Vodafone Awarded Environmental Certificate

Vodafone Greece has been awarded the EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) certification for its actions to protect the environment. One more lead for Vodafone, as it is the first mobile telephony company in Greece and the second in Europe to receive EMAS certification.

It is worth noting that the number of EMAS-certified companies accounts for less than 10% of all ISO 14001-certified companies worldwide; this indicates how difficult it is to receive certification according to this standard. EMAS is a voluntary E.U. scheme which serves as a basis for companies wishing to prepare and implement a programme for the management and continuous improvement of their environmental performance.

EMAS's main features are on the one hand that it drives the companies adopting it to the outcomes of their environmental initiatives and on the other, that it provides transparency upon the announcement of these programmes' outcomes.

Vodafone was certified in June 1999 for the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System by ELOT (Hellenic Organisation for Standardisation). Ever since, through this programme, it has systematically been managing its activities that have an impact on the Environment, thus reducing the subsequent effects. To further improve its environmental performance, Vodafone proceeded to the voluntary implementation of EMAS (and to a certification of this system by ELOT) by developing an action plan that allows targeting its environmental performance and overall informing the public openly and transparently.

Vodafone's Corporate Affairs Director, Mr. Dimitris Michopoulos stated: "We are very proud that once again the outcomes of our initiatives on environmental protection are internationally acknowledged. EMAS certification adds international prestige to the name and values governing Vodafone's work, as it is the second mobile telephony company in Europe to receive such certification. This fact reinforces the sense of responsibility towards the environment that characterises us; we commit ourselves to continuing our work with a real Passion for the World around us"."

Posted to the site on 2nd February 2004