Benchmarking telecoms operator strategies to reduce downstream customer-related emissions, waste and end-of-life impact

Most telecoms operators worldwide have taken steps to reduce downstream customer‑related emissions and waste, but leading operators go further by investing in a broader set of initiatives that span policy support, product design, public awareness, return logistics and verified product refurbishment and recycling. The next step for leading operators is to scale established initiatives across operating markets, customer groups and full device portfolios.

Information included in this report

• A quantitative benchmark that assesses how leading European operators are reducing downstream emissions and e-waste, including those arising from customers' use of operator‑sold products and services, and from end‑of‑life treatment. Our analysis identifies the top performers, highlights industry‑average performance and explores the gaps where further progress is needed.
• A best‑practice roadmap based on an evaluation of the initiatives implemented by operators worldwide to reduce downstream customer-related emissions and waste, and to improve device recycling, refurbishment and reuse.

Questions answered in this report

• What defines industry best practice in reducing environmental impact, which operators lead the way, and where do others need to improve?
• Which types of partnerships are telecoms operators forming to improve their customer‑related downstream environmental impacts?
• How are operators reducing downstream customer-related emissions and product waste through more sustainable approaches to device and equipment design, recovery and end‑of‑life device management?
• Which sustainability targets are operators setting to reduce downstream customer‑related impacts, and which frameworks, programmes or funding mechanisms are being deployed to accelerate progress in this area?

Who should read this report

• Sustainability leads and board members at operators that need to understand how their sustainability initiatives compare to those of their competitors
• Supply chain and distribution teams, marketing teams, product designers and CTOs at operators that need to benchmark their circularity progress against that of other operators
• Vendors who want to gain visibility into operators’ current and future needs and priorities in relation to product sustainability
• Investors seeking to put client sustainability performance into context
• Industry regulators that need to evaluate national operator progress against wider industry performance