MTN signs Copenhagen Communiqué

The group has joined business leaders of over 500 global companies who have attached their signatures to the Copenhagen Communiqué in the run-up to the United Nations Climate Change conference next month.

Recent studies have shown that Information Communications Technologies (ICTs) can have a significant environmental impact in terms of reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

A 2008 Global e-Sustainability Initiative report estimated that ICTs can reduce emissions by up to 22% by 2020 through environmentally-friendly practices such as smart logistics, smart buildings, a smart power grid and reducing travel through videoconferencing and tele-work.

The signing of the Copenhagen Communiqué is expected to serve the following:

• Communicate MTN Group's commitment to ensuring sustainability in its business practises;
  
• Elevate sustainability issues within MTN into business imperatives;
  
• Add further weight to submissions, particularly those from markets where MTN operates in Africa and the Middle East.

Nozipho January-Bardill, MTN group executive: corporate affairs, said it is MTN's long term plan to honour its pledge to protect the environment by demonstrating the company's corporate commitment to the sustainability cause.

“Having a presence in Africa and the Middle East, we are acutely aware of how vulnerable our markets are to the adverse impact of climate change. Our signing of the communiqué is a great leap for MTN's corporate social responsibility and demonstrates our commitment to the concept of people, planet, profit and a positive legacy for generations to come,” said January-Bardill.