Verizon Communications is the United States’ second-largest wireless operator and a leading broadband and connectivity provider, serving approximately 114 million wireless retail connections and over 8 million Fios broadband subscribers, with revenues of $134.8 billion in 2024. The company structures its sustainability strategy under its “Citizen Verizon” responsible business plan, organized across four pillars: governance, integration, engagement, and reporting, with environmental, social, and governance commitments embedded directly into board-level oversight and executive management structures. Verizon published its 2024 Responsible Business Update in late 2024, covering calendar year 2024 performance against commitments established under its Citizen Verizon framework and SBTi-validated climate targets.
Verizon became the first U.S. telecom to issue green bonds, raising a total of $6 billion across six issuances by December 2025, and joined RE100 in March 2024, committing to 100% renewable electricity by 2030. By year-end 2024, the company had achieved a 61% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions (market-based) and a 28% reduction in Scope 3 emissions, both measured against the 2019 base year, substantially ahead of its SBTi-validated 2030 interim targets.
Source
https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/sustainability
https://www.verizon.com/about/investors/responsible-business-reporting
https://www.verizon.com/about/sites/default/files/2024-Responsible-Business-Report.pdf
Sustainability Strategy and Goals
Verizon’s sustainability strategy operates under the Citizen Verizon responsible business plan, which frames economic, environmental, and social advancement as integrated obligations rather than separate CSR programs. The strategy aligns with multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals and is anchored by two SBTi-approved climate targets: a 53% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 from 2019, and a 40% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2035 from 2019. Verizon’s 2023 prioritization assessment, conducted with an external consultant, identified operational integrity, climate and energy, digital equity, supply chain responsibility, cybersecurity, human rights, and data privacy as the most material responsible business topics.
The company’s Board of Directors oversees sustainability through four standing committees: the Corporate Governance and Policy Committee (primary ESG oversight), the Audit Committee (ethics, cybersecurity, sustainability risk), the Finance Committee (green finance and renewable energy exposure), and the Human Resources Committee (human capital and employee health and safety). Verizon’s Reporting Center of Excellence, composed of teams from Enterprise Risk Management, Legal, and Accounting Policy, implements an expanded internal control framework for ESG information to facilitate compliance with emerging ESG-related laws and regulations.
Net Zero and Carbon Emissions
Verizon targets net-zero operational emissions (Scope 1 and 2) by year-end 2035, supported by SBTi-approved interim targets of a 53% absolute Scope 1 and 2 reduction by 2030 and a 40% absolute Scope 3 reduction by 2035, both from a 2019 base year. By year-end 2024, Verizon had already surpassed its 2030 Scope 1 and 2 target with a 61% market-based reduction, while its Scope 3 progress reached 28% from the 2019 base, tracking toward the 2035 target. Because network electricity consumption represents the dominant share of Verizon’s operational carbon footprint, its decarbonization pathway centers on renewable energy procurement and network energy efficiency rather than process fuel switching.
Key milestones from 2019 to 2024:
- Scope 1 emissions: 358,753 MT CO2e in 2019 baseline; 265,859 MT CO2e in 2024, a 26% reduction
- Scope 2 emissions (market-based): 4,006,874 MT CO2e in 2019; 1,458,535 MT CO2e in 2024, a 64% reduction
- Total Scope 1 and 2 (market-based): 4,365,627 MT CO2e in 2019; 1,724,394 MT CO2e in 2024, a 61% reduction, surpassing the 2030 SBTi target of 53% six years early
- Total Scope 3: 18,979,748 MT CO2e in 2019; 13,743,238 MT CO2e in 2024, a 28% reduction against a 2035 target of 40%
- Upstream Scope 3: 17,360,388 MT CO2e in 2019; 12,028,518 MT CO2e in 2024, a 31% reduction
- Downstream Scope 3: 1,619,361 MT CO2e in 2019; 1,714,720 MT CO2e in 2024, a 6% increase driven by use of sold products
- Sixth green bond: $979 million net proceeds fully allocated to REPAs for renewable energy projects by December 1, 2025, contributing to an estimated 537,443 MT CO2e avoided annually
Water Stewardship
Verizon’s primary operational water use occurs in data centers and network equipment cooling systems, where facilities management programs target consumption reduction through energy efficiency improvements that simultaneously lower water-intensive mechanical cooling requirements. The company installs on-site green energy generation at administrative offices and facilities to reduce grid-drawn energy consumption, and its two newest data center facilities apply free-air cooling and other low-water-intensity cooling technologies. Verizon’s 2024 Responsible Business Report and 2025 TCFD Report disclose physical climate risk assessments, including water stress exposure, across Verizon’s facility portfolio, providing a structured framework for identifying high-risk water dependency sites.
