operating a global business. More than 3 million customers participated in Verizon’s online Paperless Billing Service in 2005, which reduced administrative costs by $3.7 million and saved $5.4 million in paper processing and printing costs. Verizon switched from a paper-based to an electronic payroll system, saving the company nearly $100,000 in printing expenses. Whether it’s through conserving energy, applying recycling technologies, or finding innovative technological solutions to environmental challenges, Verizon is committed to being a respectful, responsible, and positive influence on the environment.
As a leading provider of broadband and communication services, Verizon takes its environmental responsibility to its customers and communities seriously. The company’s corporate policies ensure the highest standard of actions that minimize waste, conserve natural resources, and to protect the environment. Last year, Verizon’s commitment to waste reduction impacted the more than 128 million phone books it distributes worldwide. The company offered businesses the option of receiving directories on CD, which resulted in Verizon printing 482,000 fewer directories in 2004, and reducing paper use by 888 tons. Verizon’s nationwide recycling programs have helped to recycle more than 104,000 tons of material.
Verizon takes advantage of technology to reduce waste. The company saved more than $4 million by encouraging its 260,000 employees to use the company intranet to obtain training and personnel information. The company also posted its phone directory and forms online and used electronic purchase orders and invoices. In addition, the company repaired, reused, or sold more than $60 million worth of specialized telecommunications equipment salvaged from maintenance and upgrade efforts. Verizon generated additional revenue of more than $27 million by collecting recyclable materials, including corrugated packaging, paper, plastics, metals, and wood. In addition, Verizon, the world’s largest publisher of directory information, prints its telephone books using a minimum of 40 percent postconsumer content paper. Furthermore, Verizon implemented a new contract with its office products supplier that encourages the purchase of recycled-content office items and provides a tracking mechanism for these purchases. During 2000, Verizon spent more than $1 million on recycled-content office supplies under this contract. The company is currently developing a policy governing the return and refurbishment of wireless telephones throughout its area.
Verizon provides electronic opportunities for its employees and customers to become environmental stewards. The company promoted the use of its online forms, training, and personnel information, which allowed employees to decrease office paper use by 1,300 tons, saving the company $2.7 million dollars. The use of electronic purchase orders led to an additional 47.5 tons of paper reduction.
Verizon also supports recycling—from telecommunications materials to office paper. Nearly 57,000 tons of telecommunications equipment was either upgraded, repaired, reused, or recycled in 2001—avoiding $47.6 million in purchasing costs. These activities also produced more than $36 million in revenues for items and materials that were sold or recycled. Verizon’s office paper recycling program alone reduced annual waste removal costs by $1.4 million; furthermore, sales of 11,000 tons of office paper, previously considered refuse, produced revenues of $54,300.