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Sprint is proud to be the first U.S. telecom company to deliver an "A+" Corporate Responsibility Performance Report – verified by Global Reporting Initiative (Nov. 2012). The A+ rating reflects Sprint's commitment to transparency as well as the quality and breadth of our Corporate Responsibility (CR) reporting. Sprint reports its CR performance annually through an online CR Performance Summary report and an interactive online GRI index. Sprint's 2011 Corporate Responsibility Performance Summary and online GRI index fulfill the requirements of the GRI-G3.1 reporting guidelines. We are one of a small number of Fortune 100 -North American companies that received GRI verification of our "A" report. The "+" is earned when a company externally assures at least a portion of its report. Sprint externally assured its carbon and water disclosures for 2011.
Our interactive GRI index allows readers to access and understand Sprint's CR efforts and positions while providing direct links to more detailed content within Sprint's CR website. By participating in GRI, Sprint is able to engage nearly all functional teams and work towards continuous improvement on CR issues across the entire enterprise.
Sprint also joined GRI's Organizational Stakeholder and US Sector Leader programs in order to more directly influence the GRI reporting requirements, to reinforce and formalize its own commitment to transparent reporting of CR data, and to accelerate adoption of the GRI as the CR reporting standard in the U.S.
The Application level table below further explains the requirements for each level.
Click on each header to reveal the GRI aspects for that section.
Click on the header again to hide the expanded aspects.
| Description/GRI Disclosure | Response | Relevance |
| 1.1 | Statement from the most senior decisionmaker of the organization about the relevance of sustainability of the organization and its strategy. FULLY Disclosed |
Message from Dan Hesse | High |
| 1.2 | Description of key impacts, risks, and opportunities. FULLY Disclosed |
2011 CR Report | High |
| Description/GRI Disclosure | Response | Relevance |
| 2.1 | Name of the organization. FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint Nextel Corporation | High |
| 2.2 | Primary brands, products, and/or services FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint Nextel SEC Form 10-K Report, period ending 12/31/2010 | High |
| 2.3 | Operational structure of the organization, including main divisions, operating companies, subsidaries, and joint ventures. FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| 2.4 | Location of organization's headquarters. FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint world headquarters are located in Overland Park, KS, USA | High |
| 2.5 | Number of countries where the organization operates, and names of countries with either major operations or that are specifically relevant to the sustainability issues covered in the report. FULLY Disclosed |
While Sprint is a global telecommunications provider, Sprint's operations outside of the United States are not material for purposes of its sustainability reporting. Sprint's revenues generated and recorded by its non US entities are less than 1% of Sprint's consolidated revenues, and Sprint's non-U.S. based employees represent less than 1% of its total employee population. |
| 2.6 | Nature of ownership and legal form. FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint Nextel Corporation (S) is a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. | High |
| 2.7 | Markets served including geographic breakdowns, sectors served, and types of customers/beneficiaries. FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| 2.8 | Scale of the reporting organization. FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| 2.9 | Significant changes during the reporting period regarding size, structure, or ownership. FULLY Disclosed |
There were no significant size, structure or ownership changes during 2011. | High |
| 2.10 | Awards received in the reporting period FULLY Disclosed |
Awards | High |
| Description/GRI Disclosure | Response | Relevance |
| 3.1 | Reporting period for information provided. (Fiscal/calendar year) FULLY Disclosed |
Calendar year 2011 unless otherwise noted | High |
| 3.2 | Date of most recent previous report (if any). FULLY Disclosed |
2011 CR Report | High |
| 3.3 | Reporting cycle. (annual, biennial, etc.) FULLY Disclosed |
Our summary is on an annual basis. Our Sprint CR web site is current and updated as achievements or progress is made. | High |
| 3.4 | Contact point for questions regarding the report or its contents. FULLY Disclosed |
csr@sprint.com | High |
| 3.5 | Process for defining report content. FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| 3.6 | Boundary of the report (e.g., countries, divisions, subsidiaries, leased facilities, joint ventures, suppliers). See GRI Boundary Protocol for further guidance. FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint's 2011 CR disclosure includes data from all fully owned U.S. operations and leased sites where we have operational control. Sprint does not have any material joint ventures to report on. Supplier data is only included where specifically indicated. | High |
| 3.7 | State any specific limitations on the scope or boundary of the report. FULLY Disclosed |
1) While Sprint is a global telecommunications provider, Sprint's operations outside of the United States are not material for purposes of its sustainability reporting. Sprint's revenues generated and recorded by its non US entities are less than 1% of Sprint's consolidated revenues, and Sprint's non-U.S. based employees represent less than 1% of its total employee population. 2) Clearwire, a company in which Sprint holds 48% non-controlling interest, is not included. 3) Data from our leased retail sites (approximately 1000) is not included where we do not have operational control. 4) Data from outsource suppliers is not included. This includes some customer care, real estate operations and network operations. |
High |
| 3.8 | Basis for reporting on joint ventures, subsidiaries, leased facilities, outsourced operations, and other entities that can significantly affect comparability from period to period and/or between organizations. FULLY Disclosed |
1) No material Joint Ventures 2) Fully owned U.S. subsidiaries included 3) Leased facilities where Sprint maintains operational control are included. We are exploring opportunities to collect and report data from non-controlled leased facilities but do not expect full or accurate reporting for several years. 4) We are working to capture outsource operations thru Scope 3 assessment. We expect disclosure in 2013. We are working on getting a better handle on Scope 3 or care, network management, real estate management and logistic support. |
High |
| 3.9 | Data measurement techniques and the bases of calculations, including assumptions and techniques underlying estimations applied to the compilation of the Indicators and other information in the report. Explain any decisions not to apply, or to substantially diverge from, the GRI Indicator Protocols. FULLY Disclosed |
Specific reporting approaches are disclosed with performance detail for each metric. GRI Indicator Protocols were used where data was available. | High |
| 3.10 | Explanation of the effect of any re-statements of information provided in earlier reports, and the reasons for such re-statement. (e.g.,mergers/acquisitions, change of base years/periods, nature of business, measurement methods). FULLY Disclosed |