Deforestation and Biodiversity
Verizon’s biodiversity-relevant actions center on reducing demand for virgin minerals through responsible sourcing due diligence, circular economy device programs, and its participation in the Responsible Business Alliance’s Responsible Minerals Initiative. The company’s conflict minerals due diligence framework aligns with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas, covering tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and adjoining countries. Verizon’s e-waste recycling and reuse programs, which diverted over 92 million pounds of materials in 2024, reduce the volume of toxic electronics entering landfills and lower extraction pressure on primary mineral resources.
Packaging and Circular Economy
Verizon’s circular economy strategy operates across three programs: the device reuse and recycling program, community e-waste recycling rallies open to the public and employees, and the PC Refresh direct-to-recycler program managed in partnership with ERI, its Supplier Sustainability Award recipient in 2024. The company’s Small Business Supplier Accelerator, announced in 2025 with a $5 billion five-year spend commitment, explicitly incorporates sustainability criteria into the supplier development pipeline, using circular economy and responsible sourcing standards as conditions for supplier advancement. Verizon has installed 38.6 megawatts of on-site green energy currently in operation as of 2024, reducing facility energy draw from conventional fossil-fuel grid power.
Key outcomes in 2024:
- Reused or recycled over 92 million pounds of materials in 2024, including network hardware, electronic devices, and office equipment
- PC Refresh direct-to-recycler program processed over 2 million pounds of e-scrap and resold over 215,000 pounds of electronics, including computers, servers, and other devices, with certified responsible processing by ERI
- 764 key suppliers assessed through EcoVadis since 2013, with corrective action plans required for all elevated-risk assessments; environmental performance, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement are the four monitored dimensions
- 1,210 supplier audits completed through Joint Alliance for CSR (JAC) since its inception in 2010, with 150 audits completed in 2024, covering child labor, forced labor, health and safety, freedom of association, non-discrimination, working hours, wages, and environmental protection
- 29 renewable energy purchase agreements (REPAs) contracted by December 2025 for a total of approximately 3.9 GW of anticipated renewable energy generating capacity, supporting the pathway to 100% renewable electricity by 2030
Human Rights and Responsible Sourcing
Verizon’s Business and Human Rights Program, managed by its Business Risk, Sourcing, and Third Party Risk Management teams, reviews the nature and extent of exposure to modern slavery and human trafficking risk across the company’s operations and supply chain on an ongoing basis. The company’s Supplier Code of Conduct prohibits child labor and forced labor, protects employees’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining, and prohibits discrimination on any basis prohibited by applicable law, with the right to audit reserved across all supplier relationships. Verizon participates in JAC, the Joint Alliance for CSR, an industry-wide supplier audit collaborative covering telecommunications operators, which completed 150 joint audits in 2024 and 1,210 total since 2010.
Key outcomes in 2024:
- 150 supplier audits completed through JAC in 2024, covering human rights, labor, health and safety, and environmental protection, with corrective action plans generated for all identified deficiencies
- EcoVadis assessments conducted on key suppliers with elevated risk remediation required; all assessments cover environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement dimensions
- Supply Chain Resilience Due Diligence Questionnaire (DDQ) triggered for all hardware and software sourcing requests, covering component parts, manufacturing location, and human rights considerations
- Conflict minerals due diligence aligned with OECD Guidance, with Verizon’s Chief Financial Officer as signatory on the Conflict Minerals Report
- $5 billion Small Business Supplier Accelerator announced in 2025, targeting American small businesses with faster payment terms, modified insurance requirements, and adjusted indemnification to broaden inclusive supplier participation
Digital Inclusion and Social Impact
Verizon’s digital equity strategy operates under the Citizen Verizon plan through three programs: Verizon Innovative Learning (education-focused digital skills training), the Fios Forward low-income broadband access program, and the small business digital resources initiative targeting one million small businesses by 2030. Verizon Innovative Learning has committed over $1 billion in market value to support digital equity and inclusion within education since its launch, reaching over 3.5 million students across the U.S. as of August 2024, toward a goal of 10 million youth with digital skills training by 2030. The HopeLine program collects unused wireless devices and converts them into resources for domestic violence survivors, providing free phones, airtime, and safety tools to survivors across all 50 states.
