ZTE releases zero-carbon white paper at annual Innovation Day event

ZTE Corp., a Shenzhen-based provider of telecommunications, enterprise, and consumer technology solutions for the mobile internet, released a zero-carbon strategy white paper today at its eighth Innovation Day, strengthening its commitment to carbon reduction to accelerate progress towards the sustainable development goals. 

As a major player in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, ZTE has been actively responding to decarbonization trends, Huang Yihua, vice president of ZTE, told a sustainable development-themed forum, part of the company's three-day Innovation Day annual event. Since 2021, the company has formulated a green and low-carbon strategy based on digital intelligence innovation, focusing on four key dimensions: green digital infrastructure, green empowerment, green supply chain, and green operation, he said at the forum today.

Huang Yihua, vice president of ZTE, gives a speech at a sustainable development-themed forum in Shenzhen today. Liu Minxia

This strategy aims to build a green pathway for the digital economy, internally promoting its green initiatives and externally empowering industry energy conservation and carbon reduction, according to Huang and the white paper. 

Last month, the Shenzhen company's science-based targets, aimed at achieving greenhouse gas emissions reduction following the 1.5°C temperature rise limitation pathway and ultimately reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest, gained approval from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and were listed on the SBTi's target dashboard. ZTE became the first large-scale ICT tech company in China to receive official approval for both near-term and long-term GHG emission reduction targets and secure a place on the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) A List, showcasing a pivotal achievement in its active response to global climate challenges.

"Enterprises are key players in the implementation of the dual-carbon goal, and ZTE has always attached great importance to and actively practiced the business philosophy of green development," Li Zixue, chairman of ZTE, said in the white paper. "Fully aware of its responsibility and mission, ZTE unveils its zero-carbon vision and releases its 'green pathway for the digital economy' development strategy."

This white paper, according to Li, describes ZTE's vision for the future of zero-carbon enterprises, as well as its global experience in green operation, green supply chain, green digital infrastructure, and green empowerment.

"In the future, we will work with our global partners to build a green and low-carbon industrial chain and provide our global customers with more efficient and environmentally friendly ICT digital intelligence products," he said.

In 2023, the company's overall carbon emissions decreased by 9.7% year on year, with operational carbon emissions (scope 1&2) decreasing by 3% year on year and all indirect (scope 3) carbon emissions in the upstream and downstream decreasing by 9.8% year on year. Over the past two years, operational carbon emissions (scope 1&2) decreased by 15.6% year on year. The unit energy consumption intensity of the company's total energy consumption increased by 18.1%, and the self-built and self-used photovoltaic power generation installed capacity increased by 700%.