Though there were no significant business changes in 2011, there were slight adjustments to prior-year results for two metrics -- Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) and Operational Waste. The GHG change resulted from a change in measurement methodology (reported in our CDP filing), which resulted in lower emissions for portable diesel generators (scope 1) for the prior year; the impact was not material (well under 1% of total emissions). The Operational Waste change also resulted from the measurement approach; we changed from measuring waste from all reporting sites to measuring waste from only those sites where we have operational control. The change was made to bring consistency across our measurements. The impact of the change is a slight reduction in prior years' measurement. We also removed the baseline we had reported for 2007, because we do not believe we had a large enough number of reporting sites and square footage for the baseline metric to be accurate. We expect to have at least 85% of sites reporting by the end of 2012, which will enable a more accurate baseline to be created. | High |
| 3.11 | Significant changes from previous reporting periods in the scope, boundary, or measurement methods applied in the report. FULLY Disclosed |
Clearwire ownership went from 54 to 48 percent. However, excluding this change there were no significant changes and there was no impact to reporting. | High |
| 3.12 | Table identifying the location of the Standard Disclosures in the report. FULLY Disclosed |
GRI Index | High |
| 3.13 | Policy and current practice with regard to seeking external assurance for the report. FULLY Disclosed |
We have completed 2 annual meetings with external stakeholders where we reviewed our CR performance. We have also externally assured our GHG reporting (scope 1, 2 and part of 3) and for the first time, externally assured our water data for 2011. In addition, this GRI report will be sent to GRI for verification. | High |
| Description/GRI Disclosure | Response | Relevance |
| 4.1 | Governance structure of the organization, including committees under the highest governance body responsible for specific tasks, such as setting strategy or organizational oversight. FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| 4.2 | Indicate whether the Chair of the highest governance body is also an executive officer. FULLY Disclosed |
No, we have an independent, non-executive Chairman of the Board. | High |
| 4.3 | For organizations that have a unitary board structure, state the number and gender of members of the highest governance body that are independent and/or non-executive members. FULLY Disclosed |
9 out of the 10 members of the Board are independent (only the CEO is not independent). 1 board member is female. | High |
| 4.4 | Mechanisms for shareholders and employees to provide recommendations or direction to the highest governance body. FULLY Disclosed |
How to Contact Sprint's Board of Directors Shareholders can make shareholder proposals, propose other business, and nominate or recommend director candidates. All covered in the proxy statement on pages 4 and 73. |
High |
| 4.5 | Linkage between compensation for members of the highest governance body, senior managers, and executives (including departure arrangements), and the organization's performance (including social and environmental performance). FULLY Disclosed |
2012 Proxy Statement beginning on p.18 (excludes social and environmental performance) |
High |
| 4.6 | Processes in place for the highest governance body to ensure conflicts of interest are avoided. FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint has an internal policy in place and is followed with all Related Party Transactions. All proposed transactions with a Related Party are reviewed by a committee that makes recommendations to our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. This Board Committee approves or ratifies all Related Party Transactions pursuant to the Related Transactions Policy. Sprint discloses in applicable periodic and current reports all Related Party Transactions that it determines are required to be disclosed under applicable laws and regulations. |
High |
| 4.7 | Process for determining the composition, qualifications, and expertise of the members of the highest governance body and its committees, including any consideration of gender and other indicators of diversity. FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| 4.8 | Internally developed statements of mission or values, codes of conduct, and principles relevant to economic, environmental, and social performance and the status of their implementation. FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint Code of Supplier Conduct In addition, Sprint has CR vision and mission statements that were approved by the Steering Committee in June 2012.There is no formal disclosure regarding the board's consideration of social or environmental risk in our proxy statement. We expect this to be included in 2013 Proxy for 2012. |
High |
| 4.9 | Procedures of the highest governance body for overseeing the organization's identification and management of economic, environmental, and social performance, including relevant risks and opportunities, and adherence or compliance with internationally agreed standards, codes of conduct, and principles. FULLY Disclosed |
The board considers information on various risks that could affect our Company at committe and board meetings. For example, our corporate audit group provides the audit committe with enterprise risk management updates throughout the year. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has responsibility for overseeing Sprint's CR efforts and for reviewing economic, environmental and social risks and opportunities. | High |
| 4.10 | Processes for evaluating the highest governance body's own performance, particularly with respect to economic, environmental, and social performance. FULLY Disclosed – The board does not currently evaluate its performance against environmental performance as they just accepted responsibility to review our environmental efforts this year (2012). |
There is a regular self-assessment of board performance. Each director completes annual assessments of the full board, each committee on which he or she serves, and a self-assessment. |
High |
| 4.11 | Explanation of whether and how the precautionary approach or principle is addressed by the organization. FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint considers the precationary principle in assessing our device manufacturers through our device green scorecard. |
| 4.12 | Externally developed economic, environmental, and social charters, principles, or other initiatives to which the organization subscribes or endorses. FULLY Disclosed |
The principles to which Sprint subscribes are provided through our policy statements, for which we have provided links. We also voluntarily subscribe to commitments we made as part of the World Wildlife Fund Climate Savers Program. A link is provided for this as well. |
| 4.13 | Memberships in associations and/or national/international advocacy organizations. FULLY Disclosed |
CR Partnerships Accessibility CR Performance Summary for 2011 (pg 25) |
High |
| 4.14 | List of stakeholder groups engaged by the organization. FULLY Disclosed |
Stakeholder Engagement | High |
| 4.15 | Basis for identification and selection of stakeholders with whom to engage. FULLY Disclosed |
Stakeholder Engagement | High |
| 4.16 | Approaches to stakeholder engagement, including frequency of engagement by type and by stakeholder group. FULLY Disclosed |
Stakeholder Engagement | High |
| 4.17 | Key topics and concerns that have been raised through stakeholder engagement, and how the organization has responded to those key topics and concerns, including through its reporting. FULLY Disclosed |
Stakeholder Engagement | High |
| Description/GRI Disclosure | Response | Relevance |