Key outcomes in 2024 and since program launches:
- 8.9 million young people provided with digital skills training toward a target of 10 million by 2030, up from 3.5 million reported in August 2024, reflecting the full accumulation of Verizon Innovative Learning program reach
- Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program extended to middle schools in underserved communities, providing free devices, free internet, and immersive STEM curriculum through a school-year and summer learning program
- Fios Forward program provides free 200 Mbps broadband to customers qualifying for the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program, with no data caps, no extra fees, and no router costs, targeting low-income households in Fios service areas
- Small business resources program targeting one million small businesses by 2030 with digital economy tools, training, and connectivity access support
- Citizen Verizon total responsible business investment exceeded $3 billion between 2020 and 2025 across environmental, social, and economic programs
Community and Social Impact
Verizon’s community impact investment channels include public e-waste recycling rallies open to employees and the general public, disaster response connectivity deployment, and the HopeLine domestic violence survivor support program. The company runs a Consumer Advisory Board, a varied stakeholder group that advises Verizon on consumer and policy issues and serves as a focus group for testing new policies, practices, and products across digital inclusion, accessibility, and privacy considerations. Verizon’s total responsible business investment through Citizen Verizon exceeded $3 billion from 2020 to 2025, spanning environmental, economic, and social programs across all 50 states.
Governance and Transparency
Verizon’s Board of Directors oversees sustainability through four standing committees, with the Corporate Governance and Policy Committee holding primary responsibility for ESG commitments, stakeholder engagement, and reporting. The company obtains independent limited assurance annually over Scope 1, Scope 2 (location-based and market-based), and Scope 3 GHG emissions, as well as emissions intensity factors, with the 2023 Scope 3 baseline independently assured following adjustments for the TracFone acquisition. Verizon publishes a TCFD Report, a GRI-aligned Responsible Business Report, a Political Engagement Report, a Green Bond Impact Report, and an EEO-1 Report as distinct disclosure instruments, providing stakeholders with targeted reporting across all material topics.
Key governance outcomes in 2024:
- Independent limited assurance obtained on all Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 GHG emissions for 2024, with third-party verification confirming all reported emission reduction figures
- Reporting Center of Excellence established to implement expanded internal controls for ESG information in preparation for emerging SEC and international ESG-related laws and regulations
- Sixth green bond issued, with $979 million in net proceeds fully allocated to REPAs for renewable energy projects by December 1, 2025
- Annual EcoVadis self-assessment submitted alongside use of EcoVadis to evaluate key suppliers, maintaining a dual-direction supply chain accountability standard
Technology and Innovation
Verizon’s network modernization program drives both commercial performance and Scope 2 emission reductions, as the transition from legacy 3G and 4G infrastructure to energy-efficient 5G equipment and fiber broadband reduces energy consumption per unit of data transported. The company has entered into 29 REPAs by December 2025 for approximately 3.9 GW of anticipated renewable energy capacity, representing the largest renewable energy contracted portfolio among U.S. wireless carriers, with the sixth green bond’s $979 million proceeds fully allocated to these projects. Verizon’s Climate Resilience Prize program actively funds climate-tech innovation externally, accelerating solutions applicable to network resilience, physical climate risk adaptation, and clean energy deployment.
Global Partnerships and Advocacy
Verizon joined RE100 in March 2024, committing to 100% renewable electricity by 2030, and was the first U.S. telecom company to issue green bonds, raising $6 billion across six issuances to fund renewable energy procurement and energy efficiency projects. The company participates in JAC alongside global telecommunications peers, completing 150 joint supplier audits in 2024 and contributing to industry-wide human rights and environmental standards for the shared supplier base across the telecommunications sector. Verizon is also a member of the Responsible Business Alliance’s Responsible Minerals Initiative, applying OECD-aligned conflict minerals due diligence across its supply chain.
