In 2021 Ericsson introduced a new vision to improve lives, redefine business and pioneer a sustainable future. Building on decades as a sustainability pioneer, the company has made a strong commitment to fulfilling this vision through its efforts and working across and beyond the ICT ecosystem.
This focus is reflected in Ericsson’s latest Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Report, which highlights its 2021 performance across the areas of responsible business, environmental sustainability and digital inclusion.
“Our sustainability-driven solutions and partnerships create real impact for our customers and our stakeholders,” says Heather Johnson, Ericsson’s Head of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility. “But they also create value for society, whether by enabling the reduction of emissions across industries, creating more energy-efficient networks or helping to bridge the digital divide. We made significant progress towards our sustainability goals in 2021, and we are now setting even more ambitious targets for the future.”
Performance and highlights
Net Zero:
In 2021, Ericsson set a long-term ambition to be Net Zero by 2040 across its value chain. Ericsson will work towards 1.5°C aligned climate targets set by the Paris Agreement to meet this ambition. The first major milestone is to achieve Net Zero emissions from the company’s activities by 2030 and reduce emissions by 50 per cent in its portfolio and supply chain by 2030.
Energy performance:
To meet customer expectations and help the telecom industry reach Net Zero, Ericsson has developed innovative solutions that enable operator networks to use as little energy as possible while managing expected growth in data traffic, meeting the needs of both current and future 5G networks.
In 2021, Ericsson achieved 36 per cent energy savings from delivered Ericsson Radio System radios versus the legacy portfolio, surpassing the company’s approved Science Based Target of 35 per cent one year ahead of schedule.
In 2021, Ericsson also launched a series of ultra-light Massive MIMO radios that are 10 per cent more energy-efficient than the previous generation.
Digital inclusion:
The digital divide continues to be a key challenge to global economic development, with roughly 2.9 billion people still offline. Ericsson and its partners and customers are pioneering new ways to connect societies and improve lives with innovative technologies and services. In 2021 Ericsson continued its partnership with UNICEF in support of the Giga initiative, helping to map schools and assessing their connectivity in 35 countries by the end of 2023.
Ericsson also committed to positively impacting one million children and youth by 2025 by providing access to digital learning and skill development programs as part of the World Economic Forum-aligned EDISON Alliance 1 Billion Lives Challenge.