Disclosure on Management Approach - Economic: Provide a concise disclosure on the Management Approach items outlined below with reference to the following economic aspects; economic performance, market presence and indirect economic impacts. FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint contributes directly to the economies of the states, territories and countries in which we operate through taxes, wages, operating costs, loan repayments, donations and other community investments and by purchasing products and services. We annually assess the risks and opportunities associated with Climate Change and other significant social or environmental factors, and consider these in our short-term and long-term corporate responsibility planning. We also have significant indirect economic impacts through the technology and innovation we drive, the services we offer (enabling communication) as well as infrastructure investments (such as Network Vision). CTIA, in which Sprint in a member, funded several research projects in 2011 and 2012 to assess the economic, environmental and social impacts of wireless in the U.S. We have incorporated several aspects of this research into our strategy and provide links to three of these reports below. Socioeconomic Impacts of Wireless Technology |
High |
| EC1 | Economic value generated and distributed, including revenues, operating costs, employee compensation, donations and other community investments, retained earnings, and payments to capital providers and governments. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint Refinances Loan Payments Sprint Refinances Loan Payments |
High |
| EC2 | Financial implications and other risks and opportunities for the organization's activities due to climate change. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint completed a detailed risk and opportunity assessment related to climate change in its CDP submission, section 6. In early 2012, Sprint conducted an energy sensitivity analysis to understand the financial implications of increased energy costs associated with climate change. Energy costs represent just 1.2% of total operating expenses. In our worst cases scenario, energy costs would increaset to 2.64% of operating expenses by 2030. In the event of significant energy price increases, Sprint could mitigate the impact by increasing its investment in renewable and alternative energy sources within normal annual planning cycles. |
High |
| EC3 | Coverage of the organization's defined benefit plan obligations. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint currently meets minimum funding standards for defined benefit pension plans. We will make future cash contributions to the plan in an amount necessary to meet minimum funding requirements according to applicable benefit plan regulations. | High |
| EC4 | Significant financial assistance received from government. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
None | High |
| EC5 | Range of ratios of standard entry level wage by gender compared to local minimum wage at significant locations of operation. NOT Disclosed – Sprint considers this information proprietary and does not plan to report. |
Sprint does not consider gender as a factor when considering salaries. |
| EC6 | Policy, practices, and proportion of spending on locally-based suppliers at significant locations of operation. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint has centralized purchasing for all significant expenditures. Our Overland Park, Kansas, headquarters campus is by far our largest single site and when possible, we look to source locally in Kansas City. The best example of this was the actual building of the campus itself (see Green Building). We also support the communities in which Sprint and its employees live and work through our matching gift and Dollars for Doers programs. | Med to Low |
| EC7 | Procedures for local hiring and proportion of senior management hired from the local community at significant locations of operation. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint's operations are primarily in the United States, and we hire primarily from the US labor market. In our international operations, employees are hired from within the local community. |
Med to Low |
| EC8 | Development and impact of infrastructure investments and services provided primarily for public benefit through commercial, in-kind, or pro bono engagement. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| EC9 | Understanding and describing significant indirect economic impacts, including the extent of impacts. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
A May 2012 report by Recon Analytics, authored on behalf of the CTIA Wireless Association, assessed the economic impact of the U.S. wireless industry on U.S. job growth and GDP. The Recon report states that "by any measure - value, jobs or productivity, wireless is an American growth leader fueled by investment and innovation. The wireless growth surge reflects a powerful combination of innovation by wireless carriers to bring 4G mobile broadband service to consumers, along with device makers and mobile apps developers who are also introducing new technologies to the market." Sprint completed an assessment of its share of the impact based on its share of wireless connections, and determined that in 2011, Sprint was responsible for roughly 600,000 jobs (direct jobs, support jobs and indirect jobs combined). One of Sprint's explicit objectives is expanding the mobile ecosystem which includes encouraging/assisting new wireless providers (through our Wholesale agreements), driving innovation in the development of new M2M solutions and applications development (through our M2M Lab and Collaboration Center and Open Development efforts). These activities foster a more competitive market, provide more choices for consumers, and support economic expansion. |
High |
| Description/GRI Disclosure | Response | Relevance |
Management Approach FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint is committed to reducing its environmental impacts to ecosystems, land, air and water. We have developed a set of aggressive goals, a strong environmental management system, a corporate-wide environmental policy, and employee-awareness programs to ensure we achieve our goals. Our key focus areas are reducing our impact on global climate change through energy efficiency and use of renewable energy, efficient use of natural resources and maximizing recycling and reuse, and developing more environmentally responsible products and services. |
High |
| EN1 | Materials used by weight or volume. (Core) PARTIALLY Disclosed – Sprint reports on water and paper use, but not on all materials consumed in business operations. |
Since Sprint is not a direct manufacturer, it does not control or receive good measurements of all materials used in the devices provided to us to sell. Also, Sprint does not disclose the volume of devices it sells annually. Any figure used here would be a very rough estimate. We also do not currently have a way to measure the weight or volume of goods purchased for internal consumption, in aggregate. We measure weight or volume of specific items or categories if they are materials of concern or materials we are managing the reduction of. | High |
| EN2 | Percentage of materials used that are recycled input materials. (Core) PARTIALLY Disclosed – Sprint reports on recycled water and recycled paper use, but not on all recycled content of all materials consumed in business operations. |
High |