Source
https://www.verizon.com/about/investors/verizon-emissions-and-energy-data
https://www.verizon.com/about/sites/default/files/2024-Responsible-Business-Report.pdf
https://www.verizon.com/about/sites/default/files/Verizon-green-bond-impact-report-december-2025.pdf
https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/sustainability
https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/digital-inclusion
https://www.verizon.com/about/investors/responsible-business-reporting
https://esgnews.com/verizons-1-billion-green-bond-fuels-renewable-energy-expansion/
https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/digital-inclusion/verizon-innovative-learning
https://ustelecom.org/verizon-innovative-learning-helps-students-develop-digital-skills-access-devices-and-connectivity/
https://sustainabilitymag.com/news/verizon-sustainability-clean-networks-smarter-ev-fleets
Progress vs. Target Tracker
Source
https://www.verizon.com/about/investors/verizon-emissions-and-energy-data
https://www.verizon.com/about/sites/default/files/2024-Responsible-Business-Report.pdf
https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/digital-inclusion/verizon-innovative-learning
https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/sustainability
Key Sustainability Innovations and Technologies
Verizon’s sustainability technology program combines renewable energy procurement at scale, green bond financing, network energy efficiency, and digital equity infrastructure deployment. Five innovations define the company’s 2024 position.
- Verizon’s green bond program, the first in U.S. telecommunications history, has raised $6 billion across six issuances since 2019, with the sixth bond’s $979 million in net proceeds fully allocated to REPAs for renewable energy by December 2025, contributing to an estimated 537,443 MT CO2e avoided annually from the sixth bond alone
- The 29-REPA renewable energy portfolio contracted for approximately 3.9 GW of anticipated capacity by December 2025, combining solar (53%) and wind (47%) across multiple long-term agreements and covering enough renewable energy to match 56% of 2024 annual electricity use, with a trajectory to 100% by 2030
- Verizon’s network energy efficiency program has achieved a 61% market-based Scope 1 and 2 reduction from 2019 to 2024, six years ahead of the SBTi-approved 2030 target of 53%, driven by network modernization, equipment upgrades, and facility energy management, alongside 38.6 MW of on-site renewable generation
- The EcoVadis and JAC dual supplier assessment system applies both an independent online platform (764 suppliers assessed since 2013) and a joint industry audit program (150 audits in 2024, 1,210 since 2010) to assess supplier environmental, labor, ethics, and procurement performance, with corrective action plans mandatory for all elevated-risk outcomes
- Verizon Innovative Learning deploys free devices, free 4G LTE and 5G connectivity, and immersive STEM curriculum to middle school students in underserved communities, converting Verizon’s network infrastructure into a direct educational equity tool, having committed over $1 billion in market value and reached 8.9 million young people toward a 10 million target by 2030
Source
https://www.verizon.com/about/investors/verizon-emissions-and-energy-data
https://www.verizon.com/about/sites/default/files/Verizon-green-bond-impact-report-december-2025.pdf
https://esgnews.com/verizons-1-billion-green-bond-fuels-renewable-energy-expansion/
https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/digital-inclusion/verizon-innovative-learning
https://ustelecom.org/verizon-innovative-learning-helps-students-develop-digital-skills-access-devices-and-connectivity/
Measurable Impacts
Verizon’s 2024 Responsible Business Update covers calendar year 2024 across all Verizon operations included in the 2024 financial statements, with GHG emissions data independently assured through limited assurance by a third party. All GHG figures are independently verified and reflect the operational control boundary.
