Sprint
Positioning a national telecom provider as an industry leader in sustainability
Situation Summary
Situation Summary
Sprint wanted to establish itself as the leading U.S. wireless telecommunications company in corporate social responsibility, particularly in environmental performance.
Although Sprint was the first in the industry to set aggressive wireless recycling goals and implement measurable sustainability initiatives, awareness among consumers, media, and key stakeholders lagged behind. Sprint needed a disciplined communications strategy to differentiate its environmental leadership from competitors.
Qorvis Solution
Qorvis Solution
Qorvis conducted a competitive landscape analysis to identify positioning opportunities and clarify Sprint’s distinct environmental value proposition. The campaign included:
-
Outreach across national, business, and industry media outlets
-
Identification of speaking opportunities and sustainability awards
-
Development of alliances to reinforce third-party credibility
-
Message discipline linking all communications to measurable environmental outcomes
A key component of the strategy was publicizing the results of a Forrester study detailing Sprint’s internal IT audit, which showed $20 million in operational cost savings and a reduction of approximately 10,450 metric tons in IT-related carbon emissions.
The strategy elevated Sprint’s sustainability profile beyond the telecom trade press, securing coverage in national outlets such as The New York Times and the Washington Business Journal. Sprint more than doubled its share of positive environmental media coverage within one quarter and was ranked highest among U.S. telecom companies in Newsweek’s Green Rankings, placing 15th overall.
The integrated communications framework positioned sustainability as a core element of Sprint’s corporate identity and competitive differentiation.