| EN3 | Direct energy consumption by primary energy source. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| EN4 | Indirect energy consumption by primary source. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| EN5 | Energy saved due to conservation and efficiency improvements. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| EN6 | Initiatives to provide energy-efficient or renewable energy based products and services, and reductions in energy requirements as a result of these initiatives. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| EN7 | Initiatives to reduce indirect energy consumption and reductions achieved. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| EN8 | Total water withdrawal by source. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
Water | High |
| EN9 | Water sources significantly affected by withdrawal of water. FULLY Disclosed |
Water | High |
| EN10 | Percentage and total volume of water recycled and reused. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
Water | Medium |
| EN11 | Location and size of land owned, leased, managed in, or adjacent to, protected areas and areas of high biodiversity value outside protected areas. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
|
Low |
| EN12 | Description of significant impacts of activities, products, and services on biodiversity in protected areas and areas of high biodiversity value outside protected areas. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint has no locations that are known to be applicable. Sprint follows all applicable environmental laws and regulations to minimize any impacts. | Low |
| EN13 | Habitats protected or restored. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
Overland Park Wetlands | Low |
| EN14 | Strategies, current actions, and future plans for managing impacts on biodiversity. FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint does not have any known sites in environmentally protected areas or areas of high biodiversity. We have over 60,000 sites, the vast majority of which are network facilities, primarily cell sites. Before a site is selected for a Sprint facility (including for a cell site), an environmental impact assessment is completed. If a potential site is found to be "protected" or in an area of high biodiversity, the location in question will be deselected and an alternative site found. The Overland Park campus was designed with a wet lands restoration project and as a prairie grass preserve. | Low |
| EN15 | Number of IUCN Red List species and national conservation list species with habitats in areas affected by operations, by level of extinction risk. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
As an FCC licensee, the construction of our antenna facilities is considered a Federal Undertaking and as such we must comply with FCC’s rules implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In order to comply with those rules, we hire environmental consultants to evaluate our related projects to ensure that they do not have a significant environmental impact to those categories covered under NEPA. One of those categories is evaluating whether our facilities, May affect listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitats; or (ii) are likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any proposed endangered or threatened species or likely to result in the destruction or adverse modification of proposed critical habitats, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973. In order to satisfy FCC’s requirements for the above, our environmental consultants employ biologists to review State and Federal databases of related species and their critical habitats for the region that applicable facilities are to be located. The biologists conduct field surveys to check for the presence of either species or habitat to ensure our project will have no significant impact upon them. As a practical matter that generally means that neither species or habitat is present. For reference, below is a list categories that are evaluated under the FCC rules implementing NEPA in association with the installation of our antenna facilities. | High |
| EN16 | Total direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by weight. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| EN17 | Other relevant indirect greenhouse gas emissions by weight. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| EN18 | Initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reductions achieved. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| EN19 | Emissions of Ozone Depleting substances by weight. FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint has 231 older network sites with 400,000 total pounds of Halon 1301 stored for fire suppression systems. Halon 1301 is on the list of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) recognized by the Montreal Protocol. Sprint currently uses Halon 1301, FM 200, and Ecaro 25 for fire suppression. Fires at Sprint sites are rare, but if they occur, fire suppression systems will be triggered and a release will occur. The table below shows pounds of Halon released by year for the past 3 years, the associated CO2-e and the number of sites with releases.
|
High |
| EN20 | Nox, Sox, and other significant air emissions by type and weight. FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| EN21 | Total water discharge by quality and destination. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
Water | High |
| EN22 | Total weight of waste by type and disposal method. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| EN23 | Total number and volume of significant spills. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
None. No significant spills. Our approach to hazardous waste is here. |
High |
| EN24 | Weight of transported, imported, exported, or treated waste deemed hazardous under the terms of the Basel Convention Annex I, II, III, and VIII, and percentage of transported waste shipped internationally. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint’s regular operations do not generate hazardous waste. Occasionally, small amounts of hazardous waste – consistent with Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators – such as excess paints, aerosol cans, and cleaning supplies may be left on Sprint’s premises by contractors or on-site maintenance operations. When hazardous wastes are discovered, Sprint takes action to responsibly dispose of them domestically and per EPA regulations. For more details, visit the following link and click on “Hazardous Waste”. Sprint’s Code of Supplier Conduct also addresses safe disposal of hazardous wastes. Furthermore, Sprint's International Compliance Policy requires Sprint, as well as its vendors and customers, to comply with applicable export, import, and customs duty requirements, to the extent of their respective roles and responsibilities under their contracts with Sprint. |
High |
| EN25 | Identity, size, protected status, and biodiversity value of water bodies and related habitats significantly affected by the reporting organization's discharges of water and runoff. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
No known water bodies or related habitats are significantly affected by Sprint discharges of water and runoff. This is less material for Sprint, as it is not a manufacturer, nor does it have sites in protected areas. In general, Sprint’s discharges are typical of those found on commercial properties. Cooling tower “blowdown” and discharges associated with food preparation and lavatory use generally flow into a sanitary sewer system and are treated by the local water utility. Sprint has an eight-acre lake and more than seven acres of connected wetlands on its 200-acre, headquarters campus, which serve as catch basins for storm-water runoff and a source of water for landscape irrigation and fountains. Although there is a minimal discharge back to the lake with the annual shut down and treatment of campus fountains and a seasonal peak of chlorides in the spring from road salt in storm-water runoff, Sprint tests water and sediment quality annually to help ensure it stays within an acceptable tolerance level for the environment and wildlife. |
