Telefonica is working to help enterprises decarbonize their operations

Telefonica is setting ambitious targets in areas like renewable electricity usage to hit objectives which will both help the planet and increase efficiency.

In doing so, the company is enabling its customers to reduce their emissions as the world steps up its efforts to combat climate change.

Daniel Ribaya González, director of cloud products and services at Telefónica Tech, says the company recognizes the urgent need to reduce global CO2 emissions.

“As a company, we have strengthened our commitment to help limit the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and our executive committee approved the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2040 across Telefonica’s entire value chain,” says Ribaya. “Since 2016, we have reduced all our emissions by 51%, and in our primary markets, 100% of the electricity we consume comes from renewable sources. By 2030 we aim to do the same for all our operations worldwide – a goal that is at the core of VMware’s Zero Carbon Committed initiative as well.”

Ribaya believes such efforts are important from multiple perspectives.

“We believe the objectives we have laid out in our sustainability plan, and our participation in efforts like the VMware Zero Carbon Committed initiative are important first from a corporate responsibility perspective,” he adds. “They are consistent with the fact that as a company we work hard to make positive contributions to the planet, minimize our carbon footprint, and help maintain the fragile environmental balance we all depend on. They also help us reduce our costs and optimize our processes – a differentiator that helps us compete even more effectively on the global stage. And they help and benefit our customers.”

Ribaya says Telefónica Tech has already helped customers avoid 12 million tons of CO2 emissions. More than half of the company’s portfolio has also achieved Telefónica’s Eco Smart Seal verified by ,AENOR, a designation that enables customers to quickly identify solutions and services that deliver energy savings, reduce water consumption, lower CO2 emissions and extend the useful life of hardware to promote a circular economy.

“Most of our customers come to us looking for a reliable partner to guide them in their digital transformation,” says Ribaya. “They expect state-of-the-art, energy efficient products and services, as well as guidance on how to best achieve their sustainability goals – something we see in the increasing number of tender requests that include sustainability and efficiency requirements. Our genuine commitment to sustainability enables us to address those requirements effectively and directly across industries.”

Notably, he sees Telefonica’s solutions as a key contributor to such efforts. Ultimately, they lead to digital transformations that not only enable business success but contribute to a better future for everyone.

“In the face of the climate challenge we face today, smart technologies – including cloud services – are some of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal to decarbonize the economy, increase access to renewable energies, and create a fair and inclusive digital transformation that benefits everyone,” says Ribaya. “With technology we can uncover new opportunities for progress while simultaneously making a positive impact on the planet.”

Those technologies include not only advanced AI and connected devices, but also Telefonica’s Virtual Data Center offering, an Infrastructure-as-a-Service platform based on VMware technologies and available in 7 countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Spain and the United States. Being VMware Cloud Verified, and having earned the VMware Sovereign Cloud distinction, it offers enterprises a complete portfolio of compute, storage, security and networking solutions.

Clients can also choose from a wide range of options, including a myriad of fully managed services, among them Disaster Recovery, Backup-as-a-Service and Monitoring-as-a-Service – all while using the VMware technologies they know and trust. The impact is something Ribaya values and takes personally.

Learn more about Telefónica and its partnership with VMware here.