Nokia published its Sustainability Report for 2011 today, a record of the achievements the company has achieved in the field, challenges it still needs to work on and the ways in which it seeks to overcome these challenges.
It also covers how we aim to maximise the positive, enabling effect of our mobile technology on both people and planet, while minimising the possible negative impacts of our activities.
It’s an area on which the company places enormous emphasis. That’s because it’s the right thing to do, of course, and secondly because our core business, mobile technology, is in a unique position to positively affect the people and planet. And it’s because customers, employees and investors quite rightly have high expectations in these areas.
This year’s report is split into two main sections. The PEOPLE section covers areas like the ways in which mobility is having a positive effect on standards of education, health and economic well-being across the world. The report also discusses Nokia’s requirements from its suppliers.
The second section, PLANET, focuses on the areas you might traditionally expect in a sustainability report: measures to make our business eco-friendly, like efforts to reduce carbon emissions, increase recycling, make our products more energy efficient and how our devices enable a more sustainable lifestyle.
What does it say? Well, it’s quite an extensive document covering the range of Nokia’s sustainability efforts, and you can read the whole thing for yourself. But these are some of the key highlights, both achievements and challenges from both sections:
The next billion 
A key part of the company’s new strategy is to focus on providing the next billion people with access to internet and information. The availability of this technology has a direct relation to economic and social well-being, opportunities and education.
New tools to improve lives 
By the end of 2011, Nokia Life has been experienced by 40 million people, providing services in areas like education, agriculture, healthcare and entertainment. Plus, we introduced Nokia Public Transport to make it easier for people to use public transport and Nokia Screen Reader to improve accessibility for people with impaired sight.
Nokia Data Gathering expands rapidly 
The number of organisations using Nokia Data Gathering doubled in 2011, after it was open-sourced in 2010. This free software allows any organisation to collect data using mobile phones and is being used to tackle a wide variety of problems in areas like healthcare, planning and environmental projects.
Supply chain diligence and conflict metals 
In 2011 Nokia produced its Policy against Illegal Trade of Natural Resources, expressing its opposition to such trade. It’s a policy our suppliers need to respect. Also, the industry GeSI Extractives group, of which we are an active member, published its first list of third-party validated conflict-free Tantalum smelters.
To further ensure our products are free of conflict-minerals, we joined the Public-Private Alliance for Responsible Mineral Trade and participated in the OECD pilot phase of the OECD Due Diligence for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas.
Greener mobile phones 
Nokia is continually improving the environmental credentials of all its products. Of particular note in 2011 was the Nokia 700, an industry leader in the use of bio materials and recycled plastics and metals. The Nokia Asha 200 and 201 are also notable as our first ‘eco hero’ products at lower price points.
Making energy greener 
Nokia has been purchasing green energy since 2006, but since its availability is developing more slowly than anticipated, we’re making our own moves in the area. In 2011, we put in place our first onsite installations for generating renewable energy: fuel cells at our facility in Sunnyvale in the US and a biofuel station at our factory in Chennai, India.
We recommend that you look into the full report for yourself to see all the things Nokia is doing in these areas. Let us know what you think.