High |
| EN26 | Initiatives to mitigate environmental impacts of products and services, and extent of impact mitigation. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| EN27 | Percentage of products sold and their packaging materials that are reclaimed by category. (Core) PARTIALLY Disclosed – Product reclamation is reported, but not packaging reclamation. |
Sprint’s ambitious, industry-first goal is to collect nine devices for reuse and recycling for every 10 devices it sells by 2017; this represents a 90 percent collection rate. Sprint’s collection rate for 2011 was 40 percent, nearly halfway to its goal. Sprint customers can take advantage of takeback programs like Sprint Buyback (which provides customers a credit for eligible devices) and Sprint Project Connect (which donates net proceeds from returned devices to Internet-safety tools for kids), both of which provide free shipping. Learn more at www.sprint.com/recycle. Sprint also accepts packaging through these channels and at its 1,000+ Sprint-owned retail store. Most of these stores have recycling services on site. For those that do not but for which Sprint has operational control (i.e., vendor selection and direct billing for waste removal), Sprint is working with two national vendors to offer consistent recycling capabilities. For those Sprint-owned stores for which Sprint has neither on-site recycling nor operational control, Sprint is developing “green leases” to increase recycling services. Sprint does not track the amount of packaging it receives relative to devices sold but has taken significant steps to offer more environmentally friendly packaging. For additional details, click here. |
High |
| EN28 | Monetary value of significant fines and total number of non-monetary sanctions for non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
With over 60,000 sites Sprint occasionally receives notices of noncompliance from various federal, state, county and city environmental, health and safety regulatory agencies. During 2011, Sprint received six notices that included a monetary penalty, the sum of which was $26,190. Sprint’s network management partner accepted responsibility for the majority of the penalties (three totaling $23,790) The largest single fine was for $13,800, which occurred in California for exceeding the run hour limitations for a diesel back-up generator when our network management partner was changing a transformer. Sprint paid for the remaining three, which totaled $2,400. Sprint works hard to ensure it complies with all applicable regulations, and was pleased to see an overall decrease in notices of noncompliance (including those with and without monetary penalties) of 45% from 2010 to 2011. Only one OSHA fine has been received over the past 4 years and occurred in 2009. The penalty was $500 and was assessed for a training issue. |
High |
| EN29 | Significant environmental impacts of transporting products and other goods and materials used for the organization's operations, and transporting members of the workforce. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint expects to measure GHG emissions from its product transportation and employee commuting by the end of the year 2012. Sprint provided partial upstream transportation and distribution GHG emissions in its CDP disclosure for 2012 -- 33,560 MT CO2e. Sprint offers a program called Smart Commute to its employees to help reduce their commute emissions. |
High |
| EN30 | Total environmental protection expenditures and investments by type (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint has an Environmental Health and Safety team, a Corporate Responsibility Team, a Sustainability Product Manager, Responsible Supply Chain Manager, and other positions that are dedicated to protecting Sprint's reputation and protecting the environment. We manage many other programs and projects that have an environmental protection impact as well. Sprint does not consider these expenses as separate, but as part of its cost of doing business responsibly. | High |
| Description/GRI Disclosure | Response | Relevance |
| Disclosure on Management Approach - Labor Practices and Decent Work: Provide a concise disclosure on the management approach items outlined below with reference to the following labor aspects; employment, labor/management relations, occupational health and safety, training and education and diversity and equal opportunity. Health/Safety and Wellness/Inclusion and Diversity and Labor Management Relations FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint believes a high-caliber, diverse and engaged work force is essential to achieve long-term sustainability. This belief has shaped our labor practices: we are an equal opportunity employer, provide opportunities for training and development, engage employees in the business and ensure their health and safety. In addition, Sprint supports the right of employees to choose or not choose third-party representation. |
High |
| LA1 | Total workforce by employment type, employment contract, and region, broken down by gender. FULLY Disclosed |
Employee Indicators | High |
| LA2 | Total number and rate of new employee hires and employee turnover by age group, gender, and region. NOT Disclosed – Sprint considers this Proprietary Information. |
We do not currently disclose this information. | High |
| LA3 | Benefits provided to full-time employees that are not provided to temporary or part-time employees, by major operations. FULLY Disclosed |
Compensation & Benefits | Low |
| LA4 | Percentage of employees covered by collective bargaining agreements. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
Not applicable. Sprint does not have unions. | High |
| LA5 | Minimum notice period(s) regarding significant operational changes, including whether it is specified in collective agreements. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint does not have collective bargaining agreements. Sprint chooses to provide appropriate notice and follows all relevant consultation and notice requirements.The length of the notice period is dependent on the type of change being made. | High |
| LA6 | Percentage of total workforce represented in formal joint management-worker health and safety committees that help monitor and advise on occupational health and safety programs. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
1% of Call Center employees participate in health and safety committees. | High |
| LA7 | Rates of injury, occupational diseases, lost days, and absenteeism, and number of work-related fatalities by region and by gender. PARTIALLY Disclosed – Sprint does not report by gender. Sprint considers this Proprietary Information. |
Employee Indicators | High |
| LA8 | Education, training, counseling, prevention, and risk-control programs in place to assist workforce members, their families, or community members regarding serious diseases. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
Health, Safety and Wellness | High |
| LA9 | Health and safety topics covered in formal agreements with trade unions. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
Not applicable. Sprint does not have unions. | High |
| LA10 | Average hours of training per year per employee by gender, and by employee category. PARTIALLY Disclosed – Sprint does not report by gender, nor fully by category. Sprint considers this Proprietary Information. |
Talent Management | High |
| LA11 | Programs for skills management and lifelong learning that support the continued employability of employees and assist them in managing career endings. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
Employee Development | High |
| LA12 | Percentage of employees receiving regular performance and career development reviews, by gender. FULLY Disclosed |
Employee Development | High |