Carbon and energy:
- Scope 1 emissions: 265,859 MT CO2e in 2024, down 26% from 358,753 MT CO2e in 2019
- Scope 2 emissions (market-based): 1,458,535 MT CO2e in 2024, down 64% from 4,006,874 MT CO2e in 2019
- Scope 2 emissions (location-based): 3,596,917 MT CO2e in 2024, down 10% from 4,006,874 MT CO2e in 2019
- Total Scope 1 and 2 (market-based): 1,724,394 MT CO2e in 2024, a 61% reduction from 4,365,627 MT CO2e in 2019
- Total Scope 3: 13,743,238 MT CO2e in 2024, a 28% reduction from 18,979,748 MT CO2e in 2019
- Upstream Scope 3: 12,028,518 MT CO2e in 2024, down 31% from 17,360,388 MT CO2e in 2019
- Renewable electricity sourced: 56% of annual electricity usage in 2024, exceeding the 50% 2025 target ahead of schedule
- On-site green energy installed: 38.6 MW currently in operation
- Sixth green bond: 537,443 MT CO2e avoided annually from projects funded
Circular economy and waste:
- Over 92 million pounds of materials reused or recycled in 2024
- 2 million+ lbs. of e-scrap responsibly processed and 215,000+ lbs. of electronics resold through the PC Refresh program via ERI
- 1,210 JAC supplier audits completed since 2010; 150 in 2024
Social impact:
- 8.9 million young people reached through digital skills training toward a 2030 target of 10 million
- $3 billion+ Citizen Verizon responsible business investment from 2020 to 2025
- 764 key suppliers assessed through EcoVadis since 2013
- 29 REPAs contracted for approximately 3.9 GW of anticipated renewable energy capacity by December 2025
Source
https://www.verizon.com/about/investors/verizon-emissions-and-energy-data
https://www.verizon.com/about/sites/default/files/2024-Responsible-Business-Report.pdf
https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/digital-inclusion/verizon-innovative-learning
https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/sustainability
Challenges and Areas for Improvement
Verizon faces five material sustainability challenges requiring structured responses in the next reporting cycle.
Downstream Scope 3 growth: Verizon’s downstream Scope 3 emissions, driven by the use of sold products (customer device charging and data consumption), reached 1,714,720 MT CO2e in 2024, a 6% increase from the 2019 baseline of 1,619,361 MT CO2e. This is the only Scope 3 category moving in the wrong direction, and it sits within the SBTi-approved 40% Scope 3 reduction target by 2035. Without a structured program to reduce device energy consumption through product selection criteria or a customer device upgrade program prioritizing energy-efficient hardware, this trend will widen the gap toward the 2035 Scope 3 commitment.
Renewable electricity gap to 100% by 2030: Verizon sourced 56% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2024, having met its 50% 2025 target ahead of schedule. Reaching 100% by 2030 from 56% requires doubling renewable coverage in six years. The company has 29 REPAs contracted for 3.9 GW of capacity, but has not published a confirmed annual renewable percentage trajectory for 2025 through 2030 that maps specific REPA delivery timelines against consumption projections. Publishing this trajectory would allow investors and ESG raters to verify that the 100% commitment is operationally achievable, not just contractually intended.
Digital skills training gap to 10 million youth: Verizon’s Verizon Innovative Learning program had reached 8.9 million young people by year-end 2024 toward a target of 10 million by 2030. With 1.1 million remaining and six years to the target deadline, the program is within reach, but program scale data suggests the rate of new beneficiary additions may be slowing as the most accessible school district partnerships have been established. Publishing annual beneficiary count data with school district coverage maps would confirm whether the program is on trajectory or requires structural expansion.
Water disclosure gap: Verizon’s 2024 Responsible Business Update does not publish standalone water withdrawal figures or a formal water reduction target in its primary sustainability disclosures. The 2025 TCFD Report covers physical climate risk, including water stress, at a facility level, but the absence of a quantified water withdrawal baseline and a reduction target means Verizon cannot demonstrate year-over-year progress on a topic that will grow in material importance as data center density and network cooling requirements increase with 5G and AI compute expansion.
Small business digital resource program: no milestone count published: Verizon’s 2030 commitment to reach one million small businesses with digital economy resources and tools has no published interim milestone count in its current responsible business reporting. The absence of annual progress tracking data prevents external verification of program trajectory, creating a gap between a publicly stated commitment and a demonstrable delivery record that will attract investor scrutiny as 2030 approaches.
