Resource efficiency at the workplace.

Introduction of multi-functional printers reduces annual CO₂ emissions by 439 metric tons.
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Digital payslips for 17,000 employees.
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T-Mobile USA saves 234 metric tons of paper each year with new printers and new software.
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Telekom wants to keep the negative impact of its business practices on the environment to an absolute minimum. We are committed to the responsible handling of natural resources throughout the Group. For example, we use our cell phone recycling program to motivate our customers and employees to make a personal contribution to the conservation of natural resources. We also make our workstations environmentally friendly through measures such as using low-energy devices. Sustainability criteria also play a key role in the procurement of office supplies.

77 percent of paper consumption from recycled paper.

We introduced a modified purchasing process for paper during the reporting period. The process requires employees to get approval before purchasing fresh-fiber paper. With this policy, 77 percent of our paper consumption now involves recycled paper.

This measure is in line with the five-point statement that we support as members of the Pro Recyclingpapier initiative that promotes the use of recycled paper. The modified purchasing process was introduced in connection with the Jetzt umstellen (Time for a change) campaign, which was launched during the reporting period.

CR Report from the previous year

Conserving resources with state-of-the-art printers.

We are planning to install a total of 4,800 environmentally friendly multi-functional printers at Group sites in Germany by April 2012. Each printer can serve several workstations. Almost 77,000 workstations had access to a total of 4,100 multi-functional printers by late February 2012. These printers bear the Blue Angel and Energy Star seals for being particularly low-energy, climate friendly products. We installed 1,696 new multi-functional printers during the reporting period.

By introducing multi-functional printers, we will be able to save an annual 1,019,572 kWh of electricity, i.e., 439 metric tons of CO₂. It will also help us save costs of around EUR 155,000.

CR Report from the previous year

Printing on only one page becomes the exception to the rule.
New multi-functional printers have been configured to print on both sides as a default setting since September 2011. Thanks to a software update, multi-functional printers that had already been installed before November 2011 were also configured for double-sided printing as default setting. This printer function conserves resources and reduces costs by using less paper.

Green office supplies.

We continue to promote the use of green office supplies by featuring them prominently in our central ordering system, eBest. An online training tool addressing the "green office" has been available since late 2011 as well. In 2012, we also plan to use internal media such as the employee newsletter and the intranet to raise our employees' awareness about ways to be green at the office.

CR Report from the previous year

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Our central ordering system eBest offers a selection of more than 900 environmentally friendly items such as recycled paper and recycled files as well as writing utensils made from recycled materials. Employees can easily find these materials and then order them by entering the key words "environmentally friendly" into the search function. In order to encourage the use of environmentally friendly office materials, Telekom Deutschland offers online training for its secretarial offices and for those responsible for ordering supplies at the service companies.

Increased use of online services.

By introducing Software Managed Services, i.e., standardized and software-based processes used in areas such as orders, staff data records and travel management, Telekom in Germany avoids unnecessary paper printouts and a paper-based filing system. We further advanced this system in 2011 and increased user friendliness by bundling the individual components.

17,000 employees have been receiving their payslip digitally since 2011. That saves paper and postage.

Annual saving of 234 metric tons of paper at T-Mobile USA.

T-Mobile USA was able to significantly reduce paper use at its branch offices in 2011 thanks to a printer optimization program. By reconfiguring all printers—except for those at stores—to do two-sided printing in black ink and installing new software at the start of the year, the company has been able to reduce paper use by 234 metric tons and save USD 1 million (EUR 744,491) annually. Thanks to innovative cloud printing technology another 6.6 metric tons of paper were saved in 2011. The technology makes it possible to delete print jobs. Furthermore, the cost of the print jobs are displayed on the device.

Lighting systems retrofitted at Spanish branch offices.

In the context of its environmental management system, T-Systems Iberia switched the lighting at its branch offices in Barcelona and Madrid over to low-energy light bulbs and updated the systems, making it possible to shut off parts of the lighting as needed. However, because the branch offices are not equipped with dedicated meters, the company will only be able to estimate the amount of energy savings based on the energy bill. T-Systems Iberia expects savings of around 2 percent of total consumption.