| LA13 | Composition of governance bodies and breakdown of employees per employee category according to gender, age group, minority group membership, and other indicators of diversity. PARTIALLY Disclosed – Sprint does not report by age group. Sprint considers this Proprietary Information. |
Employee Indicators | High |
| LA14 | Ratio of basic salary and remuneration of women to men by employee category, by significant locations of operation. NOT Disclosed – Sprint considers this Proprietary Information. |
We do not disclose this information. | High |
| LA15 | Return to work and retention rates after parental leave, by gender. NOT Disclosed – Sprint considers this Proprietary Information. |
We do not disclose this information. | High |
| Description/GRI Disclosure | Response | Relevance |
| Disclosure on Management Approach - Human Rights: Provide a concise disclosure on the implementation of the due diligence process on the management approach items outlined below with reference to the following human rights; investment and procurement practices, non-discrimination, freedom of association and collective bargaining, abolition of child labor, prevention of forced and compulsory labor, complaints and grievance practices, security practices, assessment, remediation and indigenous rights. FULLY Disclosed |
As a leading global communications company, Sprint is committed to conducting business with integrity and complying responsibly with all applicable laws. We acknowledge and respect the broad principles aimed at promoting and protecting human rights as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We seek practical ways of applying these principles by focusing on our customers, enriching the workplace, engaging our suppliers, and strengthening the communities in which we do business. Our commitment is supported by our Code of Conduct, Code of Supplier Conduct, Human Trafficking Statement and our Human Rights Statement. Code of Supplier Conduct |
High |
| HR1 | Percentage and total number of significant investment agreements and contracts that include clauses incorporating human rights concerns, or that have undergone human rights screening. FULLY Disclosed |
All of Sprint's agreements with its significant suppliers include a requirement that the Suppliers agree to conduct business in an ethical manner that is consistent with the Sprint Code of Supplier Conduct. Sprint's Code of Supplier Conduct sets forth expectations and guiding principles on ethics, labor standards, human rights and environmental standards. Also, all Suppliers are required to comply with applicable laws and regulations. |
High |
| HR2 | Percentage of significant suppliers, contractors and other business partners that have undergone human rights screening, and actions taken. FULLY Disclosed |
All of Sprint's agreements with its significant suppliers include a requirement that the Suppliers agree to conduct business in an ethical manner that is consistent with the Sprint Code of Supplier Conduct. Sprint's Code of Supplier Conduct sets forth expectations and guiding principles on ethics, labor standards, human rights and environmental standards. Also, all Suppliers are required to comply with applicable laws and regulations. | Medium |
| HR3 | Total hours of employee training on policies and procedures concerning aspects of human rights that are relevant to operations, including the percentage of employees trained. FULLY Disclosed |
All employees are trained annually on Sprint's ethics policies and complete a web-based certification. The annual testing process varies each year to keep the content relevant and interesting, but always includes key components such as confidentiality, insider trading guidelines, discrimination and sexual harassment, contracting and sales issues, customer proprietary data procedures and Sprint's open door policy. Anti-corruption practices are outlined in Sprint's Code of Conduct. In addition, those employees with whose positions involve international transactions must take a specific course training them on the foreign corrupt business practices act. | High |
| HR4 | Total number of incidents of discrimination and corrective actions taken. NOT Disclosed – Sprint considers this Proprietary Information. |
Sprint does not disclose this information. The high level process for reporting discrimination is disclosed in the Ethics section of the website. Corrective action is up to and including termination. | High |
| HR5 | Operations and significant suppliers identified in which the right to exercise freedom of association and collective bargaining may be violated or at significant risk, and actions taken to support these rights. FULLY Disclosed |
None. Sprint follows US law and we expect our suppliers to follow all laws of the countries in which they operate, per their contract. Sprint suppliers are also contractually required to adhere to the Sprint Supplier Code of Conduct. | High |
| HR6 | Operations and significant suppliers identified as having significant risk for incidents of child labor, and measures taken to contribute to the effective abolition of child labor. FULLY Disclosed |
None.Sprint follows US law and we expect our suppliers to follow all laws of the countries in which they operate, per their contract. Sprint suppliers are also contractually required to adhere to the Sprint Supplier Code of Conduct. | High |
| HR7 | Operations and significant suppliers identified as having significant risk for incidents of forced or compulsory labor, and measures to contribute to the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labor. FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint has put in place steps to identify and mitigate supply-chain risks, and we continue to add new efforts. Some of our efforts include:
|
High |
| HR8 | Percentage of security personnel trained in the organization's policies or procedures concerning aspects of human rights that are relevant to operations. FULLY Disclosed |
100% | Medium |
| HR9 | Total number of incidents of violations involving rights of indigenous people and actions taken. FULLY Disclosed |
None. Sprint is very sensitive to the rights of Native American and Native Hawaiian groups in the construction of all of our antenna facilities. We consult with Federally recognized and State recognized tribes prior to construction of our facilities to avoid having an impact to any of their sacred or cultural properties. Sprint complies with all related laws preserving those rights, are in good standing with all tribes, and have not violated the rights of related peoples. |
| HR10 | Percentage and total number of operations that have been subject to human rights reviews and/or impact assessments. FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint is a US company and we follow US law. |
| HR11 | Number of grievances related to human rights filed, addressed and resolved through formal grievance mechanisms. NOT Disclosed – Sprint considers this Proprietary Information. |
Code of Conduct |
| Description/GRI Disclosure | Response | Relevance |
| Disclosure on Management Approach - Society: Provide a concise disclosure on the management approach items outlined below with reference to the following society aspects; community, corruption, public policy, anti-competitive behavior and compliance. FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint seeks to be a positive force in the communities it serves and where its operations reside. We actively engage in local, state and national forums and institutions where we can make a positive impact. Our civic and charitable efforts are managed by our government affairs organization, community affairs team, and our local management teams. Our policies for the other aspects - corruption, anti-competitive behavior and compliance - are managed through our Ethics and Compliance team, including our Chief Ethics Officer, who is also General Counsel and reports directly to our CEO. The Sprint Code of Conduct provides clear guidance on the standard we expect our employees to follow. We ask our employees to certify their understanding of these requirements annually through our iComply process. Guidance is provided to our suppliers through the Code of Supplier Conduct. |
