Corporate responsibility

As a centre for technological innovation, and the largest private R + D Company in Spain, Telefónica I + D has been aware that applied research must be inevitably linked to environmental and social responsibility from its very foundation.

Therefore, it considers that respect for the environment is an essential part of all its activities and that the development of telecommunication services which help protect the environment and contribute to the sustainable development of society is pivotal, a fact that is reflected in its environmental policy approved in 1997.

Environmental Policy

In 1998, Telefónica I+D became the first R+D company to be awarded the environmental management certificate according to the ISO 14001 regulation. This certification that has been renewed year after year showing the company's commitment to constantly improve its efforts to protect the environment and keep it from harm.

Since then it has obtained a more in-depth awareness of both the positive and negative environmental and social impacts caused by its installations and the services it carries out. This knowledge has allowed the company to promote the beneficial impacts and reduce the adverse ones as much as possible. A result of this is the analysis of the effect of telecommunications on sustainable development..

The environmental policy is applied to all projects and to all the company's activities.

The company's objective is to continue working to improve its performance as regards the environment, seeking greater efficiency in the consumption of natural resources (paper, energy and water), and reducing the impact on the environment (waste generation, greenhouse gas emissions, dumping and noise) as much as possible. All of this is done in the firm belief that the environmental aspects are a strategic factor in sustainable development, as they help conserve natural resources for future generations.

 

Corporate Responsibility

In addition to environmental protection, the company's Management System and Strategic Plan also provide for the concept of corporate responsibility, and establish guidelines for this matter.

Telefónica I+D also participates in specific projects of interest for the society in general, such as : state-of-the-art home remote healthcare for the elderly, handicapped or chronically ill remote teaching and virtual education platforms adapted to suit the specific situation of different Latin American countries, etc.

On the other hand, alongside environmental respect and protection and its socially-oriented projects, Telefónica I+D is also committed to supporting the quality of life of its employees, a concept that is wholly compatible with the responsible, efficient manner in which it operates.

With this aim in mind, it has strengthened the measures directed at reconciling private and professional lifeoffering employees:

• A shorter working-day, flexibly designed to meet their needs
• The possibility of working from home
• Health insurance
• Aid for professional development
• Subsidized ADSL home access
  

Furthermore, the company has boosted measures related to their policy of promoting health and safety at work, in keeping with the Telefónica Group's corporate policy on risk prevention.

The company plans to continue strengthening the culture of corporate responsibility as a sure way of achieving professional, human and social excellence in line with the commitments of the rest of the Group.