Accelerating telecom’s sustainability journey: innovating for a greener future

The global telecommunications industry stands at a pivotal crossroads—where technological advancement must align with environmental responsibility. With the GSMA committing to net zero by 2050 and organizations like the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and TM Forum advocating climate-conscious digital transformation, digital service providers (DSPs) must act with urgency.

As DSPs scale operations to meet growing demand, integrating sustainability into operational, partner, and consumer ecosystems is no longer optional—it’s a strategic and ethical imperative. Addressing environmental impact—particularly carbon emissions across the value chain—demands innovative thinking, standardized frameworks, and a laser focus on scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, as defined by the GHG Protocol and supported by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Understanding the telecom emissions footprint

A DSP’s sustainability impact spans both internal and external dimensions. Internally, this includes network infrastructure, enterprise IT, OSS/BSS systems, and employee logistics. Externally, it encompasses partners—vendors, suppliers, kiosks, and distribution channels. And ultimately, it extends to consumers—both enterprises and individuals—whose devices and service usage contributes significantly to the overall carbon footprint.

According to the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, emissions are classified into three scopes:

• Scope 1: direct emissions from operational logistics, fleet usage, and facilities.
• Scope 2: indirect emissions from purchased electricity, heating, and cooling.
• Scope 3: all other indirect emissions, including those from the supply chain, device usage, cloud infrastructure, and consumer behavior.

Among these, scope 3 emissions—which include device manufacturing, infrastructure, consumer usage, and end-of-life disposal—account for the largest share of telecom’s carbon footprint. Yet they are also the hardest to track and manage due to fragmented data and indirect control.

From identification to action: a structured path

Before DSPs can act, emissions must be identified, categorized, and prioritized:

The greatest challenge—and opportunity—lies in scope 3. Fragmented data across global partners, suppliers, and consumer devices requires data harmonization and collaborative reporting frameworks. Scope 3 emissions typically constitute over 70% of a telecom operator's total carbon footprint—yet they are the most fragmented, difficult to measure, and critical to address (GSMA, 2023).

Empowering consumers through data and AI

Consumer behaviour is central to the sustainability equation. A forward-thinking approach involves a digital sustainability platform built on TM Forum’s Open Digital Architecture (ODA), Open APIs, and intelligent data models. This gives consumers visibility into their environmental impact, empowering them to make greener choices.

Generative and agentic AI capabilities enhance this experience by:

• Analyze consumption patterns to offer greener alternatives (e.g. 5G plans with lower power usage).
• Suggest energy-efficient or refurbished devices.
• Encourage participation in e-waste return and recycling programs.
• Enable carbon tracking and offset options.

Gamification, loyalty incentives, and embedded zero-touch partnerships foster deeper engagement, cross-industry collaboration, and co-creation of sustainable bundles with aligned brands (e.g., renewable energy partners, green IoT, circular tech brands).

Making sustainability omnichannel

To drive consistent impact, sustainability must be a cross-channel narrative—from self-care apps and e-commerce journeys to assisted retail and customer care.

Key capabilities include:

• Emission transparency: clear reporting dashboards for consumers to monitor their telecom-related carbon impact.
• Contextual nudging: personalized, AI-powered suggestions at the point of purchase or service upgrade.
• Circular programs: guided return, reuse, and recycling options within the customer journey.

Customer-facing teams shall also be equipped with tools to explain greener options and help customers make informed decisions, reinforcing the brand’s environmental commitment.

Navigating challenges with innovation

This transformation is not without friction. Three major barriers stand out:

1. Data governance & trust: transparency must be built on AI systems that are explainable, fair, and privacy-compliant, in alignment with frameworks like the EU AI Act and OECD AI Principles.
2. Fragmented carbon metrics: standardizing emissions data across the ecosystem requires open collaboration, trusted registries, and common reporting frameworks.
3. Consumer mindset: moving from awareness to behavior change demands simple and frictionless UX, tangible & meaningful incentives and co-creation opportunities with consumers.

A blueprint for the future

This is more than a carbon-reduction initiative - it’s a fundamental reinvention of how DSPs operate and engage:

• From reactive compliance → To proactive empowerment
• From isolated metrics → To integrated lifecycle accountability
• From short-term gains → To long-term ecosystem value

Intent is to integrate sustainability across infrastructure, IT, partner and customer ecosystems.

Telecoms, as the digital backbone of modern economies, have a unique opportunity to lead climate action and inspire other sectors. A consumer-centric, AI-enabled sustainability journey aligning with environmental stewardship not only supports carbon goals—it creates value, builds brand equity, meet net-zero goals and unlocks new ecosystem revenue streams.

The future belongs to those who innovate responsibly.