High |
| SO1 | Percentage of operations with implemented local community engagement, impact assessments, and development programs. FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint is a US based company and give to the communities where our customers and employees live and work. |
Low |
| SO2 | Percentage and total number of business units analyzed for risks related to corruption. FULLY Disclosed |
Code of Conduct | High |
| SO3 | Percentage of employees trained in organization's anti-corruption policies and procedures. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
All employees are trained annually on Sprint's ethics policies and complete a web-based certification. The annual testing process varies each year to keep the content relevant and interesting, but always includes key components such as confidentiality, insider trading guidelines, discrimination and sexual harassment, contracting and sales issues, customer proprietary data procedures and Sprint's open door policy. Anti-corruption practices are outlined in Sprint's Employee Code of Conduct. In addition, those employees with whose positions involve international transactions must take a specific course training them on the foreign corrupt business practices act. |
High |
| SO4 | Actions taken in response to incidents of corruption. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
Code of Conduct | High |
| SO5 | Public policy positions and participation in public policy development and lobbying. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
Code of Conduct | High |
| SO6 | Total value of financial and in-kind contributions to political parties, politicians, and related institutions by country. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
Political Contributions | High |
| SO7 | Total number of legal actions for anti-competitive behavior, anti-trust, and monopoly practices and their outcomes. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
|
High |
| SO8 | Monetary value of significant fines and total number of non-monetary sanctions for non-compliance with laws and regulations. FULLY Disclosed |
SEC Filings | High |
| SO9 | Operations with significant potential or actual negative impacts on local communities. FULLY Disclosed |
Placement of Sprint sites are generally viewed as positive. |
| SO10 | Prevention and mitigation measures implemented in operations with significant potential or actual negative impacts on local communities. FULLY Disclosed |
Sprint engages with local communities when siting new transmission antennas. Based on information available from Sprint's internal database, maintained for business reasons, a zoning application was filed for approximately 98% of the sites that were activated in 2010. This data includes sites subject to zoning approval, including cases where zoning approval was granted without a formal proceeding, as well as cases where notice was given to the public or a public hearing was held. |
| Description/GRI Disclosure | Response | Relevance |
| Disclosure on Management Approach - Product Responsibility: Provide a concise disclosure on the management approach items outlined below with reference to the following product responsibility; customer health and safety, product and service labeling, marketing communications, customer privacy and compliance. FULLY Disclosed |
The health and safety of our customers, employees and communities is a priority for Sprint. In 2010, Sprint expanded its Focus on Driving efforts to improve customer awareness of the risks of distracted driving. In addition, we added new content to our website in 2011 and 2012 to address questions about cell phone and network site safety issues. Sprint adheres to U.S. Federal Communications Commission guidelines for cell phones and towers. Sprint also prioritizes customer privacy rights. We have a Chief Privacy Officer who is responsible for overseeing Sprint's privacy efforts. The Ethics and Compliance department ensures Sprint complies with all relevant regulation. |
High |
| PR1 | Life cycle stages in which health and safety impacts of products and services are assessed for improvement, and percentage of significant products and services categories subject to such procedures. (Core) PARTIALLY Disclosed – Sprint has assessed the impacts in the manufacturing, use and recycling of devices. We are aware of impacts in the extraction of minerals, but have not yet formally assessed this area or other lifecycle stages beyond those mentioned. |
High |
| PR2 | Total number of incidents of non-compliance with regulations and voluntary codes concerning health and safety impacts of products and services during their life cycle, by type of outcomes. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
EH&S | High |
| PR3 | Type of product and service information required by procedures, and percentage of significant products and services subject to such information requirements. (Core) FULLY Disclosed |
High |
| PR4 | Total number of incidents of non-compliance with regulations and voluntary codes concerning product and service information and labeling, by type of outcomes. (Additional) FULLY Disclosed |
SEC Filings | High |
| PR5 | Practices related to customer satisfaction, including results of surveys measuring customer satisfaction. FULLY Disclosed |
Our Customers | High |
| PR6 | Programs for adherence to laws, standards, and voluntary codes related to marketing communications, including advertising, promotion, and sponsorship. FULLY Disclosed |
Code of Conduct | High |
| PR7 | Total number of incidents of non-compliance with regulations and voluntary codes concerning marketing communications, including advertising, promotion, and sponsorship by type of outcomes. FULLY Disclosed |
SEC Filings | High |
| PR8 | Total number of substantiated complaints regarding breaches of customer privacy and losses of customer privacy and losses of customer data. FULLY Disclosed |
Privacy | High |
| PR9 | Monetary value of significant fines for non-compliance with laws and regulations concerning the provision and use of products and services. FULLY Disclosed |
SEC Filings | High |
| Description | Response | Relevance |
| IO1 | Capital investment in telecommunication network infrastructure broken down by country/region | Sprint 10K Part I Business | High |
| IO2 | Net costs for service providers under the Universal Service Obligation when extending service to geographic locations and low-income groups, which are not profitable. Describe relevant legislative and regulatory mechanisms | Sprint contributes to and receives support from various universal service funds established by the FCC and many states. The federal USF program funds services provided in high-cost areas, reduced-rate services to low-income consumers, and discounted communications and Internet services for schools, libraries and rural health care facilities. The USF is funded from assessments on communications providers, including our Wireless and Wireline segments, based on FCC-prescribed contribution factors applicable to our interstate and international end-user revenues from telecommunications services and interconnected VoIP services. Similarly, many states have established their own universal service funds to which we contribute. |
High |
| IO3 | Practices to ensure health and safety of field personnel involved in the installation, operation and maintenance of masts, base stations, laying cables and other outside plant. Related health and safety issues include working at heights, electric shock, exposure to EMF and radio frequency fields, and exposure to hazardous chemicals. |
