Global consulting and analyst firm Frost & Sullivan has awarded Sprint [NYSE:S] its 2013 North American Award for Green Excellence. Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated superior technological advancement, which is aligned with a sustainable and environmentally conscious objective within its industry sector.

“Sprint has implemented more green initiatives than any competing mobile operator in the country,” said Frost & Sullivan Mobile & Wireless Research Director Brent Iadarola. “This award recognizes Sprint for its identification of unique and revolutionary solutions while integrating sustainability into every level of its business.”

Sprint was recognized for its widespread commitment to sustainability, particularly in areas where the carrier has led the telecommunications industry by making an aggressive commitment or by being the first to address and seek solutions to specific issues. For example, Sprint’s partnership with UL Environment (ULE) produced the first environmental standard for mobile devices, ULE 110. The ULE 110 standard sets product guidelines in manufacturing and operations, performance, energy management, sustainable innovation and packaging.

Sprint was also the first – and continues to be the only – U.S. wireless carrier to outline specific commitments that address electronic waste (e-waste) holistically by focusing on the full lifecycle of the electronics it buys and sells. Its Electronics Stewardship Policy, developed with guidance from BSR, Basel Action Network and ABI Research, publicly states Sprint’s pledge to responsibly recycle electronic scrap while striving to boost equipment recycling and reuse. To date, the carrier’s groundbreaking device trade-in program, Sprint Buyback, and other wireless device recycling programs have collected more than 47 million devices while putting more than $100 million back in customers’ pockets.

Sprint has the most aggressive greenhouse gas (GHG) emission-reduction goals of any U.S. wireless carrier and was the first to publicly announce an absolute emission reduction goal. It’s more than halfway to its goal of a 20 percent absolute emission reduction by 2017, thanks in part to the introduction of more-efficient equipment as part of Network Vision, an increase in renewable energy purchases, energy efficiency improvements at its data centers and a shift to more fuel-efficient SmartWay certified fleet vehicles.

The carrier has also committed to reducing paper use by 40 percent by 2017, and has made tremendous headway on that goal thanks to innovations like its reusable, two-in-one- ecoEnvelope™. Even Sprint’s Overland Park campus – with its recycled rainwater, native wetlands and bird species and ambitious composting and recycling programs – was highlighted as a differentiator.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

Sprint continues to receive recognition for its leadership in environmental practices. In each of the last two years, the carrier has been named No. 3 in the United States by Newsweek’s annual Green Rankings of the 500 greenest companies. In 2012, the carrier was named No. 4 – and the only wireless provider – on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Top 20 Technology & Telecom list of green power users within the sector. Sprint has also been recognized by independent analyst firm Verdantix for its corporate sustainability performance; and for the last two years, Sprint Buyback has been named the best buyback program in the industry by Compass Intelligence based on an overall score among national carriers.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 55 million customers at the end of 2012 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers in customer satisfaction and most improved, across all 47 industries, during the last four years. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in both its 2011 and 2012 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. Frost & Sullivan’s “Growth Partnership” supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating two key elements driving visionary innovation: The Integrated Value Proposition and The Partnership Infrastructure.

For more than 50 years, Frost & Sullivan has been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies? www.frost.com