Accenture identified over 30 innovations that Vodafone could implement to benefit mobile users, society and itself.
These business opportunities have the potential to make 1.7bn new service connections for Vodafone; to reduce carbon emissions; increase smallholder farmer incomes by $138bn (£82bn); and save organisations around $70bn through improved productivity and reduced energy costs.
Over three years, Accenture produced a series of reports for Vodafone:
• In 2010 Carbon Connections looked at the role of mobile phones in a low carbon economy
• In 2012 Connected Agriculture considered the role of mobile phones in food and agriculture
• In 2013 Connected Worker studied the ways mobile phones can improve working life in emerging economies
The studies concluded that mobile technology has the potential to give people access to financial services, mobile health services and information vital to their livelihoods.
Machine-to-machine technologies could make transport systems, buildings and other aspects of life more efficient.
Once the studies had been published, Accenture helped Vodafone take the opportunities they had identified.
The Carbon Connections study, for instance, set out how Vodafone could reach potential customers for machine-to-machine services that would help businesses reduce their energy and fuel use, while making their operations more efficient.
The Connected Agriculture study found that mobile technology could boost farmers' productivity by $138bn by 2020 across Vodafone's markets, primarily in India, Africa and the Middle East.
One example of the way mobile helps farmers is the Vodafone farmer's club in Turkey.
This service gives farmers information to improve their harvests and livelihoods – boosting Turkish farmers' productivity by an estimated €190m (£156m) in 2012-13. Farmers who sign up to the service receive SMS alerts with weather forecasts, crop prices and other information tailored to their local area and crop. Vodafone is expanding the service to Kenya and other countries.
The Connected Worker research projected that across 12 markets, the six opportunities identified could increase workers' incomes by $7.7bn (£4.6bn) by 2020, benefiting organisations to the tune of a further $30.6bn through improved productivity. Innovations included job matching services, using mobile to identify and authenticate workers' identities, improved training and learning through SMS or texting and the ability to monitor and track workers' performance.
The results impressed the Guardian judges in a tough category where they found it difficult to make a decision. On top of the impressive figures, judges felt that "social impact is integrated into the company's business case and not just an add-on".
The partnership with Accenture allows them to improve the livelihoods and productivity of 1.5 billion people – 1.1 billion of them in emerging markets – covered by Vodafone's network.
Lorna Thorpe is part of the wordworks network
The Guardian Sustainable Business Sustainability Case Studies contain articles on all the initiatives that met the criteria for the GSB Awards.
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