Commitment To Innovation
Bharti Airtel, a leading telecommunications company, places a strong emphasis on enhancing end-user experiences, maintaining round-the-clock infrastructure availability, and delivering superior service quality. Despite reporting a loss after tax of Rs 3,625 crore in FY22, Airtel continues to diversify its product portfolio and pursue initiatives that foster innovation, promote sustainability, and prioritise employee wellbeing.
During the fiscal year 2021-22, Airtel collaborated with Invest India to launch the Startup Innovation Challenge. This initiative provided early-stage startup companies with a platform to showcase their capabilities in cutting-edge technologies such as 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud communications, digital advertising, and digital entertainment. Participating startups gained access to Airtel's Innovation Lab and other opportunities, fostering innovation within India's digital ecosystem and supporting the nation's vision of becoming a digitally empowered society.
In his address to the shareholders, Gopal Vittal, MD and CEO (India and South Asia) said: "We are deeply conscious of our responsibility to the environment and our obligation to the society at large. We have constituted a Board appointed ESG Committee to sharpen the focus towards our environmental and sustainability agenda. In addition, I lead a management council that drives our ESG initiatives. We continued to drive green energy to power our networks and data centres. For example, we were able to eliminate 3 million litres of diesel from our tower operations by using artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies through switching off power based on projections of traffic.”
Bharti Airtel is committed to positively impact 150 million lives by 2025 by promoting digital inclusivity through extending high-speed 4G data connectivity to data-starved regions and accelerating upgradation of feature phone users to smartphones, making device ownership affordable for low-income groups.
The company said the awareness of ESG priorities has become a necessity. It therefore not only considers climate change as one of the most critical growing ESG risk, it is also committed to reach net zero emissions by 2050, which is in line with Science-Based Target Initiatives (SBTi) recommendations. The company thus undertook the materiality assessment exercise during the last reporting year to understand the environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues that might impact its business.
Airtel informed that it was the first Indian telecommunications company to join the United Nations (UN) Global Compact with an alignment of its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives to the UNGC’s 10 principles spanning environment, human rights, anti-corruption and labour. It has also joined the United Nations Energy Compacts, a global initiative that aims to drive climate change mitigation through advancing process on SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy).
Greening the Network
Airtel is actively committed to reducing its carbon emissions in line with science-based targets and industry pacts. It aims to achieve a 50.2 per cent reduction in carbon emissions (Scope 1 and Scope 2) by the end of FY2031, using FY2021 as the baseline. Additionally, it aims to decrease absolute Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 42 per cent by FY2031 using FY2021 as the baseline. Furthermore, in alignment with the
GSMA's Carbon Action Plan for the telecom industry, the company is striving to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
To reduce its environmental footprint, Airtel has implemented several measures, ranging from partnering with silicon suppliers to optimise the energy consumption of server platforms resulting in more energy-efficient networks and introducing solar DG hybrid sets to procuring green energy for switching centers, engaging in site sharing to optimise resource consumption, and deploying lean towers that operate without diesel, thereby reducing carbon emissions by 40 per cent. Moreover, through its subsidiary Nxtra, Airtel has increased the share of renewable energy in its data centres by sourcing green energy through open access and installing on-site solar rooftop plants.
Supplier Engagement
Airtel is actively building an open RAN-based 5G and 4G network ecosystem, promoting supplier diversity and a resilient supply chain. The company has introduced guidelines for suppliers to implement energy efficiency measures and reduce carbon emissions as well as incorporating these requirements into its code of conduct for business associates. Airtel actively engages with suppliers, including equipment manufacturers, to drive initiatives focused on enhancing the energy efficiency of supplied equipment through innovative solutions. Additionally, it adopts a sustainable approach to material management by repairing faulty modules in-house or through third-party repair centres, reducing the purchase of virgin materials. The company has also partnered with Metal Scrap Trade Corporation for all scrap auctions.
Inclusion at Workplace
Airtel is dedicated to fostering an inclusive work environment and empowering women in the workforce. The company has set a target of having at least 20 per cent women employees by FY25. Airtel offers various flexible work options for new mothers, including special childcare leave for up to two days per quarter until the child turns 1.5 years old. The company also supports co-parenting by providing fathers who are primary caregivers with up to eight weeks of leave within the first 26 weeks of childbirth.