Source
https://www.verizon.com/about/investors/verizon-emissions-and-energy-data
https://www.verizon.com/about/sites/default/files/2024-Responsible-Business-Report.pdf
https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/digital-inclusion
https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/sustainability
Future Plans and Long-Term Goals
Verizon’s long-term sustainability roadmap extends through 2030 renewable electricity and digital equity milestones and to net-zero operational emissions in 2035, with all climate targets SBTi-approved and externally assured. The company’s 2025 to 2026 period will be the most important near-term signal window, as annual REPA delivery timelines, Scope 3 downstream trend reversal, and Verizon Innovative Learning program completion will determine whether the company’s 2030 and 2035 targets remain fully on course.
By 2030, Verizon targets:
- 100% renewable electricity sourcing through RE100 membership and continued REPA portfolio expansion (29 contracts, approximately 3.9 GW already under agreement)
- 53% absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions from 2019 (already surpassed at 61% by end of 2024)
- 10 million young people reached with digital skills training through Verizon Innovative Learning (8.9 million reached by end of 2024)
- 1 million small businesses supported with digital economy resources, tools, and connectivity access
- Continued EcoVadis and JAC supplier assessments with corrective action plan compliance across all elevated-risk suppliers
By 2035, Verizon targets:
- Net-zero operational emissions (Scope 1 and 2) across all Verizon U.S. operations
- 40% absolute reduction in Scope 3 emissions from 2019 (28% achieved by end of 2024)
- Full deployment of on-site and contracted renewable energy sufficient to cover 100% of annual electricity use for the network, facilities, and commercial operations
Verizon leads U.S. wireless peers on absolute Scope 1 and 2 reduction achieved (61% from 2019 vs. T-Mobile’s market-based Scope 2 near-zero but narrower disclosure) and on supplier engagement depth through EcoVadis and JAC dual assessment. The company trails T-Mobile on renewable electricity coverage (56% vs. T-Mobile’s 100%), SBTi Net-Zero Standard breadth (Verizon covers Scope 1 and 2 net-zero only by 2035, not full value chain), and digital equity investment scale through program funding.
Source
https://www.verizon.com/about/investors/verizon-emissions-and-energy-data
https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/sustainability
https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/digital-inclusion
https://www.verizon.com/about/sites/default/files/2024-Responsible-Business-Report.pdf
Comparisons to Industry Competitors
Verizon’s two primary U.S. wireless peers with published and verifiable ESG data are T-Mobile and AT&T. All three companies have net-zero commitments, SBTi alignment at varying levels, and renewable energy procurement programs, but differ significantly on reduction pace, program scope, digital equity investment, and reporting transparency.
Verizon vs. T-Mobile vs. AT&T
Verizon leads both T-Mobile and AT&T on absolute Scope 1 and 2 market-based reduction pace, achieving a 61% reduction from 2019 by year-end 2024 and surpassing its 2030 SBTi target six years ahead of schedule. T-Mobile leads Verizon on renewable electricity coverage (100% since 2021 vs. Verizon’s 56% in 2024), full value chain SBTi Net-Zero Standard validation, and digital equity funding at scale through Project 10Million. Verizon’s six green bonds, totaling $6 billion and representing the first such issuances in U.S. telecommunications history, provide a financing infrastructure for renewable energy procurement that neither T-Mobile nor AT&T has replicated at comparable scale.
Source
https://carboncredits.com/verizon-att-and-t-mobile-who-wins-the-financial-and-net-zero-race/
https://www.verizon.com/about/investors/verizon-emissions-and-energy-data
https://www.t-mobile.com/responsibility/sustainability/climate-action
https://www.sdxcentral.com/news/att-t-mobile-verizon-renew-net-zero-pledges/
What to Watch: 12 to 18 Month Indicators
Three forward-looking signals will most directly determine whether Verizon’s sustainability standing improves, holds, or deteriorates through mid-2027.
1. Renewable electricity trajectory to 100% by 2030 (2025 and 2026 reporting): Verizon sourced 56% of electricity from renewables in 2024, meeting its 50% 2025 target ahead of schedule. Reaching 100% by 2030 requires delivering on 29 contracted REPAs totaling 3.9 GW of anticipated capacity. The 2025 annual reporting cycle will confirm whether contracted REPA projects have reached commercial operation dates on schedule and whether the percentage of renewables in the total electricity mix increased materially above 56%, demonstrating that the 100% 2030 target is physically, not just contractually, achievable. Any REPA project delays or cancellations would shift this target from on track to at risk.
