While AT&T received an increase in points in Energy Impact, this is more than offset by its decline in advocacy leadership, including receiving 5 penalty points for its membership with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

AT&T scores slightly higher in the Energy Impact category for taking a larger initiative to understand its product and supply chain emissions. AT&T has the potential to score higher in this category with a more aggressive infrastructure siting policy that states a preference for renewable energy.

AT&T has the potential to establish itself as an important clean energy leader within the IT sector. It should begin by withdrawing its support from ALEC, an organisation that promotes many state bills designed to undermine critical policies to increase renewable energy and combat climate change. AT&T should then use its considerable influence among government decision-makers - the company ranked 10th in federal corporate lobbying expenditures in the US in 2012, spending over $17m US dollars - to push for policy changes that would unlock the kind of IT energy savings potential identified in the SMARTer2020 report that AT&T sponsored.

AT&T's performance in detail: Download the company’s Scorecard here