Vodafone 1999 Annual Report Download - page 14

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Community and the Environment
Community and the Environment
Environment Community
Environment
As a successful member of the international business community, the Vodafone Group recognises its corporate
responsibilities towards both the environment and the community, as an investor, employer, consumer and
service provider. The Group’s business activities affect the environment both directly and indirectly and it is
committed to a programme of continuous improvement to minimise any impacts on the environment.
The Group’s policy remains to actively manage environmental issues using established guidelines. It is intended that a
new environmental handbook will be issued following the merger with AirTouch. This will draw on best practice and
experience from around the world.
The Group has continued to develop and evaluate smaller and less visually intrusive masts,
control equipment and antennas. These devices are used by Vodafone operating companies
throughout the world. During 1998, Vodafone introduced a further design of antenna disguised as
a tree. This has been installed in an environmentally sensitive area of Scotland and complements
the highly successful design operational in Berkshire which is sited amongst trees in an Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Group has established a National Parks Project Group to ensure
that the visual impact of base stations is minimised whilst providing improved coverage required
for rural areas. Vodafone Limited has also become the first UK company to join the Corporate
Forum for National Parks. In urban areas, further developments to miniaturise antennas have
taken place. These have been successfully deployed using Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) poles
to provide support and height. Techniques operational in the film industry have been used to disguise equipment now
based in a number of churches, most notably in the centre of Bristol.
Vodafone Retail’s stores have joined a national UK scheme aimed at the environmentally friendly return and recycling of
old mobile telephone handsets and batteries. The stores act as collection points for the general public to return old,
disused or broken handsets. Industry estimates are that there could be more than two million such handsets.
The Group uses video conferencing facilities in a number of locations. These facilities substantially reduce the need for
executives to travel between countries.
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http://www.vodafone.com/download/investor/reports/annual99/community_and_the_environment.htm (1 of 2)30/03/2007 00:08:00