2. Downstream Scope 3 trend reversal (2025 reporting cycle): Verizon’s downstream Scope 3 use-of-sold-products emissions reached 1,714,720 MT CO2e in 2024, a 6% increase from the 2019 baseline, making it the only emissions category moving in the wrong direction in Verizon’s decarbonization portfolio. The 2025 annual data will confirm whether Verizon has introduced customer device selection criteria, device trade-in incentives, or product portfolio energy efficiency standards that begin to reverse this trend. Without a reversal, the 40% total Scope 3 reduction target by 2035 becomes harder to achieve as upstream reductions are partially offset by downstream growth.
3. Verizon Innovative Learning final mile: 8.9 million to 10 million youth (2025 to 2026): Verizon reached 8.9 million young people with digital skills training by year-end 2024, with 1.1 million remaining to the 10 million by 2030 target. The next two reporting cycles will confirm whether the program closes this gap through expanded school district partnerships, the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools summer program, and new university-satellite digital training collaborations. Publishing annual beneficiary count data broken down by school district and geography would confirm whether coverage is reaching the hardest-to-serve communities or concentrating in already-connected urban school systems.
Source
https://www.verizon.com/about/investors/verizon-emissions-and-energy-data
https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/digital-inclusion/verizon-innovative-learning
https://sustainabilitymag.com/news/verizon-sustainability-clean-networks-smarter-ev-fleets
Verizon’s 2024 sustainability performance reflects a company that has delivered against its own climate commitments faster and more completely than any publicly stated timeline required. Achieving a 61% Scope 1 and 2 market-based reduction from 2019 by year-end 2024, six years ahead of the 2030 SBTi-approved target of 53%, is a substantive operational result that places Verizon ahead of both U.S. wireless peers on absolute Scope 1 and 2 decarbonization pace. The combination of six green bonds totaling $6 billion, 29 REPAs contracted for 3.9 GW of renewable capacity, and 764 EcoVadis supplier assessments since 2013 demonstrates a systematic and capital-backed approach to decarbonization rather than a disclosure-forward commitment with weak operational foundations.
The two structural gaps that practitioners should monitor are downstream Scope 3 emissions growth and renewable electricity delivery pace. Downstream Scope 3 emissions increased 6% from the 2019 baseline to 2024, and the 100% renewable electricity target for 2030 requires more than doubling from 56% coverage in 2024 through contracted REPA project delivery. Both gaps require operational verification rather than additional commitments, and the 2025 and 2026 annual reporting cycles will determine whether Verizon’s lead over peers on Scope 1 and 2 is matched by equal progress on these two remaining challenge areas.
Three strategic takeaways for practitioners benchmarking or replicating Verizon’s approach:
- Verizon’s green bond architecture, combining six successive issuances totaling $6 billion with full allocation of each bond’s proceeds to specific named REPAs before the next issuance, provides a replicable capital market structure for infrastructure-heavy businesses seeking to fund renewable energy procurement without balance sheet strain, as each bond’s deployment is independently reported and externally verified
- The EcoVadis plus JAC dual supplier assessment model, applying an independent online assessment platform alongside a joint industry audit program covering 150 supplier audits per year, creates a two-layer supply chain accountability system that is more rigorous than either instrument alone, and provides a replicable governance structure for any sector with a concentrated shared supplier base across multiple large buyers
- Verizon’s approach to setting SBTi-approved targets and then surpassing them ahead of schedule, achieving 61% Scope 1 and 2 reduction against a 53% by 2030 target, demonstrates that conservative target-setting followed by operational over-delivery generates more durable ESG credibility than ambitious targets with structural delivery gaps, particularly as ESG rating agencies increasingly penalize target misses over target ambition
Source
https://www.verizon.com/about/investors/verizon-emissions-and-energy-data
https://www.verizon.com/about/sites/default/files/Verizon-green-bond-impact-report-december-2025.pdf
https://www.verizon.com/about/sites/default/files/2024-Responsible-Business-Report.pdf
https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/digital-inclusion/verizon-innovative-learning
