Orange, Alcatel-Lucent to showcase Green ICT Solutions at Sustainability Virtual Summits: Smart ICT

Online, October 27, 2009 (Newswire.com) - The UN Global Compact, a strategic policy initiative for businesses committed to aligning their operations and strategies with specific environmental principles, will lend its support to the Sustainability Virtual Summits: Smart ICT virtual conference and exhibition, as a way to continue the important discussions that will take place at the Copenhagen Climate Conference. The Sustainability Virtual Summits: Smart ICT event will include a virtual conference to reflect the goals and aspirations of the UN Climate Change Conference, and the Copenhagen Protocols. Orange, a leading telco and a global telecommunications provider present in 220 countries and territories, Alcatel-Lucent, a leader in fixed, mobile and converged broadband networking, IP technologies, applications and services and a long-standing member of the United Nations Global Compact and a signatory of the Caring for Climate Initiative, and the Telecommunications Industry Association, a trade association for the ICT industry, have joined the Sustainability Virtual Summits: Smart ICT event as inaugural ICT Global Leader sponsors.

Sustainability Virtual Summits: Smart ICT virtual conference and exhibition, which will launch online on February 9, 2010, is the first in a series of virtual events focusing on technologies that will dramatically contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change. The conference will harness a powerful collaboration of enterprise, government, NGOs and influencer groups. The virtual exhibition will give participating companies the opportunity to showcase Green ICT solutions, in themed halls and ICT Pavilions that include the "Carbon Efficient Management Software" hall hosted by Connection Research of Sydney, Australia, the "ICT Green" hall hosted by the Telecommunications Industry Association, and the "Smart Grid Pavilion from Telco 2.0". The Sustainability Virtual Summits don't just talk about these technological developments - they employ the technologies themselves in the staging of this fully virtual online event.

Orange has a long history of corporate and environmental responsibility and is a major supporter of the "Factor 4 Objective," a set of environmental strategies formulated by France's Working Group on "Achieving a fourfold reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in France by 2050." In December of 2007, Orange launched its "Green IT" campaign designed to "raise corporate awareness about communications solutions that will reduce the environmental impact of their activities and contribute to our collective well-being." Barbara Dalibard, President and CEO of Orange Business Services, will deliver a virtual keynote address to Sustainability Virtual Summits: Smart ICT.

According to Axel Haentjens, Vice President Marketing, Brand & External Communications of Orange Business Services, "Sustainable development is a long term commitment. As a global telecommunications provider, we have a key role to play in helping our customers meet the challenge of environmental responsibility. Orange's global sponsorship of the Sustainability Virtual Summits is an opportunity for us to help other businesses, both large and small, develop ecologically sound strategies for themselves and their clients, in a setting that is itself an example of those type of strategies."

Mark Barounos, President of conference organizer G2Events, said, "We are very excited to welcome the UN Global Compact, Orange, Alcatel-Lucent and TIA as major event supporters. The combination of a leading NGO like the UN Global Compact, enterprise businesses like Orange and Alcatel-Lucent, and an industry association like TIA sets a great example for other multinational companies to get involved in issues that affect the entire planet."

Sustainability Virtual Summits: Smart ICT will be a telepresence and collaborative conferencing-enabled event. ICT Pavilion Sponsors Connection Research, the Telecommunications Industry Association and Telco 2.0 will host specialty virtual exhibit halls, and will moderate track and panel discussions focusing on carbon efficient management software, sustainable information and communications technologies and Smart Grids, respectively. ICT Smart Leader sponsors Domani, NineSigma and the Human Productivity Lab will bring their consulting expertise to the event. Network sponsor Masergy, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, CSRwire, the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI), the Interactive Multimedia Collaborative Communications Alliance (IMCCA), the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, the Carbon Free Meeting Coalition, the Green Computing Impact Organization, the Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability, the International Society of Sustainability Professionals, TelepresenceWorld.net, and Terrapass are among the initial supporting organizations of the conference. For more details on how you can get involved, please contact the organizers at [email protected].

Visit www.SustainabilityVirtualSummits.com to learn more about the events, or to take a demo tour of the virtual event environment. Speaking, sponsoring and exhibiting opportunities at the Sustainability Virtual Summits: Smart ICT event will be similar to those at a physical event, but without the cost and trouble of travel, or the associated greenhouse gas emissions. Registration as an Attendee to the Sustainability Virtual Summits is free of charge.

About Orange

Orange is the key brand of France Telecom, one of the world's leading telecommunications operators. With 124.5 million customers, the Orange brand now covers Internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the Group operates. At the end of 2008, France Telecom had consolidated sales of 53.5 billion euros (25.5 billion euros for the first half of 2009) and at June 30, 2009, the Group had a customer base of 186 million customers in 32 countries. These include 125.5 million mobile customers and 13.4 million broadband Internet (ADSL) customers worldwide. Orange is the number three mobile operator and the number two provider of broadband Internet services in Europe and, under the brand Orange Business Services, is one of the world leaders in providing telecommunication services to multinational companies.

The Group's strategy, which is characterized by a strong focus on innovation, convergence and effective cost management, aims to establish Orange as an integrated operator and benchmark for new telecommunications services in Europe. Today the Group remains focused on its core activities as a network operator, while working to develop its position in new growth activities. To meet customer expectations, the Group strives to provide products and services that are simple and user-friendly, while maintaining a sustainable and responsible business model that can be adapted to the requirements of a fast-paced and changing eco-system.

France Telecom (NYSE:FTE) is listed on Euronext Paris (compartment A) and on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more information: www.orange.com, www.francetelecom.com, www.orange-business.com
Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trade marks of Orange Personal Communications Services Limited, Orange France or France Telecom.

About Alcatel-Lucent

About Alcatel-Lucent's eco sustainability initiatives
As a responsible corporate citizen and leader in the telecoms industry, Alcatel-Lucent works to enrich people's lives-by transforming the way the world communicates and connects, and by acting in full recognition of its social and environmental responsibilities as a company. Alcatel-Lucent also recognizes the important role the telecommunications sector must play in the global effort to address environmental issues such as climate change. It is devoted to be an active community player and to involve suppliers and business partners in its sustainability approach.

About the Telecommunications Industry Association

TIA is the respected trade association for the ICT industry and has developed more than 3,000 ANSI-accredited standards including Ethernet, CDMA technology, cell towers, public safety radios, healthcare ICT, vehicular telematics, intelligent transport systems and more. TIA is a prominent advocate on behalf of its members for universal broadband connectivity, innovation, accessibility and free trade. TIA's five strategic pillars include Government Affairs, Standards, Environment, Networking and Intelligence. Find out more about TIA membership by contacting [email protected].