Global Reporting Initiative Standard Disclosures
Climate change & GHG emissions MA; 305-1; 305-2;
305-3; 305-4; 305-5
Global Reporting Initiative Standard Disclosures
Climate change & GHG emissions MA; 305-1; 305-2;
305-3; 305-4; 305-5
ESG Material Issues
Climate change & GHG emissions
ESG Material Issues
Climate change & GHG emissions
Our Position
AT&T is committed to measuring and reducing our GHG emissions.
1 All 2021 data is inclusive of all AT&T operations (including DIRECTV, Vrio, Xandr and WarnerMedia). Note: In July 2021, we completed a transaction with TPG Capital involving our North America video business – including DIRECTV, AT&T TV and U-verse – to form a new company called DIRECTV. In November 2021, we completed the sale of our Latin America video operations, Vrio, to Grupo Werthein. In April 2022, we completed a transaction to combine our WarnerMedia segment, subject to certain exceptions, with a subsidiary of Discovery Inc. In June 2022, we completed the sale of the programmatic advertising marketplace component of Xandr Inc to Microsoft.
2 Carbon footprint does not include supplier emissions.
3 Intensity metrics relative to our total number of subscribers include North America wireless, wireline voice and domestic broadband subscribers, as identified in our fiscal year 2021 Form 10-K.
Our Goals
TOPIC: GHG Emissions
(Approved by the Science Based Targets initiative in 2021.)
2021 Scope 1 and 2 emissions were 5,547,709 metric tons of CO2e. This represents a 37.17% reduction from our 2015 base year (8,829,258 metric tons of CO2e) - 59.0% attainment toward our Scope 1 and 2 science-based target. 1 1 All 2021 data is inclusive of all AT&T operations (including DIRECTV, Vrio, Xandr and WarnerMedia). Note: In July 2021, we completed a transaction with TPG Capital involving our North America video business – including DIRECTV, AT&T TV and U-verse – to form a new company called DIRECTV. In November 2021, we completed the sale of our Latin America video operations, Vrio, to Grupo Werthein. In April 2022, we completed a transaction to combine our WarnerMedia segment, subject to certain exceptions, with a subsidiary of Discovery Inc. In June 2022, we completed the sale of the programmatic advertising marketplace component of Xandr Inc to Microsoft.
TOPIC: Carbon Neutrality
TOPIC: Customer Emissions Reduction Enablement
2035 GOAL: Deliver connectivity solutions that enable business customers to reduce a gigaton (1 billion metric tons) of GHG emissions between 2018 and 2035.
AT&T-enabled customer GHG emissions reductions measured between 2018 and 2021 totaled 110.3 million metric tons of CO2e – approximately 11% attainment toward our Gigaton Goal. 5 5 Data does not include DIRECTV or Vrio.
Our Action
In 2021, AT&T joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) – a joint effort of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), World Wide Fund for Nature, United Nations Global Compact and World Resources Institute to reduce our GHG emissions in line with international consensus on limiting global temperature increases to 1.5°C. AT&T’s SBTi-approved goals are to:
- Reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 63% by 2030 (2015 base year). Between 2015 and 2021, we reduced Scope 1 and 2 emissions 37.2% and are currently ahead of our timeline to achieve our target by 2030. 1 1 All 2021 data is inclusive of all AT&T operations (including DIRECTV, Vrio, Xandr and WarnerMedia). Note: In July 2021, we completed a transaction with TPG Capital involving our North America video business – including DIRECTV, AT&T TV and U-verse – to form a new company called DIRECTV. In November 2021, we completed the sale of our Latin America video operations, Vrio, to Grupo Werthein. In April 2022, we completed a transaction to combine our WarnerMedia segment, subject to certain exceptions, with a subsidiary of Discovery Inc. In June 2022, we completed the sale of the programmatic advertising marketplace component of Xandr Inc to Microsoft..
- Work to ensure 50% of our suppliers (covering purchased goods and services, capital goods and downstream leased assets as a portion of spend) set their own science-based Scope 1 and Scope 2 targets by 2024. Through the end of 2021, 47% of our suppliers by spend have set such targets.
Since most of our emissions are tied to energy use, we aim to meet these targets by optimizing energy use in our facilities and networks, purchasing renewable energy and engaging our key suppliers to encourage emissions reductions upstream. Read more in our Energy Management issue brief.
The AT&T Implementation, Provisioning and Optimization organization oversees numerous aspects of our business that impact GHG emissions, including energy efficiency and energy conservation measures, decommissioning activities, and renewable energy programs and purchases. Other measures affecting our emissions – such as our fleet, employee travel and expense policies – are managed within distinct departments in accordance with organizational directives and procedures.
We evolve our GHG emissions management program and reporting tools to keep pace with the changing landscape and scope of our company, as well as with relevant standards, protocols and best practices. We work with an integrated energy services provider to compile, analyze and produce annual reports related to our GHG emissions. The content and methods related to data calculation, estimation and aggregation are reviewed each year to identify opportunities for improvement.
We also obtain annual, independent assurance of our Scope 1, 2 and 3 (select categories) emissions, as well as select energy figures. For our 2021 reporting, S&P Global Sustainable1 conducted this assurance effort. Its rigor in this process helps us realize continual, year-over-year improvements in accuracy. Learn more in the Independent Accountant’s Report.
