Sprint Recognized as EPA’s 2015 Climate Leader for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management

From EPA:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

11201 Renner Boulevard, Lenexa, KS 66219

Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations

Sprint Recognized as EPA’s 2015 Climate Leader for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management

Contact Information: David W. Bryan, 913-551-7433, bryan.david@epa.gov; cell for news media only: 816-912-6769

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Lenexa, Kan., Feb. 25, 2015) - Sprint Corporation, headquartered in Overland Park, Kan., has received a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2015 Climate Leadership Award for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management – Goal Achievement. The Climate Leadership Award recipients demonstrate how innovative actions to combat climate change lead to smart business decisions. Sixteen organizations and one individual representing a wide array of industries from finance and manufacturing to retail and technology were honored for their climate change and environmental work.

“I am proud to recognize our Climate Leadership Award winners for their actions to reduce the harmful carbon pollution that’s fueling climate change,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “Our winners are demonstrating that a healthy environment and a strong economy go hand in hand. These organizations are providing the leadership, commitment, and solutions needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions and meet head on the challenge of a changing climate.”

Sprint Corporation offers wireless and wireline communications services for nearly 56 million customers. Headquartered in Overland Park, Kan., approximately 80 percent of Sprint’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from the operation of its networks. Other sources include office buildings, data centers, and retail stores.

Sprint is being recognized by EPA for the following specific accomplishments: 

• Sprint set and exceeded its absolute GHG reduction goal of 20 percent from 2007 to 2017, achieving absolute reduction in GHG emissions of 29 percent in 2013. Sprint’s initial GHG reduction goal was 12 percent in 2008 under the EPA’s former Climate Leaders program, which the company subsequently increased to 15 percent in 2010 before setting its current goal – all with 2007 as the baseline.

• The corporation achieved its GHG emission reductions by redesigning its networks to reduce electricity consumption. Its IT department has decreased its electricity use by 28 percent while increasing the number of new data centers. Sprint also implemented Building Automation Systems (BAS) to monitor heating and cooling activities which resulted in lowered electricity costs, reduced HVAC and lighting maintenance costs, and increased worker productivity (comfortable work environment). 

In 2014, Sprint received two Climate Leadership Awards in the Organizational Leadership and Supply Chain Leadership categories.

This year’s awards were presented at the 2015 Climate Leadership Conference in Arlington, Va.

EPA's Center for Corporate Climate Leadership establishes norms of climate leadership by encouraging organizations with emerging climate objectives to identify and achieve cost-effective GHG emission reductions, while helping more advanced organizations drive innovations in reducing their greenhouse gas impacts in their supply chains and beyond. The Center provides technical tools, guidance, educational resources, and opportunities for information sharing and peer exchange among organizations interested in reducing the environmental impacts associated with climate change.

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