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Environmentally friendly products & services

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Ecological product design

How can we make our products more sustainable and minimize their adverse environmental impacts throughout their entire life cycles? For each product, we begin answering this question very early on in the product’s development. Our Sustainability by Design Guidelines give product developers specific information on how to proceed. The guidelines cover such aspects as sustainable packaging, hazardous substances, and sustainability-oriented device development.

This approach is in line with our aim of continually improving and expanding our range of sustainable products. It also answers to the growing consumer demand for more-sustainable products for mobile and fixed-network communications.

Expansion of the Eco Rating
In 2021, working in cooperation with the telecommunications companies Orange, Telefónica, Telia Company, and Vodafone, we launched the Eco Rating initiative, a new sustainability-rating system for cell phones. The calculation methodology for the Eco Rating was developed further in the year under review in response to changes in regulatory requirements and device features. There are now 11 network operators in total participating in the initiative. By the end of 2023, over 500 different cell phones from 23 different manufacturers had been evaluated based on the Eco Rating method. The purpose of the rating system is to provide consumers with consistent, precise information about cell phones’ environmental impacts throughout their entire life cycles, i.e., throughout their manufacture, use, transport, and disposal. In the system, cell phones are evaluated on the basis of information provided by the manufacturers. The aspects taken into account include durability, reparability and recyclability, climate compatibility, and resource efficiency. With the system, we are improving transparency in the cell-phone industry and thereby helping to reduce its entire ecological footprint. In addition, the Eco Rating system is expected to motivate device manufacturers to develop products that are even more sustainable. The label has already been introduced in 36 countries worldwide since the initiative began, with launches currently taking place successively in further countries.

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Ecological responsibility in procurement

We work closely with our suppliers in order to be able to offer environmentally-friendly products. In a sustainable procurement strategy that is valid throughout the Group, we have defined guidelines for our procurement processes.

Our principles in this area are also enshrined in various sets of rules and standards, such as our Supplier Code of Conduct and our procurement guide (Leitfaden für den Einkauf). Our Global Procurement Policy sets forth the sustainability criteria that apply to our Procurement unit. These criteria are taken into account throughout the entire procurement process.

In 2022, we refined specific sustainability criteria for IT and network/hardware products, and for passive products, such as fiber-optic img cables. Building on this, we have worked closely with the telecommunications firm Orange to develop a harmonized set of product-based criteria. Since 2023, these criteria have been applied to invitations to tender with a budget of over EUR 10 million for IT/NT hardware products and passive products, and, in conjunction with our supplier-based approach, feed into our supplier selection process with a weighting of 20 percent. Particular importance is attached to the carbon footprint of our suppliers and their commitment to achieving ambitious climate goals; after all, the reduction of CO2 emissions in our supply chain (Scope 3) plays a key role in achieving our goal of being climate-neutral by no later than 2040 along the entire value chain.

A number of instruments are used to monitor compliance with the standards stipulated in our Supplier Code of Conduct. Should we gain knowledge of infringements of standards as a result, then this may lead to sanctions for the suppliers concerned.

More information on sustainability-oriented procurement is available here.

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Green shop

Using more sustainable materials in our stores is an elementary component of our shop concept. In an initiative entitled Green Point of Sale, we have been bringing together sustainability-oriented measures since 2021 that we are gradually rolling out at our 1 425 shops in Europe. We use our #GreenMagenta sustainability label to make sustainability aspects and sustainable products and services in our stores visible to our customers. Overall, we are aiming to apply sustainability criteria in the design and I of our shops throughout Europe. In 2021, we established a Europe-wide Green Point of Sale community to drive sustainability issues forward.

Germany segment
Using more sustainable materials in our stores is also a key component of our shop concept in Germany. For instance, we use furniture in our shops that has been manufactured locally. All decorations and printed materials are made out of reboard (recyclable honeycomb cardboard), recycled polyester, or recycled ocean plastic. Paper consumption was also reduced by 85 percent in Germany as a result of measures such as digitalizing flyers.

The #GreenMagenta initiatives and sustainable topics are communicated in print and digital media at all shops in Germany. We also run sustainability training events for our shop employees to equip them to provide more-specific sustainability-oriented advice to customers. Over 4 000 employees in Germany have already taken part in these events since 2019.

Europe segment
Since 2019, all new or renovated shops in the Europe segment use recyclable LED lamps. We also utilize sustainable, ecologically certified, organically sourced flooring in all our stores. Since 2019, green walls covered with living plants, also known as green walls/green ceiling have been a firm feature of our international shop concept. By the end of 2023, we had installed over 120 green walls in various shops in Europe. We also introduced energy-saving screens and significantly reduced our paper consumption: paperless stores can already be found in Austria, Slovakia, and Greece. We have now cut paper consumption by 85 percent in Poland, Hungary, and Croatia, not least by opting not to offer printed brochures and flyers in our shops. We offer digital invoices and online payment methods across the board at all national companies. In some of our flagship stores in Europe, we offer what we call repair bars, where we repair or replace displays, rechargeable batteries, and back covers of devices from several manufacturers. The #GreenMagenta initiatives and sustainable topics are already communicated in print and digital media at all shops in Austria. Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary followed suit in summer 2023.

We also attach great importance to sustainability in the design of our company uniforms. Since January 2023, Telekom Shop employees in Germany have been wearing a new company uniform made from organic cotton and recycled polyester that has been certified in accordance with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). The GOTS defines internationally recognized requirements for organic textiles, from raw-material harvesting to environmentally-friendly and socially-responsible manufacture. Old company uniforms that are no longer required are recycled and turned into new items such as bags and hair bands.

