Telephone and Data Systems Inc..
TDS.US | Other telecommunications activities
Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) is a telecommunications company providing a range of services including wireless, wireline, cable, and hosted and managed services. Through its subsidiaries, TDS delivers mobile communications, broadband, video, and voice services to residential and business cu...Show More
Better Health for All
10
TDS's core telecommunications services, particularly internet access, are recognized as a key factor in health outcomes, influencing healthcare access and enabling increased telehealth use for mental health and substance use disorders.
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High-speed internet solutions from TDS also improve operational efficiency in healthcare clinics.
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The company's products do not carry health risks requiring disclosure, nor do they have addiction potential. TDS is not a pharmaceutical or food company, and does not conduct clinical trials. During the COVID-19 pandemic, TDS demonstrated a significant response by offering 60 days of free broadband access to low-income individuals, families, and college students.
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The company also adopted all three tenets of the FCC's Keep America Connected pledge, which included forgoing late payment penalties, suspending disconnects, and opening Wi-Fi hotspots.
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Additionally, TDS participated in the Emergency Broadband Benefit program.
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TDS's internet services enable telehealth, which addresses mental health service access difficulties and provider shortages in rural areas, and strengthens healthcare workforce capacity.
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Fair Money & Economic Opportunity
0
TDS.US is a telecommunications company, and the provided articles discuss its internet services, particularly affordable options for low-income and rural areas, and general community involvement
1
. The 'Fair Money & Economic Opportunity' value and its associated KPIs are specifically designed to assess financial institutions and their activities related to lending, insuring, moving, or storing money. As TDS.US does not operate in the financial services sector, and no evidence pertains to financial products, lending practices, or financial inclusion initiatives as defined by the rubric, all KPIs are omitted.
Fair Pay & Worker Respect
-10
In 2024, the CEO to median employee pay ratio was 133:1, with the median employee pay at $72,458.
1
The company has no substantiated labor-law or human-rights violations recorded in the past three years; the most recent violation listed was a workplace safety or health violation in 2011.
2
Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing
0
No specific quantitative data was provided in the articles for any of the Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing KPIs. While some articles mention commitments to supplier diversity or general ethical conduct, they do not offer the specific percentages, numbers, or timeframes required by the rubric for scoring. For example, statements about 'preference given to certified diverse owned businesses'
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or 'supplier diversity programs' do not provide a measurable percentage of procurement budget directed to such suppliers.
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Honest & Fair Business
-40
TDS has established procedures for the receipt and treatment of complaints regarding accounting, internal controls, or auditing matters, which include provisions for confidential and anonymous submissions.
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A formal ethics hotline (1-800-589-3254) is available for anonymous reporting.
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However, the provided evidence does not include details on the independence or effectiveness of the investigation processes for these complaints.
Kind to Animals
0
The provided ESG report for TDS.US focuses on environmental, social, and governance factors
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but explicitly states that it does not contain any quantitative data relevant to animal welfare, cruelty-free practices, animal testing, or habitat conservation
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. Therefore, no assessment can be made against the 'Kind to Animals' value based on the available information, and all KPIs are omitted.
No War, No Weapons
0
The provided articles do not contain specific, concrete data points relevant to any of the 'No War, No Weapons' KPIs. details general lobbying expenditures but does not specify the share allocated to supporting or opposing arms-control legislation.
1
focuses on recruitment of military veterans and internal employee support, explicitly stating no quantitative data relevant to defense activities or peacebuilding investment is present.
2
Planet-Friendly Business
-60
TDS has Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validated targets, committing to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 42% by FY2030 from a FY2022 base year, and absolute Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions by 90% by FY2045 from a FY2022 base year.
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The company has a stated net-zero carbon target year of FY2045 across its value chain, with the FY2030 target serving as an interim milestone.
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However, the percentage of operational energy consumption sourced from renewables is reported as insignificant.
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As of December 31, 2023, TDS reported no material accruals with respect to legal proceedings in the social and economic area, indicating no major environmental compliance violations.
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Respect for Cultures & Communities
0
No specific, quantifiable data points were found in the provided articles that directly address the defined Key Performance Indicators for 'Respect for Cultures & Communities'. The articles discuss general community involvement, philanthropic donations, and internal diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts related to LGBTQ+ and disability inclusion. However, they do not provide information on formal partnerships with indigenous or local community groups, percentage of revenue reinvested in local community development, cultural appropriation incidents, cultural impact assessment protocols, local employment ratios, grievance mechanisms for community concerns, FPIC participation, community governance inclusion, cultural preservation investment, local procurement share, indigenous supplier count, cultural site protection, social license to operate, charitable giving to cultural heritage organizations, community fund allocation, language inclusivity in products and communications, cultural incident response, or cultural sensitivity training completion rates.
Safe & Smart Tech
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Users can access, correct, or delete their data by emailing privacy@tdsinc.com
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, which represents moderate data control options with standard industry practices and some friction in exercising rights.
Zero Waste & Sustainable Products
-30
TDS has implemented over 10 waste reduction initiatives.
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These include transitioning to paperless billing, with approximately 82% of new customers currently enrolled, and digital welcome kits and email notifications.
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TDS Telecom's self-install program completed 13,550 orders in 2023, avoiding 271,000 travel minutes, and recovered 1,400 pieces of equipment in 2022, diverting 442,000 pounds of waste.
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UScellular has asset management and battery recycling programs, and TDS partnered for an e-waste recycling event.
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The company reported no waste disposal violations in 2022 and 2023. For hazardous waste management, UScellular requires its device recycling and salvage vendors to be R2 certified and buyers of recovered devices to have an ISO 14001 certified environmental management system.
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These requirements also apply to key suppliers.
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TDS provides customers with guidance on responsible recycling of TDS equipment and personal electronics, recommending certified R2 or e-Stewards recyclers and advising on data security.
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