Employee Safety | High |
| IO4 | Compliance with ICNIRP (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection) standards on exposure to radiofrequency (RF) emissions from handsets. | Sprint Nextel expects its original equipment manufacturers to comply with the United States Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) guidelines governing exposure to radiofrequency (“RF”) emissions from handsets. The FCC website answers, in part, a frequently asked question with the following: “The FCC's exposure guidelines specify limits for human exposure to RF emissions from hand-held mobile phones in terms of Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), a measure of the rate of absorption of RF energy by the body. The safe limit for a mobile phone user is an SAR of 1.6 watts per kg (1.6 W/kg), averaged over one gram of tissue, and compliance with this limit must be demonstrated before FCC approval is granted for marketing of a phone in the United States. Somewhat less restrictive limits, e.g., 2 W/kg averaged over 10 grams of tissue, are specified by the ICNIRP guidelines used in Europe and most other countries.” (www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety/rf-faqs.html, accessed August 3, 2012.) | High |
| IO5 | Compliance with ICNIRP (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection) guidelines on exposure to radiofrequency (RF) emissions from base stations. | Sprint designs, constructs, and operates its wireless telecommunications facilities in accordance with the United States Federal Communication Commission (“FCC”) rules and regulations that pertain to human exposure to RF emissions. Information regarding the FCC rules and regulations governing baselines may be found at: www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety/rf-faqs.html | High |
| IO6 | Policies and practices with respect to Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of handsets. | Health Concerns | High |
| IO7 | Policies and practices on the sitting of masts and transmission sites including stakeholder consultation, site sharing, and initiatives to reduce visual impacts. Describe approach to evaluate consultations and quantify where possible. |
Sprint engages with local communities when siting new transmission antennas. This data includes sites subject to zoning approval, including cases where zoning approval was granted without a formal proceeding, as well as cases where notice was given to the public or a public hearing was held. |
High |
| IO8 | Number and percentage of stand-alone sites, shared sites, and sites on existing structures. | Sprint does not track this information. Our preference in developing sites is to always utilize existing collocatable structures such as existing towers, rooftops, water tanks, etc. Sprint only looks to develop new towers if an existing collocatable structure is not available or feasible. | High |
| PA1 | Policies and practices to enable the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure and access to telecommunications products and services in remote and low population density areas. Include an explanation of business models applied. | Sprint's digital inclusion strategy has several components: 1) wireless offerings through Virgin Mobile that provide basic wireless service at a very low (or no) cost: Assurance Wireless and payLo. 2) Communications services specifically targeted at the disabled community. We are currently strong in the deaf/hard-of-hearing market, but not in services for the blind/visually impaired and elderly. 3) Remote areas -- serve through roaming agreements, build out direct capacity in targeted areas where it makes business sense, expand capacity more broadly when the economics become more favorable. 4) Continue charitable programs wtih 4G and used cell phones for underprivileged children in urban school settings. |
High |
| PA2 | Policies and practices to overcome barriers for access and use of telecommunication products and services including: language, culture, illiteracy, income, disabilities, and age. Include an explanation of business models applied. | High |
| PA3 | Policies and practices to ensure availability and reliability of telecommunications products and services and quantify, where possible, for specified time periods and locations of down time. |
High |
| PA4 | Quantify the level of availability of telecommunications products and services in areas where the organization operates. Examples include: customer numbers/market share, addressable market, percentage of population covered, percentage of land covered. | High |
| PA5 | Number and types of telecommunication products and services provided to and used by low and no income sectors of the population. | High |
| PA6 | Programs to provide and maintain telecommunication products and services in emergency situations and for disaster relief. | Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief | High |
| PA7 | Polices and practices to manage human rights issues relating to access and use of telecommunications products and services. | High |
| PA8 | Policies and practices to publicly communicate on EMF related issues. | High |
| PA9 | Total amount invested in programs and activities in electromagnetic field research. |
|
High |
| PA10 | Initiatives to ensure clarity of charges and tariffs. | Regulatory, Tariffs, Rates and Terms. | High |
| PA11 | Initiatives to inform customers about product features and applications that will promote responsible, efficient, cost effective, and environmentally preferable use | High |
| TA1 | Provide examples of the resource efficiency of telecommunication products and services delivered. | CR Performance for 2011 |
High |
| TA2 | Provide examples of telecommunication products, services and applications that have the potential to replace physical objects (e.g. a telephone book by a database on the web or travel by videoconferencing) | High |
| TA3 | Disclose any measures of transport and/or resource changes of customer use of the telecommunication products and services listed above. Provide some indication of scale, market size, or potential savings. | According to Nielsen's in March 2012, mobile consumers in the United States, a majority (50.4%) mobile subscribers owned smartphones, up from 47.8 percent in December 2011. Consumers purchasing new phones picked smartphones more often, and among smartphone owners Apple was the top manufacturer of smartphone handsets, while Android was the top smartphone OS. |
High |
| TA4 | Disclose any estimates of the rebound effect (indirect consequences) of customer use of the products and services listed above, and lessons learned for future development. This may include social consequences as well as environmental. | High |
| TA5 | Description of practices relating to intellectual property rights and open source technologies | Sprint has a leading patent program and has been in the top 100 organizations for issued U.S. patents over the last several years. In addition to patents and patent applications we also own service marks, trademarks and other intellectual property in the United States and other countries, including “Sprint®,” “Nextel®,” “Direct Connect®,” and “Boost Mobile®.” Our services often use the intellectual property of others, such as licensed software, and we often license copyrights, patents and trademarks of others, like “Virgin Mobile.” Sprint believes in open development and has an open approach to encourage developers to create applications that work not only on Sprint’s network but across the industry. Sprint also occasionally licenses its intellectual property to others, including licenses to others to use the trademarks “Sprint” and “Nextel.” |
High |