Performance
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Scope 1 (Direct Emissions)
FLEET
We are members of the Corporate Electric Vehicles Alliance, which serves as a collaboration platform for companies to increase corporate demand for EVs and identify challenges and opportunities with adding EVs to their fleets. Additionally, in 2021, we began developing a Fleet Emissions Roadmap that will map our expected progress over the next 10 years. The plan will identify work needed on utility upgrades, plan site-specific readiness efforts and help us execute the procurement of EV supply equipment and EVs.
REGRIGERANTS
STATIONARY ENGINES

Scope 2 (Indirect Emissions)
AT&T reports emissions using market-based Scope 2 emissions in accordance with the GHG Protocol, enabling us to account for renewable electricity in our portfolio.
Since purchased electricity represents our greatest opportunity for emissions savings, we have multi-year transition plans in place to reduce electricity consumption where possible and accelerate energy efficiency efforts. In addition to reducing our energy use, we purchase renewable energy so that the energy we do consume is sustainably generated. The primary reduction in Scope 2 emissions resulted from additional renewable energy in our portfolio, the decommissioning of network and real estate assets, and network radio resource efficiency improvements. We also implemented various internal efficiency projects, including building optimization modifications and repairs including HVAC upgrades and lighting retrofits.
See our Energy Management issue brief for more information about our energy programs.
Scope 3 (Other Emissions)
AT&T reports on 6 Scope 3 emissions categories that are material to our business. In 2022, we are again evaluating the materiality of all 15 of the GHG Protocol categories. Our most relevant sources of Scope 3 emissions include:
Scope 3 Emissions Sources |
MT CO2e |
---|---|
2020 Emissions – Supplier Emissions 8 8 Purchased goods and services, capital goods, and upstream transportation and distribution data is estimated based on economic allocation of 2020 supplier GHG emissions, revenue and spend data for AT&T Communications. DIRECTV, Vrio, Xandr and WarnerMedia are not included. The emissions are calculated from supplier responses to CDP Supply Chain using the industry-accepted economic allocation model.
|
|
Purchased Goods and Services | 1,499,797 |
Capital Goods | 182,192 |
Upstream Transportation and Distribution | 116,591 |
2021 Emissions |
|
Waste Generated in Operations 9 9 Data is inclusive of DIRECTV, Xandr and WarnerMedia for the full year. Note: In July 2021, we completed a transaction with TPG Capital involving our North America video business – including DIRECTV, AT&T TV and U-verse – to form a new company called DIRECTV. In June 2022, we completed the sale of the programmatic advertising marketplace component of Xandr Inc to Microsoft. In April 2022, we completed a transaction to combine our WarnerMedia segment, subject to certain exceptions, with a subsidiary of Discovery Inc. | 73,053 |
Business Travel 10 10 Data is inclusive of DIRECTV, Xandr, Vrio and WarnerMedia for the full year. Note: In July 2021, we completed a transaction with TPG Capital involving our North America video business – including DIRECTV, AT&T TV and U-verse – to form a new company called DIRECTV. In November 2021, we completed the sale of our Latin America video operations, Vrio, to Grupo Werthein. In June 2022, we completed the sale of the programmatic advertising marketplace component of Xandr Inc to Microsoft. In April 2022, we completed a transaction to combine our WarnerMedia segment, subject to certain exceptions, with a subsidiary of Discovery Inc. | 102,171 |
Downstream Leased Assets 10 10 Data is inclusive of DIRECTV, Xandr, Vrio and WarnerMedia for the full year. Note: In July 2021, we completed a transaction with TPG Capital involving our North America video business – including DIRECTV, AT&T TV and U-verse – to form a new company called DIRECTV. In November 2021, we completed the sale of our Latin America video operations, Vrio, to Grupo Werthein. In June 2022, we completed the sale of the programmatic advertising marketplace component of Xandr Inc to Microsoft. In April 2022, we completed a transaction to combine our WarnerMedia segment, subject to certain exceptions, with a subsidiary of Discovery Inc. , 11 11 AT&T TV and U-verse set-top boxes are included through July 2021. In July 2021, we completed a transaction with TPG Capital involving our North America video business – including DIRECTV, AT&T TV and U-verse – to form a new company called DIRECTV. Vrio set-top boxes are included through EOY 2021 because the exclusion of December emissions is immaterial. In November 2021, we completed the sale of our Latin America video operations, Vrio, to Grupo Werthein. | 1,658,054 |
SUPPLIER EMISSIONS: PURCHASED GOODS AND SERVICES, CAPITAL GOODS, UPSTREAM TRANSPORTATION AND DISTRIBUTION
WASTE GENERATED IN OPERATIONS
To calculate our emissions related to waste generation, we use the Environmental Protection Agency’s Waste Reduction Model. We delineate our waste material by corrugated containers, office paper, dimensional lumber, yard trimmings, mixed paper, mixed metals, mixed plastics, mixed recyclables, food waste, mixed organics and mixed municipal solid waste.
BUSINESS TRAVEL
Our business-related travel includes air and rail travel and rental car use. It does not include rideshare or taxi use.
DOWNSTREAM LEASED ASSETS