The Importance of Industrial Ecology and Design for Environment to AT&T

AT&T recognizes that Industrial Ecology and Design for Environment (DFE) are critical AT&T competencies which are vital now and will become a key to corporate success in the next century. There are three fundamental reasons for this: 1) the need to control environmental compliance costs; 2) customer needs and demands; and 3) the need to enlarge market access and generate continuous competitive advantage. In the longer term, environmental competence and offerings, especially in services that reduce material and energy consumption, will be increasingly important to ensure that AT&T continues as a leading firm in the next century. Industrial ecology and DFE are thus crucial skills from the viewpoint of all AT&T stakeholders: customers, employees, stockholders, and the communities within which the firm serves.