Ericon SCR Report: ICT can accelerate Sustainable Development Goals

Ericsson Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Report 2015 details companys performance in responsible business; energy, environment and climate change; and communication for all

Ericsson uses United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a framework for measuring impact in society

Ericssons Technology for Good initiatives positively impact 20 million people.

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) has published its 23rd annual Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Report, which details the companys performance in 2015 in three areas: responsible business; energy, environment and climate change; and communication for all.

The report also highlights how Information and Communications Technology (ICT) can enable all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and even has the potential to accelerate their achievement.

Hans Vestberg, President and CEO, Ericsson, says: The SDGs lay out a clear path to a more sustainable world, and ICT is a powerful lever to make that happen. We intend to build on our momentum from 2015 so everyone can benefit from the opportunities afforded by the Networked Society.

Responsible business highlights

Conducting business with integrity and transparency is at the heart of Ericssons commitment to sustainability and corporate responsibility.

The report shows that 99 percent of active Ericsson employees have acknowledged the companys Code of Business Ethics. In 2015, the Ericsson Compliance Line - which enables secure reporting of suspected violations - was reinforced to support industry anti-corruption best practices.

Demonstrating its commitment to respecting human rights, Ericsson reported according to the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights framework for the second year in a row, and continues to be the only ICT company to do so.

Energy, environment and climate change highlights

According to Ericsson research, ICT solutions can help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 15 percent by 2030, more than the current carbon footprint of the EU and US combined.

In 2015, Ericsson met the target to offset twice the amount of CO2 from its own carbon footprint with solutions such as smart grids and intelligent transport.

For customers, hardware platforms like the Ericsson Radio System, new software and rural coverage solutions are all designed to help customers optimize energy performance.

In 2015, Ericsson exceeded its goal to reduce CO2e emissions per employee by 30 percent - two years ahead of schedule. This amounted to a 42 percent reduction compared with the 2011 baseline.

Communication for all

By the end of 2015, an estimated 20 million people had been directly impacted by Ericssons Technology for Good(TM) initiatives.

Connect To Learn, a global education initiative by the Earth Institute of Columbia University, Millennium Promise and Ericsson, has now been launched in 22 countries, where it is benefiting over 76,000 students. In 2015, Connect To Learn was deployed in Myanmar, India, Tunisia and Sri Lanka.

Mobile financial services can be a game changer for advancing financial and social inclusion. In 2015, Ericsson supported ASBANC, Perus National Bank Association, in an initiative to provide next-generation mobile financial services to 2.1 million Peruvians - about 7 percent of the total population - within five years.

The employee volunteer program Ericsson Response marked its 15th anniversary during the year. Ericsson Response has so far supported 40 relief efforts in 30 countries, and was deployed in locations including Iraq, Nepal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Vanuatu in 2015.

Elaine Weidman-Grunewald, Vice President, Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, Ericsson, says: By embedding sustainability and corporate responsibility into our business, we have a strong platform for progress and positive impacts. We will continue to work in public-private partnership and advocate Technology for Good to drive change for the better.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Ericsson Sustainability and CR Report 2015

Ericsson Sustainability

For media kits, backgrounders and high-resolution photos, please visit www.ericsson.com/press

Ericsson is the driving force behind the Networked Society - a world leader in communications technology and services. Our long-term relationships with every major telecom operator in the world allow people, business and society to fulfill their potential and create a more sustainable future.

Our services, software and infrastructure - especially in mobility, broadband and the cloud - are enabling the telecom industry and other sectors to do better business, increase efficiency, improve the user experience and capture new opportunities.

With approximately 115,000 professionals and customers in 180 countries, we combine global scale with technology and services leadership. We support networks that connect more than 2.5 billion subscribers. Forty percent of the worlds mobile traffic is carried over Ericsson networks. And our investments in research and development ensure that our solutions - and our customers - stay in front.

Founded in 1876, Ericsson has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Net sales in 2015 were SEK 246.9 billion (USD 29.4 billion). Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX stock exchange in Stockholm and the NASDAQ in New York.

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LINK:	http://www.ericsson.com/uk/thecompany/press/releases/2016/04/2003051...
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