Page 32 - SAMENA Trends - September 2019

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Zain Group Teams Up with GSMA to Disclose Climate Impacts

Zain announces it has teamed up with the “Zain is taking an affirmative step to align their environmental impact, helping them
GSMA and many of the world’s largest with the UN global ambition to reduce to build sustainability into the heart of
mobile operator groups to start disclosing carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, aiming their businesses.” The new methodology
their climate impacts as part of a major new to be carbon neutral by 2050. We recognize designed specifically for the mobile sector
GSMA-led initiative to develop a mobile that climate change is a material risk that in limiting global warning will provide
industry climate action roadmap in line not only impacts humanity today, but also parameters to accelerate the rate at which
with the Paris Agreement. Zain along with will impact the ability of future generations mobile operators set their own targets. The
more than 50 mobile operators – which to thrive.” “Today’s announcement marks timescale at which individual companies
together account for more than two thirds the start of an unprecedented, collaborative reach the target will depend on several
of mobile connections globally – are now action by the mobile industry to tackle the factors, including their geographic location
disclosing their climate impacts, energy climate emergency, demonstrating how and their ability to access renewable
and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions via the private sector can show leadership energy. It is expected that some companies
the internationally recognized CDP system and responsibility in addressing one of will meet the net zero target significantly
(Global Disclosure Project). The move will the gravest challenges facing our planet,” ahead of the 2050 deadline. Zain along with
enable full transparency for investors and said Mats Granryd, Director General of the mobile industry is also committed to
customers involved in the mobile sector. the GSMA. “The mobile industry will form advancing mobile technology innovations
Many of the companies are disclosing the backbone of the future economy in areas such as big data and IoT that can
for the first time as part of the GSMA-led and therefore has a unique opportunity enable energy efficient and environmental
initiative. The disclosures form the first to drive change across multiple sectors solutions across multiple sectors, including
phase of an industry-wide, climate action and in collaboration with our suppliers, transport, manufacturing, agriculture,
roadmap. The next phase will see the investors and customers.” “We welcome building, energy. This agreement between
development of a decarburization pathway this landmark move by the mobile sector the Zain and other mobile operators with
for the mobile industry aligned with the to disclose its climate impacts via CDP, the GSMA forms part of the industry’s
Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which demonstrates a clear step-up in journey to support the delivery of the
to be in place by February 2020. This will commitment to providing transparency UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
include the development of an industry- to its investors and customers as part (SDGs), specifically SDG #13 on Climate
wide plan to achieve net-zero GHG of an industry-wide approach,” said Action, and its mission to intelligently
emissions by 2050 in line with the Paris Paul Simpson, CEO of CDP. “As a result connect everyone and everything to a
Agreement. Bader Al Kharafi, Zain Vice of these disclosures, mobile operators #BetterFuture.
Chairman and Group CEO commented, will be able to measure and understand

32 SEPTEMBER 2019