Introduction

HISTORY

Verizon Communications

“Verizon today is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers”-Verizon

Verizon was formed as a result of Bell Atlantic Corp. and GTE Corp. joining forces in the year 2000.  Verizon Communications Inc., was incorporated in Delaware with the purpose of creating a powerful company that would compete in the wireline and wireless telecommunications industry and go beyond traditional communications and IT.  Although Verizon is a relatively new corporation, it was formed by two of the largest telecommunications companies.  Bell Atlantic engineers were the creators of the fax, the first all-cable telephone system, and were involved in the launching of the first telecommunication satellite.  GTE served the United States and even internationally through affiliates and subsidiaries providing wireless connections, and telecommunications information services and systems.  Bell Atlantic was even more successful in telecommunications than GTE, due to its domestic and global wireless unit that served internationally. 

The results of the merge were more than what was imagined,

 “With well more than 100 million Americans connecting to a Verizon network daily….Verizon is also the leading provider of advanced communications and information technology solutions to large-business and government customers worldwide.”-Investor Relations/Corporate History 2010. 

Verizon has invested in other communications companies (like Rural Cellular Corp., Alltell Corp., and MCI) in order to expand its network to nearly all of the 50 states.  Verizon targets two segments, wireline and wireless. Fiber optic internet and TV, FIOS, has been one of the most recent innovations and one more successful service for this top competitor.

CEO

Ivan G. Seidenberg

“At Verizon, we…look forward to using our investment, innovation and imagination to create lasting value for our world.”- Chairman & CEO Ivan Seidenberg. 

Ivan G. Seidenberg is the CEO and Chairman that has led Verizon since its development in 2000. Seidenberg was involved in the merging of Bell Atlantic and GTE; he was the chairman and CEO for Bell Atlantic at the time of the merger.   He was responsible for introducing the wireless network and FiOS fiber-optic technology.  Seidenberg is known for his social responsibility and concern to solve world issues through technology and has not only created innovations for the success of Verizon; he has also founded programs to enhance education like Thinkfinity.org, and HopeLine to aid domestic violence victims.  In addition, he is a member of the Business Roundtable, which is an association of CEOs and was also assigned to the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee.  Ivan G. Seidenberg’s administration has guided Verizon successfully into the number one telecommunications company.

Security And Risk Management

“Our Commitment to customers is to develop security solutions well before a new security threat becomes a widespread problem”-Verizon analysts at Security Operations Center

“We maintain the biggest wireless network in the U.S., serving more than 90 million customers”- Verizon.  Security and privacy are necessary to prevent fraud, security breaches, and cyber-crime. Verizon like most broadband and wireless network companies have strict security protocols in order to protect its system and customers.

Knowledgeable employees work in the Security Operations Center 24 hours a day to ensure that the networks are safe and free of threats.  There are three forms of security that Verizon aims to protect: the personal information of costumers, businesses’ intellectual property(including its own), and government information vital for national security.  Employees cannot retrieve or view any information unless there is a business reason to do so. The security team is also responsible to update and create security and privacy solutions and programs as new technology threats come into view.

Verizon Online offers one of the fastest ways to access personal accounts and puts many security regulations to give users more control and keep their privacy. Verizon is licensed with the TRUSTe privacy program, which certifies privacy security when accessing any of the Verizon websites.  Another tool used is the VeriSign certificate that also gives the user the comfort of knowing that the website is authentic and trusted.  The TRUSTe and VeriSign help prevent pharming.  The risk of having computer hackers redirecting web traffic or requests to their servers is diminished.

Information is a crucial resource to obtain people’s behaviors and reaction to products and services. There are companies that sell consumer information, without consent, to third parties or government agencies. Verizon connects their security policies with ethical principles by enforcing a policy that prevents selling costumer information to third parties unless the customer wishes to disclose information.

Verizon also provides consumers with its own Anti-virus software package that includes all types of protection against spyware, adware, viruses, among others.  The Verizon Internet Security Suite includes:

·  Anti-Virus/Anti-Spyware

·  Anti-phishing

·  Identity Protection

·  Verizon Site Advisor

·  Enterprise-class Anti-spam

·  Network Monitoring

·  Family Protection Parental Controls

·  Two-way Firewall Protection

·  Stealth Mode- (makes pc unavailable to hackers)

·  Built-in PC heath and performance tools

Verizon not only secures its networks, but it also offers convenience to consumers by using cookies that contain customer information and web activity.  This gives the customer easy access by saving Id and password information without the trouble of verification every time they want to log onto a site.  Verizon also has Enhanced IT Security Consulting Services that increase protection and knowledge of their data. The service is called “Data, Discovery, Identification & Security Classification” (DDISC). The Verizon DDISC connects to the business world and provides it with regulations and policies that must be followed for proper data management.  Furthermore, The DDISC is a tool focused on helping businesses deal with for risk management for their assets and data.



Ethics and Social Responsibility

Code of Conduct

"At a time when Private investment levels are near-historic lows, Verizon's infrastructure investments have helped sustain local economies and will be a critical factor in creating the technology-centric jobs that will reignite growth in the economy going forward." -Chairman and CEO Ivan Seidenberg presenting goal of Verizon's corporate responsibility.

Verizon establishes and practices ethical and social responsibility policies that add to their integrity in corporate America and to their popularity and trustworthiness among their customers.  With a couple clicks on links on the Verizon website, their corporate responsibility report can be accessed.  Verizon acknowledges the economic turmoil but also aims to improve societal challenges through their services and products.  The company targets education, health, energy conservation, and customer safety and privacy through their innovative technology.

“Forging partnerships and focusing on social issues that impact our employees, customers and communities in the areas of education, literacy, safety and health”, is the motto of the Verizon Foundation.  Verizon has created its own foundation in order to help development in education, the environment and health.

Verizon has input in education through their website Thinkfinity.org which provides educational content for children and training for teachers. Verizon also provides educational value to their employees.  It rewards children of employees with scholarships for colleges and universities.  Verizon also helps the community through its donations; the Light House Homeless Shelters for domestic violence receive generous donations from the company. 

Additionally, the company introduces the Verizon Pioneers as a non-profit organization made of thousands of volunteers that commit to taking care of the environment and being part of community activities.  Furthermore, Verizon is entering the health industries and introducing new electronic health devices, finding new ways to conserve energy, managing electronic waste, introducing more effective parental controls, and creating new security software to protect cyber-crimes. 

Additional to their social responsibility is Verizon’s ethics which are enforced through their policies on discrimination, customer satisfaction, proper compensation for labor (Human Rights Statement) and employee/supplier codes of conduct that promote proper business practices.  The company is aware of the effect of their new technologies and the advancement and power it provides to people.  Verizon plans on building long-term relationships with their customers and employees, mixing their sense of social responsibility and ethics in every aspect of their business practices.

Also supporting their infrastructure is their Corporate Responsibility Council which makes sure that  Verizon’s goals, social responsibilities, accountability, and ethics are put into effect.