The possible negative health effects of mobile phones and their
networks have been the main corporate responsibility concern raised by
investors with Vodafone in the past year.
The mobile phone company’s latest statistics show it held meetings with
20 institutional investors on CSR issues during 2004-05, and that 17 of
them raised the issue of radio frequency fields and health. As a result
of the meetings, Vodafone says it now realizes its reporting and
communication on potential health risks ‘could be improved’, and has
set a goal of ‘leading the industry in terms of transparency and
communications on radio frequency fields and health’.
As a start, its website now links to independent review bodies on the
topic, and the company has upgraded training for employees so they are
better able to discuss the issue with customers.
Other CSR topics raised by investors were inappropriate content on
mobile phones, handset recycling and ethical supply chain issues, which
all came up in 14 of the meetings.
On inappropriate content, Vodafone has committed itself to make
available a global mobile internet filtering device to all markets by
March 2007 and to issue a policy on premium rate services by March 2006.
It has set a target of increasing handsets collected for recycling by
50 per cent by March 2007 and to have return schemes in all countries
by the same date.
On supply chains, it will complete ten site evaluations with its
highest risk global suppliers by March next year, and will deliver
ethical supply chain training to 80 per cent of its purchasing
managers.
