For some two decades now, we have determined the topics that are relevant for our sustainability strategy and for our reporting on the basis of a materiality process that we are continually refining. We review it annually to ensure that it is still up to date. In 2022, key factors influencing the refining of the process were changes to the requirements laid down in the GRI standards 2021 and the requirements stipulated in the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which will be relevant for our reporting as of the 2024 reporting year. To determine the key topics, we have adapted our list of sustainability topics to the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).
Documents were scrutinized to analyze all topics along the value chain, based on sources such as studies, research findings, internal policies, and measures – including the external stakeholder perspective. The value creation stages that were examined were: resource depletion, production by our suppliers, Deutsche Telekom’s business operations – divided into “administrative processes” and “network build-out and data centers,” the usage phase of our products and services by our customers, and disposal and recycling.
In this process, we identified the negative and positive impacts of our business activities on the environment, society, and human rights along the entire value chain, as well as financial sustainability opportunities and risks. We then assessed the positive and negative impacts based on the probability of their occurrence and the scope of their impacts on the environment, society, and human rights. Based on these results, we then held interviews with internal and external experts to close gaps in the analysis and verify the assessments of the positive and negative impacts from the analysis. In addition, to determine the financial materiality, the identified sustainability opportunities and risks were assessed in the internal interviews with regard to their probability of occurrence and their financial impact on our business. Finally, the overall results were validated in an internal workshop with management and potential strategic implications were discussed.
The results of this year’s materiality analysis will help us prepare for the upcoming reporting requirements from the CSRD. For reporting in our non-financial statement (NFS) pursuant to §§ 315c in conjunction with 289c 289e of the German Commercial Code (HGB), we used the results of this year’s materiality analysis to review the key topics described there. In contrast, this year’s analysis is the foundation for this CR report, to meet the changed requirements of the 2021 GRI standards.
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Our process for identifying material CR topics
For some two decades now, we have determined the topics that are relevant for our sustainability strategy and for our reporting on the basis of a materiality process that we are continually refining. We review it annually to ensure that it is still up to date. In 2022, key factors influencing the refining of the process were changes to the requirements laid down in the GRI standards 2021 and the requirements stipulated in the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD
), which will be relevant for our reporting as of the 2024 reporting year. To determine the key topics, we have adapted our list of sustainability topics to the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).
Documents were scrutinized to analyze all topics along the value chain, based on sources such as studies, research findings, internal policies, and measures – including the external stakeholder
perspective. The value creation stages that were examined were: resource depletion, production by our suppliers, Deutsche Telekom’s business operations – divided into “administrative processes” and “network build-out and data centers,” the usage phase of our products and services by our customers, and disposal and recycling.
In this process, we identified the negative and positive impacts of our business activities on the environment, society, and human rights along the entire value chain, as well as financial sustainability opportunities and risks. We then assessed the positive and negative impacts based on the probability of their occurrence and the scope of their impacts on the environment, society, and human rights. Based on these results, we then held interviews with internal and external experts to close gaps in the analysis and verify the assessments of the positive and negative impacts from the analysis. In addition, to determine the financial materiality, the identified sustainability opportunities and risks were assessed in the internal interviews with regard to their probability of occurrence and their financial impact on our business. Finally, the overall results were validated in an internal workshop with management and potential strategic implications were discussed.
The results of this year’s materiality analysis will help us prepare for the upcoming reporting requirements from the CSRD. For reporting in our non-financial statement (NFS) pursuant to §§ 315c in conjunction with 289c 289e of the German Commercial Code (HGB), we used the results of this year’s materiality analysis to review the key topics described there. In contrast, this year’s analysis is the foundation for this CR report, to meet the changed requirements of the 2021 GRI standards.
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Inaluk SchaeferAsk our expert:
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)