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ZTE Corporation's 2025 Sustainability Report: Pioneering Sustainable Development with AI

ZTE Corporation, a global leader in integrated information and communication technology solutions, has recently released its 2025 Sustainability Report. This document highlights significant achievements and developments in the company’s commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices. For the 18th consecutive year, ZTE voluntarily shares its sustainability outcomes with the global community.

Commitment to Sustainable Development

In the report, CEO Xu Ziyang emphasizes ZTE's ongoing dedication to driving high-quality economic development through technological advancements. He stated, "Guided by our 'Connectivity + Computing' strategy, we remain committed to promoting sustainable economic growth and collaborating with partners to build a future that is more efficient, greener, and inclusive."

In 2025, ZTE maintained rigorous R&D investments, totaling 22.76 billion RMB, representing around 17% of total revenue. These investments support the enhancement of their comprehensive AI capabilities. By December 31, 2025, ZTE had submitted 95,000 patent applications globally, with over 50,000 granted. In the chip sector alone, the company filed approximately 5,900 patent applications and received over 3,700 patents. Furthermore, ZTE has nearly 5,500 AI-related patent applications, with almost half already granted.

Leading Carbon Reduction and Green Initiatives

ZTE is fully integrating climate protection into its business strategy, advancing on the 'Digital Green Road' through four pivotal dimensions: green corporate actions, green supply chain management, green digital infrastructure, and strengthening the green industry. In 2025, ZTE surpassed its Phase I goals outlined in the Net-Zero Strategy White Paper, achieving a remarkable 46% reduction in operational carbon emissions compared to 2021 through energy-saving management practices and technology like AI-driven dynamic scaling and remote control.

The company's efforts to decrease emissions also extended to Scope 3 emissions, with an 8.55% reduction in physical emission intensity during the usage and maintenance phases of telecommunications products, and a 3.05% decrease in absolute emissions over the entire lifecycle of end-user devices.

ZTE has been recognized for its environmental management excellence, being named on the coveted CDP Climate A-List for three consecutive years.

Empowering Communities through Technology

ZTE continues to advocate for equal communication rights and digital opportunities worldwide. Recognizing that talent is its most valuable asset, the company maintained 100% training coverage for employees in 2025 and regularly initiated programs under its Employee Assistance Program (EAP). ZTE also successfully passed the re-evaluation for its ISO 45001 system for all domestic operations and facilities and those in 30 overseas countries.

In public welfare, the company further strengthened its volunteer service system, with over 20,000 employee volunteers participating in more than 600 global community programs throughout the year, benefiting over a million people. This commitment underscores ZTE’s dedication to fostering a more inclusive and sustainable society.

Governance Enhancement and Compliance

ZTE is continuously enhancing its three-tiered sustainability governance system, which includes strategy development, decision-making, and execution, addressing new risks proactively to ensure the ongoing realization of its strategic goals. In 2025, they achieved ISO 223012019 certification for its Business Continuity Management System across five production sites and key FE centers.

The company views data compliance governance as a critical component of its overall compliance framework. ZTE has published an updated ZTE Privacy Protection White Paper and received EU's ePrivacyseal Global certification for five key fixed-line and multimedia products in 2025, strengthening its world-class data privacy standards.

ZTE's ongoing ESG efforts have received global accolades, having been rated 'Low ESG Risk' by Sustainalytics for the fourth consecutive year, earning a place on the Fortune China ESG Impact List for 2025, and receiving the 'Excellence in Practice Award' from the Association for Talent Development (ATD) for the sixth year in a row.

Looking Ahead: A Commitment to Innovation and Sustainability

Moving forward, ZTE plans to leverage its strengths in FE innovation and the commercialization of fundamental technology. The company remains focused on actively supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while advancing society towards a future that is more efficient, greener, smarter, and inclusive.

For those interested, the ZTE Sustainability Report 2025 can be downloaded from here. To find out more about ZTE's sustainability initiatives, visit their sustainability website.

About ZTE

ZTE is a provider of modern telecommunications systems, mobile devices, and network solutions for mobile operators, enterprises, public institutions, and private users. The company delivers integrated innovations and high-quality products to over 500 operators in more than 160 countries, investing a minimum of ten percent of its annual revenue into research and development. ZTE is listed on the Hong Kong and Shenzhen stock exchanges (H-share code 0763.HK / A-share code 000063.SZ) and is a member of the UN Global Compact network, underscoring its commitment to corporate social responsibility.