Sprint Named to Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), September 13, 2013 – For the third consecutive year, Sprint (NYSE:S, news, filings) has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) North America – which tracks the corporate sustainability performance of the top 20 percent of the 600 largest companies by industry in the United States and Canada.

Sprint was named a leader in the Telecommunication Services sector, with particularly high marks for its efforts in the categories of innovation management, privacy protection, supply chain management and human capital development – where Sprint earned the highest possible score.

“The Dow Jones Sustainability Index has become an important reference point in sustainability investing,” said Brad Hampton, vice president of investor relations at Sprint. “As a leader in corporate sustainability, we understand how economic, environmental and social growth impacts our industry and why it remains a critical component to how we do business.”

Sprint’s innovation focus in 2012 was evident in the carrier’s high marks in the category. Last year Sprint launched a mobile application bundle called Sprint Guardian that makes it easy for parents to manage how their children use their mobile phone and gives them the tools they need to protect their wireless devices from theft, loss and malware. Sprint was the first carrier to develop multiple applications in a single download through Sprint ID, to meet the needs of the hard of hearing and visually impaired communities. Acting as a “local” innovation catalyst, Sprint also continues to support a growing entrepreneurial community and has developed a technology start-up ecosystem in Kansas City, where the company’s headquarters are located nearby.

In the area of privacy protection, Sprint was the first U.S. telecommunications carrier to launch an opt-in, interest-based advertising program based on transparent data use and privacy choice in addition to delivering optimal value to customers. The program’s design was assisted by input from privacy groups including the Center for Democracy & Technology and the Future of Privacy Forum, and was independently certified by TRUSTe.

Sprint continues to devote significant resources to supply chain management, both setting industry standards and working with vendors to encourage increased sustainability for the full life cycle of the products the company buys and sells. This is especially important for a company like Sprint, which isn’t a manufacturer but must rely on thousands of manufacturers for products and services while adhering to social and environmental criteria.

Sprint’s relationship with Underwriters Laboratory Environment (ULE) led to the creation of the first environmental standard for wireless mobile phones: UL 110. At the beginning of 2012, Sprint announced that all devices it sells must go through UL 110 assessment. The carrier works closely with manufacturers to design and procure devices that are easily repairable and meet aggressive packaging requirements. In addition, Sprint is the first and only U.S. wireless carrier to outline specific commitments that address electronic waste (e-waste) holistically. Its Electronics Stewardship Policy publicly states Sprint’s pledge to responsibly recycle electronic scrap while striving to boost equipment recycling and reuse. Sprint carefully measures and manages corporate responsibility risk throughout its supply chain; later this year, the company will introduce educational materials to help its suppliers boost sustainability in a way that can also help each company’s bottom line.

In addition to scoring high in all areas of environment, Sprint obtained a perfect score for human capital development. Its high-tech and flexible training approach includes virtual and online social learning applications and a leading skill-mapping and development process for all employees.

“The market upheavals and high debt levels of the last few years should remind investors that a long-term view of the world and the markets is essential,” said David Blitzer, managing director and chairman of the S&P Dow Jones Indices. “The Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes combine that kind of long run focus on sustainability with index investing to empower investors.”

About S&P Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes

Launched in 1999, the DJSI were the first global indexes to track the financial performance of the leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide. DSJI North America tracks the performance of the top 20 percent of the 600 largest companies in the United States and Canada. Selection is based on an in-depth analysis of a company’s economic, environmental and social criteria, with a focus on industry-specific risks and opportunities. The indexes serve as benchmarks for investors when assessing a company’s sustainability portfolio. For more information, visit www.sustainability-indices.com

About Sprint

Sprint offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint served more than 53 million customers at the end of the second quarter of 2013 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint as the most improved company in customer satisfaction, across all 47 industries, during the last five years. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in both its 2011 and 2012 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.