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Ecologically sustainable products KPI

We are offering our customers a growing number of products and services that are sustainability oriented. These are based on Deutsche Telekom’s green network, which is powered entirely by renewable energies. We use the #GoodMagenta or #GreenMagenta labels to identify particularly sustainable products and solutions. We also introduced the Eco Rating system in 2021, in cooperation with other network operators. With these labeling systems, we provide transparent information as to which smartphones and cell phones make positive contributions to environmental protection. We further expanded our range of sustainable products and services in 2023. In addition to sustainable devices, such as routers, media receivers, and the Fairphone, we also offer more sustainable accessories. Additionally, our sustainable portfolio includes rental models and services for refurbishment and recycling of smartphones and fixed-network devices.

First sustainable 5G smartphone
In 2021, we supported the launch of the first sustainable 5G smartphone in Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands through our partnership with Dutch manufacturer Fairphone. We consolidated this strategic partnership in the year under review, adding the Fairphone 5 to our product portfolio and marketing it from September 2023.

Offers for business customers
We also want to help our business customers meet their sustainability goals and implement regulatory requirements – such as the EU Green Deal. In total, more than 16 customer solutions of T-Systems International and Telekom Deutschland have already received our #GreenMagenta label. More solutions are being added all the time, including the Digital Delivery Service (digital delivery note), which provides a means of making delivery processes more efficient and sustainable. By choosing not to print physical documents, we save on valuable natural resources and reduce CO2 emissions. Switching from a printed to a digital delivery note will allow us to save 7.7 metric tons of CO2 and almost 6 000 cubic meters of water a year for each million sheets of paper not used. In the food retail sector alone, 20 million delivery bills and thus over 180 million pages of paper can be saved. Additionally, real-time communication and elimination of delays and document losses help to minimize resource consumption, optimize processes and reduce environmental impact along the supply chain. Another successful service from Telekom Deutschland to be awarded the #GreenMagenta label is the cell-phone purchase portal for business customers. Together with the providers everphone and TKD, we also offer our business customers the Device as a Service model. We manage the entire device life cycle – including rental, active retrieval of devices from employees, replacement, and professional repair of defective devices, as well as certified disposal and subsequent recycling. Numerous other Deutsche Telekom offers, and numerous products of other manufacturers, help our customers reduce their carbon footprints. This is the case, for example, with the many home-office solutions we offer – and especially with our range of video- and web-conferencing systems. Deutsche Telekom customers benefit in this context from our extensive advisory and integration services, using which we aim to significantly increase efficiency in the use of these solutions.

Measuring progress with key performance indicators
We use various performance indicators to measure our progress in expanding our range of sustainable products. For example, we track the numbers of sustainable and refurbished devices in our mobile and fixed-network segments. We also specify the ratio of sustainable products sold and leased to total devices sold and leased. By 2023, more than 67 percent of our fixed-network devices sold and leased across the Group were sustainable.

Sustainable products, Deutsche Telekom Group

In addition, we record KPIs on the collection of devices for recycling purposes and on products with sustainable packaging.

 

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

  • GRI 301-1 (Materials)
  • GRI 301-2 (Materials)
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Online billing for mobile and fixed-line customers in Germany KPI

Almost 244 million online bills were sent out in 2023. This is the equivalent of around 87 percent of all bills and credit notes for fixed-line and mobile customers in Germany. Data has been collected using a more precise calculation method since 2017.

 

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Environment

  • Climate protection & risks CO2e emissions Renewable energy Energy consumption & efficiency Enablement factor Circular economy Waste prevention, recycling & resource conservation Environmentally friendly products & services Mobility Employee initiatives

    • Highlights

    Day after day, we work to

    develop climate-neutral business

    practices and establish circularity

    Day after day, we work to develop climate-neutral business practices and establish circularity

    In ramping up our climate targets, we have fulfilled the stringent criteria of the Science Based Targets initiative and become the first DAX-40 company to have a recognized, science-based net-zero climate target.

    For the first time, we are outlining our route to net zero here in the form of a climate transition plan. We are already implementing the key measures set out in the plan. We achieved significant improvements in our KPI “Energy Intensity” by introducing efficiency measures in our networks and data centers.

    To reduce Scope 3 emissions, we set up a task force that works closely with suppliers to explore new approaches to recording CO₂ emissions. Other sustainability criteria are applied to procurement decisions to create an economic incentive. One of the main criteria is the requirement to observe the principle of circularity for network technology and devices from the design and procurement stage onwards. When it comes to devices in particular, circularity can only be achieved in cooperation with customers. We addressed these stakeholders directly in 2023 by means of programs to purchase used devices, special initiatives, and our infotainment magazine “Heute retten wir die Welt! Ein bisschen.” (English: “Today we save the world! A little bit.”) on MagentaTV.

    We support our customers in their efforts to adopt a more climate-friendly lifestyle. Our products and solutions generated positive CO₂ effects for our customers amounting to 16.9 million metric tons in Germany alone in 2023.

    Further examples of our progress in 2023, from the perspective of the Group and that of our segments, can be found in the subchapters.

    Highlight numbers

    Highlight numbers

    Progress of selected KPIs in  2023

    • 2022 2023 Progress
    • CO₂e emissions Scope 1&2 for the DT Group (in kt of CO₂e) 233 217 -7%
    • CO₂e emissions Scope 1–3 for the DT Group (in kt of CO₂e) 11 811 10 476 -11%
    • CPE Take-Back and Mobile Device Take Back for the DT Group (without TMUS) 4.5m. 4.8m. +7%
    • Enablement factor 3.76 4.78 +27%
    • Energy intensity 91 70 -23%

    Topic overview

    Climate protection & risks CO2e emissions Renewable energy Energy consumption & efficiency Enablement factor Circular economy Waste prevention, recycling & resource conservation Environmentally friendly products & services Mobility Employee initiatives

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