Dear Readers,
Between war, inflation, and natural disasters, 2023 was another crisis-filled year. Exactly one year ago, this was where I wrote: “the future is becoming more difficult rather than easier. So let’s make the most of the opportunities we have to take action, and let’s stay optimistic.”
It is becoming harder and harder to stay optimistic in the face of everything that is happening in the world. However, we cannot allow the weight of this to overwhelm us into inaction – not as individuals, not as a company, and not as a society.
We as Telekom also have a very clear position. We speak up whenever individuals use the digital space to spread hate speech. At the start of the year, we published the new “Lights on!” campaign video as part of our “No hate speech” initiative. The video calls for democratic solidarity in society.
Yes, the challenges we face are complex and intertwined. And simple answers are therefore attractive to many. But I firmly believe we can find effective solutions together that are better. For this to happen, however, we need to learn to be more honest with each other and allow the big picture to emerge. We mustn’t only talk about our successes. We have to be honest about our challenges and – where necessary – also about our failures, embracing an attitude of “radical transparency.”
This is key when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI), for example. We must seize the opportunities offered by AI, but without ignoring the risks. For me, providing full information is an integral part of using AI responsibly. I am convinced that the best strategy when it comes to dealing with new technologies is to promote media literacy. In 2023, we used our “A message from Ella” video to draw attention to the damage deepfakes can cause if we are not careful to use our personal information and images of our children responsibly. However, we mustn’t let this put us off grasping the endless potential offered by AI. AI and digitalization will play a huge part in solving social and ecological problems around the world, and will ultimately be a major factor in our future economic growth.
We also prioritize transparency when it comes to climate protection. At Deutsche Telekom, we have set ourselves a vital target of achieving net zero emissions along our entire value chain by 2040. We have drawn up a transition plan for our journey to that goal that is designed to create transparency both within the company and externally, setting out what we have achieved in terms of climate protection and which activities have still to be launched. To this end, we started incorporating Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions into our financial planning process in 2022. From 2024, we also intend to take account of Scope 3 emissions in this – that is to say, the greenhouse gas emissions that are generated in the supply chain and during use by our customers.
Any organization that lobbies for transparency must also be willing to have its own targets and activities audited by independent experts on a regular basis. The gold standard for climate protection is the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). This organization checks whether companies’ climate goals are in line with the latest climate research and contribute to compliance with the Paris Agreement. Our ambitious climate targets have been confirmed by SBTi experts. I am delighted that this makes us the first DAX heavyweight to receive such a validation of its long-term and net zero climate targets.
At Deutsche Telekom, responsibility for sustainability – and therefore also climate protection – lies with the Group Board of Management. All Board of Management departments are involved in equal measure when it comes to launching the necessary activities and investments and providing the required impetus to our decisions. This enables us to continue driving forward greener innovations and products. However, sustainability must become an even more integral part of our core business – for me, that also belongs to the concept of “radical transparency.”
Worldwide, Deutsche Telekom employees ensure that our networks operate smoothly and that our customers receive the best service – and they implement our sustainability strategy in all departments with determination. I would like to offer my sincere gratitude to all our staff for this. Thanks to their commitment and our operational performance, we made it into the top 10 most valuable brands in the world in 2023 – in fact, we are number one among the telecommunication companies. We also remain the most valuable corporate brand in Europe. This makes me proud, and it shows that we are heading in the right direction together.
And we will continue down the same road. We have set ourselves the goal of becoming the world’s leading digital and sustainable telecommunications company. This sustainability report contains comprehensive information about where we stand as at 2023 and what we are planning for the future.
One last thought – being transparent and calling out challenges is only ever the first step. The real work comes after. Finding solutions means finding the courage for open dialog, even beyond the boundaries of a company. Let’s all dare to be more transparent!
Best regards,
Tim Höttges
