Market Report

Telecom Energy & Sustainability (TES) Vendor Tracker | Scope 1, 2 & 3 Carbon Emissions and ESG Benchmarks

February 2026

Report Abstract

Telecom Energy & Sustainability (TES) Vendor Tracker | Scope 1, 2 & 3 Carbon Emissions and ESG Benchmarks Across 43 Global Network Equipment Vendors and Technology Suppliers 

The TES Vendor Tracker is the most comprehensive sustainability benchmarking dataset available for the global network equipment and technology supplier industry. Produced in collaboration with MTN Consulting and Téral Research, it tracks Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions alongside key ESG performance indicators across 43 of the world's leading network equipment vendors, hardware manufacturers, software providers, and technology suppliers to the telecommunications industry — including Ciena, Cisco, CommScope, Corning, Dell, Ericsson, Fiberhome, Fortinet, Huawei, IBM, Infinera, Intel, Juniper Networks (now part of HPE), Lenovo, Microsoft, NEC, Nokia, Oracle, Prysmian, Samsung, SAP, Spirent, Sumitomo, ZTE, and many more. 

Built from vendors' annual sustainability reports, and normalized against a consistent methodology, the TES Vendor Tracker delivers analysis-ready data enabling like-for-like comparison across vendors, product categories, and geographies. As CSPs embed sustainability requirements into procurement RFPs, and as regulators tighten supply chain emissions disclosure requirements, understanding where your vendors — or your competitors — stand on decarbonization has moved from a reputational question to a commercial one. 

Scope 3 emissions have made one thing unavoidable: no company can deliver a credible sustainability strategy on its own. The largest gains now depend on the quality of supplier relationships and the maturity of collaboration along value chains. The TES Vendor Tracker provides benchmarking data that makes that collaboration possible. 

Coverage 

  • Vendors tracked: 43 global network equipment vendors, hardware manufacturers, software providers, and technology suppliers to the telecommunications industry
  • Key vendors include: Ciena, Cisco, CommScope, Corning, Dell, Ericsson, Fiberhome, Fortinet, Huawei, IBM, Infinera, Intel, Juniper Networks (HPE), Lenovo, Microsoft, NEC, Nokia, Oracle, Prysmian, Samsung, SAP, Spirent, Sumitomo, ZTE, and more
  • Emissions: Scope 1 (direct combustion and operations), Scope 2 (purchased electricity and heat), Scope 3 (full value chain — manufacturing, supply chain, use-phase of sold products, end-of-life)
  • ESG indicators: Renewable energy mix, energy intensity  
  • Vendor categories: RAN equipment, optical networking, IP/MPLS routing and switching, 5G core, network software and automation, IT infrastructure, cables and connectivity, and professional services
  • Time period: Multi-year historical data with year-on-year trend analysis 

What You Get 

  • Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions per vendor — absolute figures and normalised intensity metrics (per unit of revenue, per employee, per product shipment where disclosed)
  • Year-on-year carbon emissions trend data across all 43 tracked vendors
  • Use of renewable energy
  • Peer benchmarking within vendor categories — compare Ericsson vs Nokia vs Huawei on ESG performance; Cisco vs Juniper Networks vs Nokia on network software sustainability disclosures
  • Identification of leading and lagging vendors on decarbonization maturity, disclosure quality, and target credibility
  • Data delivered in Excel format, fully structured and analysis-ready for immediate use 

Why Vendor Sustainability Benchmarking Matters Now 

Telecommunications network equipment is one of the most energy-intensive product categories in the global technology supply chain. Hardware and software significantly contribute to greenhouse emissions, and enterprises are increasingly considering the efficiency and recyclability of networking equipment when setting up ESG targets. 

For network equipment vendors, the implications are direct: CSPs sourcing from vendors without credible Scope 3 disclosures face growing regulatory and reputational exposure. For investors and analysts, the ability to compare vendor ESG performance within a consistent framework is now a prerequisite for credible coverage. The TES Vendor Tracker provides that framework. 

Request a Sample or Get the Full TES Vendor Tracker 

To request a sample of the TES Vendor Tracker, purchase full access, or discuss licensing options for your organization, contact us at contact@teralresearch.com 

Questions about vendor coverage, methodology, or data format? Contact Us · Purchase Services

Stéphane Téral

About the Author

Stéphane Téral, Founder & Chief Analyst

With over 35 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, including 28 years in Silicon Valley, Stéphane Téral is regarded as one of the top analysts in his field, having been the trusted advisor at some of the world's largest telecom providers and manufacturers. He specializes in next-generation wireless infrastructure including 5G and 6G, network disaggregation and automation, cloud and quantum networking, programmable core networks and communications service provider digital transformation.

As an advisor to start-ups, service providers, vendors and the investment community, Stéphane helps clients identify new market opportunities, conducts due diligence, and advises on positioning, product development, business plans and M&A. A highly sought thinker and speaker, Stéphane is frequently quoted in prestigious publications such as The Economist, Nikkei Asia, Le Monde, Les Echos, L’Usine Nouvelle, Barron's, and The Wall Street Journal. He also chairs and presents at global industry events including Brooklyn 6G Summit, FYUZ, GSMA Mobile World Congress, OCP Regional Summit, and NGMN IC&E. Stéphane has been a frequent expert judge for industry and technology innovation awards, such as the GSMA Global Mobile Awards (the GLOMOS), and the Layer123 World Congress.

Stéphane founded TÉRAL RESEARCH in January 2023 after 2 years as a Chief Analyst at LightCounting, which he joined in May 2020, after serving as a Technology Fellow at IHS Markit where he was also rewarded with the 2016 Market Research Excellence Award. Previously, he spent 8 years as a principal analyst at Infonetics Research after starting his analyst career at RHK, where he developed the European optical coverage and helped carriers migrate from PSTN to next-generation networks. Prior to RHK, he was an R&D engineer and project manager with Alcatel where he deployed the CATV optical networks that allowed the 1992 Olympics and the grand opening of Euro Disney to be televised using fiber optics for the first time. Stéphane is a McGowan Scholar at the McLaren School of Business of the University of San Francisco where he received his MBA with an emphasis in telecommunications. He holds an engineering degree in telecommunications from the Institut Polytechnique de Paris, France.