Benchmarking sustainability initiatives among leading telecoms regulators

“Through this benchmarking study on sustainability, we have identified initiatives undertaken by telecoms regulators worldwide, assessed the impact of these initiatives, and unearthed new possibilities to further the sustainability agenda by regulators and other ICT-related government entities.” Arun Pai, Principal, and expert in sustainability, Analysys Mason

Sustainability as a regulatory goal

A telecoms regulator in the Middle East was eager to progress its sustainability agenda on the basis of emerging best practice across other advanced telecoms regulators. With operators exploring every possible advantage to stay ahead of their competitors, it falls to regulators to create a competitive yet sustainable market that encourages fair outcomes while balancing environmental impact and ensuring robust human resource development.

Learning from leading regulators

Our benchmark study began with identification of regulatory regimes across the world, which was filtered to produce a shortlist of major regulators with the most developed sustainability regimes. We then identified sustainability-related initiatives undertaken by these prioritised set of regulators. We found the initiatives could be classified into four main categories as shown in the figure below. In addition, we also drew from recognised international frameworks including the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to understand, measure and compare the different initiatives, and then to analyse their applicability and efficacy in the target market. 

Figure 1: Sustainability-related initiatives taken by telecoms regulators worldwide  

This insight was further enriched with experience and initiatives from other related entities, including government ministries and industry associations. This allowed us to put forward a list of recommendations for our client, prioritised according to their potential for meaningful impact.

Mapping a path to successful implementation

Our work gave our client the insight to structure and advance its own set of regulatory standards and initiatives as well as the evidence to demonstrate the viability and impact of each measure. Our benchmarks will support sustainable progress in the client’s local market, but the results would also be useful to any telecoms regulator grappling with how to ensure sustainable development of the telecoms sector.