Three times sustainable at Orange

Sustainable development is clearly a part of our approach at Orange: our CO₂ emissions have dropped by nearly 80% from their 2006 levels. By 2023 we are aiming to achieve a further reduction of 30% from 2019 levels. We will be using solar energy for nearly all of our projects, using 100% green power or replacing the airco with a cooling system that requires one tenth the energy.

Thanks to our commitment to sustainable development, Orange has been recognised with the ‘CO₂ Neutral’ label from CO2logic and Vinçotte for the 6^th year running. However, despite our best efforts, our activities continue to produce non-reducible emissions. We offset these by investing in public and environmentally sustainable utility projects in Africa. To counter the mining of new raw materials and to contribute to the shift towards a more circular economy, Orange has teamed up with partners who buy back, repair and give a second life to used mobile devices. Devices that cannot be repaired are disassembled and recycled in accordance with good technical practices.

Of course, we are concerned about more than sustainability alone. That is why Orange devotes so much attention to the well-being of its customers and staff.

We send our customers into the digital world under the safest and most comfortable circumstances possible. That is why we frequently organise interactive digital workshops on such themes as online fraud, children’s screen time, and privacy protection. In fact, we go beyond advice: we have also launched campaigns about reducing mobile phone use in traffic, have implemented social tariffs and make adapted smartphones and functions available to promote digital inclusion for everyone, regardless of their economic or physical situation.

As for our own staff, we don’t just offer them services that permit a better balance between their work and private lives, but also lunchtime sports activities, free fruit, meditation sessions on mindfulness, a prevention programme against psychosocial risks, etc. We provide a stimulating work environment with a focus on ergonomics, cross-functional collaboration and user-friendliness.

We have a pioneering diversity policy. Since 2011, we have been the proud recipients of the GEEIS certificate (Gender Equality European & International Standard) that recognises our efforts in the areas of diversity, professional equality and inclusion.

We do not wish to restrict our social responsibility to our limited circle of customers and staff; instead we want to open a window to society at large and the world. That is why we respect fundamental rights and liberties, most specifically those of the United Nations (Principles of the United Nations Global Compact as well as UN sustainability goals).

Together with our staff we support charitable causes such as the Run for Parkinson or #OrangeMoves4RedCross. Just last year, our staff collected nearly 500 toys for the ‘Pêcheur de lune’ association. 

As a company we make an extra contribution by making our infrastructure available for free to non-profit associations. We do not charge them for fundraising texts. Every year, we sponsor countless sporting and cultural events that are very close to our heart. For example, we are the main sponsor for Belgian basketball, but we also sponsor numerous smaller events.