Verizon Wireless 2009 Annual Report Download - page 14

The Most Admired Telecommunications Company
Verizon is committed to putting our customers first by providing excellent
service and great communications experiences. We’re also a responsible
corporate citizen, using our broadband and wireless networks to help
make lives better. Our hard work and dedication are paying off – in the
most recent rankings of the “World’s Most Admired Companies” by Fortune
magazine, Verizon was named #1 in the global telecommunications sector,
according to our peers. Our goal is to tap the potential of our employees
and our networks to address social issues that are critical to the well-being
of the communities we serve.
Network Innovation
Verizon’s intelligent broadband networks are powerful engines of growth
and innovation that will continue to have a positive impact on many of
the issues facing our society. As broadband becomes deeply embedded
in the lives of our customers, more Americans will have access to quality
education and efficient healthcare. For people with disabilities and physical
challenges, broadband enables increased accessibility – for example, our
wireless service for the visually impaired converts text into speech. In 2009,
BusinessWeek ranked Verizon 30th on its list of Most Innovative Companies,
citing the high quality of our wireless network, the rollout of our FiOS fiber-
optic service and the upcoming launch of our 4G wireless network.
Empowering Employees
Verizon is committed to offering our employees an environment where
they can gain new skills and work in an exciting growth industry. We
provide progressive health and benefit packages and encourage a balance
between work and family life. As a result, Verizon is frequently recognized as
a great place to work. Working Mother magazine named Verizon one of the
“100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” nine years in a row, as well as
one of the “Best Companies for Multicultural Women” for the fourth straight
year. We’ve been listed on DiversityInc’s “Top 50 Companies for Diversity”
for nine consecutive years, and made Latina Style magazine’s Top 12
in its annual list of the best U.S. companies for Latina employees seven
years in a row. In addition, BusinessWeek magazine named Verizon to its list
of “Best Places to Launch a Career” for the last four years.
Partnering with Communities
Our philanthropic organization, The Verizon Foundation, is committed
to fueling positive social change in issues that impact our employees,
customers and communities. The Foundation’s educational Web site,
Thinkfinity.org, provides teachers, parents and students with the best
educational resources – at no charge – to enhance teacher effectiveness
and student achievement. Our HopeLine program focuses on the
prevention of domestic violence by enabling consumers and businesses
to donate their cell phones, batteries and accessories, with proceeds
going to nearly 350 organizations combating domestic violence. Finally,
our employees are deeply dedicated to volunteerism and generously
share their talents. Last year they donated over 700,000 hours to local
community-based groups across the country and around the world.
Protecting the Environment
Verizon is committed to reducing our impact on the environment by
conserving energy, recycling and developing greener products. We’re also
working to meet the environmental challenges of other industries by help-
ing them develop smart energy grids and smart transportation solutions,
and we’re enabling our customers to reduce their energy consumption
by using innovative broadband applications. As a result, we’re the only U.S.
telecommunications company included on the Dow Jones Sustainability
North America Index, which lists North America’s leading companies as
measured by governance, social and environmental performance.
Verizon’s 1.4 million-square-foot operations center in Basking Ridge, N.J.,
earned the U.S. EPA’s prestigious Energy Star rating for placing among
the top 25% of the most energy-efficient facilities in the U.S. Forty-six
Verizon facilities have earned Energy Star ratings so far. Last year Verizon
placed in the top third on CRO magazine’s “100 Best Corporate Citizens”
and was awarded a “Green Choice Award” for recycling and conservation
initiatives by Natural Health magazine.
To learn more about Verizon’s commitment to corporate responsibility,
visit us online at verizon.com/responsibility.
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