Now on its 16th edition, ZTE Corp.’s 2023 report shows its commitment to advancing digital innovation and fostering a sustainable future. The global provider of integrated information and communication technology solutions emphasizes its ongoing efforts to sustainable business practices.
“We uphold the Human-Centric and Tech for Good philosophy, and constantly explore new fields, applications, and value of digital and intelligent transformation,” said Xu Ziyang, CEO at ZTE.
The report highlights ZTE’s focus on building digital intelligence capabilities and continuous innovation in underlying technologies. ZTE has made investments in key business areas, including chipsets, algorithms, architecture, databases, and operating systems. As of 2023, the company has filed over 89,500 patent applications and obtained more than 45,000 granted patents globally. ZTE has also made strides in phygital innovation, implementing benchmark projects across various industries to promote high-quality development.
Green innovation
ZTE said it is committed to driving green innovation and shaping an eco-friendly ecosystem through green operations, a green supply chain, green digital infrastructure, and green empowerment. The company’s efforts have contributed to a 9.7% year-over-year (YoY) reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its value chain and a 14.58% YoY decrease in GHG emissions intensity during the use and maintenance of its telecom products. ZTE also achieved over 700% YoY growth in photovoltaic power generation installed capacity in 2023.
In its green supply chain efforts, ZTE completed carbon reduction audits for over 150 suppliers, leading to a 3.26% reduction in carbon emissions intensity. The company was recognized as a “National Level Green Supply Chain Management Enterprise,” and its Heyuan Base was designated a “National Green Factory” in 2023.
ZTE has also made contributions to green digital infrastructure, holding over 650 green patents and conducting carbon footprint assessments for 101 products. These efforts have helped global operators save more than 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
In terms of green empowerment, ZTE introduced a green precision cloud-network solution based on its “Digital Nebula” architecture. Collaborating with over 1,000 global partners, the company has launched more than 100 application scenarios for 5G+ green initiatives. ZTE’s commitment to green development was further solidified when its science-based targets for GHG emissions reduction were approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) in April 2024, making it the first large-scale ICT company in China to receive such approval.
Digital divide
ZTE also emphasizes its role in bridging the global digital divide. The company has been actively involved in building high-performance networks across more than 100 countries and regions. ZTE’s participation in the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) Partner2Connect (P2C) Digital Coalition led to its recognition as one of the first P2C Champions. ZTE has pledged to construct ICT infrastructure in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) by 2025, along with dedicating 50,000 hours of ICT lectures globally.
ZTE’s commitment to sustainability extends to its corporate governance practices. The company has passed the re-certification audit of its anti-bribery management system and maintained its ISO 37001 certification. In 2023, ZTE conducted 214 joint Business Continuity Plan (BCP) drills in high-risk fields and performed 1,372 safety tests with a 100% pass rate.
As a member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and the Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative (GeSI), ZTE’s achievements in sustainable development and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices have garnered widespread recognition. The company was included in the UNGC Private Sector Case Studies for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has been listed in the FTSE4Good Index Series for eight years.