#AI Technology #Sustainability Report #ZTE Corporation

ZTE Corporation Reveals its Sustainability Report 2025

On May 21, 2026, ZTE Corporation, a prominent global provider of information and communication technology solutions, published its 2025 Sustainability Report. This report outlines the company's latest advancements in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), marking the 18th consecutive year ZTE has voluntarily disclosed its sustainability performance.

In his introduction, Xu Ziyang, CEO of ZTE, emphasized the ongoing commitment to their 'Connectivity + Computing' strategy. He noted that ZTE seeks to enable high-quality, sustainable economic development through technology, and collaborates with partners towards an intelligent future that is more efficient, greener, and inclusive.

Achievements in Technology and Innovation

In terms of investment in research and development, ZTE allocated approximately 22.76 billion RMB in 2025, accounting for about 17% of its total revenue, to enhance its extensive AI capabilities. By the end of 2025, the company had filed around 95,000 patent applications globally, of which over 50,000 have been granted. Within the semiconductor sector, they secured close to 5,900 patent applications and garnered more than 3,700 patents. Notably, in the field of AI, ZTE has almost 5,500 patent applications, with nearly half successfully awarded.

Commitment to a Green Future

As a leader in scientifically based carbon reduction, ZTE is paving the way for the 'digital green path.' The company integrates climate action into its strategy across four dimensions: green business operations, green supply chains, green digital infrastructure, and green industry empowerment. These initiatives aim to meet science-based commitments effectively. For the first phase of the ZTE Net-Zero Strategy, ZTE successfully exceeded its operational carbon footprint reduction target by achieving a 46% decrease compared to 2021. Furthermore, ZTE recorded an 8.55% reduction in Scope 3 emissions intensity during the lifecycle of telecom products, culminating in a 3.05% annual decrease in absolute emissions.

Social Impact and Inclusivity

Globally, ZTE advocates for equal communication rights and digital access. In 2025, the company recognized its workforce as its most valuable asset, achieving 100% coverage for employee training and conducting regular Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). ZTE also received reassessment of its ISO 45001 system for all domestic and production sites alongside operations across 30 countries.

To enhance public engagement, ZTE advanced its volunteer service program, with over 20,000 employee volunteers contributing to more than 600 community initiatives throughout the year. These efforts positively impacted over one million people, underscoring ZTE's commitment to fostering a more inclusive and sustainable society.

Governance and Compliance Enhancements

ZTE continues to refine its three-tiered governance system for sustainability — 'strategy-decision-making-execution'. The company proactively addresses emerging risks to ensure consistent strategic objective implementation. In 2025, ZTE earned ISO 223012019 certification for Business Continuity Management Systems across five major production and R&D facilities.

The governance of data compliance is deemed vital within ZTE's overall framework. Along with releasing an updated ZTE Privacy Protection White Paper, the firm achieved ePrivacyseal Global certification from the EU for five significant fixed network and multimedia products, thereby bolstering world-class data protection standards.

ZTE's ESG initiatives have garnered global recognition, being rated as