CR Facts provides background information on corporate responsibility (CR) and sustainability issues at Deutsche Telekom.
Our current corporate responsibility report is available at
www.cr-report.telekom.com
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Percentage of open positions filled by internal candidates
Training & Development
Telekom started to sustainably change the learning culture in the group in 2019. In 2021, 83 percent of the Group‘s learning portfolio was consistently digitized. Through Youlearn – our leaning culture campaign - the acceptance of digital learning was further expanded, which is reflected in the increase in the digital learning rate by 20% to 89 percent in 2021 and the increased satisfaction with learning offers (+ 4 percent) compared to 2020.
Another example of self-determined and self-organized learning is the employee initiative “Learning from Experts“ (LEX), which was launched in 2018 and is now well established: Experts from the Group pass on their knowledge to their colleagues in various ways. Open digital informal courses, known as LEX sessions, are the highlight. At the end of 2021, more than 5,000 such sessions were available with 140,000 participations.
After the 2020 pandemic effect and full stop of face-to-face trainings we came back to the same amount of learning hours in 2021 as it was 2 years earlier.
Learning: Costs/FTE | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
Group (total) | € 644 | € 651 | € 582 | € 539 |
Employee Satisfaction
Every two years we conduct our employee survey in order to obtain feedback from our employees, discover weaknesses, and implement suitable actions to eliminate those weaknesses. The analysis on team level and of other criteria (e.g. function, executives vs. leader vs. employee, gender, age group) support the derivation of fitting concrete improvement actions on all levels. Around 80% of all employees participated in the last employee survey, the share of men and woman - where gender was specified - complies approximately with gender proportion in the group (participation rate man around 65%, women around 31% and diverse around 1%).
In addition to the employee survey, we also gauge employee satisfaction every six months through a pulse survey. This helps us obtain a current snapshot of the mood at the company and verify whether the introduced actions have been successful. This lets us make quick adjustments if necessary. The pulse survey in May 2021 saw a 77% response rate among the group.
Green Pioneers
“Child and Career” mentoring program
After three very successful runs, the kick-off event of our next “Child and Career” mentoring program took place in October 2019. For a period of 21 months, this program provides for potential junior staff in expert and managerial functions from various business units of the Group in Germany to be mentored by an experienced manager. The mentees who will soon start parental leave, are in parental leave or are planning their re-entrance in the job gain new professional and methodical competences “in the tandem” and benefit from shared experiences with others in the program network. In the fourth “Child and Career” session, 26 tandem teams went to the start. The program is supplemented by web-based tutorials on focus topics and self-organized network meetings. In addition, supplementary coaching services such as parental coaching and professional support coaching will be provided, as required. This was very well appreciated by the last run. More than 80 percent of participating junior employees and almost 70 percent of the managers are female.
Bias and fairness in AI
When AI makes the headlines these days, it is all too often because of problems with bias and fairness. This happens whenever AI models systematically disadvantage certain groups or individuals. Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Labs are therefore working with Magenta Austria to check for bias before an AI model is used.
If a model's decision is influenced by bias, the model has not learned a realistic or complete picture of the environment in which it will be used after development. When such a model goes into production, it will not evaluate different situations equally well. Such learned bias is usually due to the fact that the database provided to the learning process is not sufficiently complete or balanced. The reasons for unintentionally incomplete/unbalanced data can be many, as are the dangers associated with it:
Here, there is interaction bias, where, for example, people create interaction biases when they interact with AI systems or intentionally try to influence them and produce biased results. An example of this is when people intentionally try to teach chatbots bad language.
Selection bias, where, for example, in applicant selection processes, men are selected preferentially because the AI model was previously "trained" with mainly male data and it could not reasonably handle more female connotated hobbies or foreign languages in the CV.
Implicit bias is about unconscious bias and the associated risk that technology will systematically disadvantage People of Color, for example.
Intelligent systems make similar mistakes to humans, but in automated ways and potentially on a larger scale. These mistakes can have serious consequences for both individuals and companies - from lost revenue to legal consequences to brand and reputation damage. When using personal data and/or ensuring the technological participation of diverse user groups, close attention must be paid to whether data biases can potentially exclude or discriminate against people. To evaluate common bias measurements and matching countermeasures for telecom use cases, T-Labs worked with Magenta Austria on their churn and propensity models to ensure that certain groups of people are not systematically neglected.
"Start up!": Our trainee program for young technology enthusiasts and new thinkers
Our Start up! trainee program above all targets graduates with an interest in Technology and IT who are motivated to shape the world of tomorrow with an entrepreneurial spirit and open to new challenges. With the aim to reach talented candidates outside of Germany, the application process has been held in English since 2017. As a result, we have been able to increase the share of international participants in 2021: 41 percent of trainees come from different countries around the globe. In the reporting period, a total of 39 BA/MA graduates embarked on the trainee program, 49 percent of whom were women.
During a period lasting around 18 months, trainees familiarize themselves with different areas of the company in Germany and abroad. They take on challenging project assignments in various business areas. The trainees are supported by experienced managers. The program is supplemented by innovative training formats and events. In addition, our Start up! trainees also pursue their own initiatives including social and sustainability projects within the context of the Magenta Friday (project day).
Talent acquistion
Corona has turned the world of work upside down and created new demands for employers. Digitalisation, automation, freedom, new work and self-fulfilment are at the forefront of candidates' minds and are also having an impact on their job search. The desire for job security and a flexible working environment that allows a good balance between professional and private challenges are among the top criteria when choosing an employer. Especially in the IT & Tech sector, the "war for talents" has become even more acute in 2021, and the position of the target group is stronger than ever before. To further strengthen our employer brand, we responded to the needs of our target group early on in our employer brand communication by informing them about digital application processes, agile working methods, flexible working and remote work at Telekom. Another important aspect in our communication is a personal approach to talents, as well as creating closeness in our digital world, because the topic of "Belonging" is also high on the agenda in 2021. With our new employer brand campaign "We are IT", we address this feeling precisely and thus address the people behind the jobs with their diverse interests. In a unique external and internal IT survey, we discovered what is relevant to IT professionals outside and inside Telekom and what connects them with each other. With target group-specific messages, authentic communication and a strong content strategy, we remind IT professionals what technology means to them and what opportunities they can discover at Deutsche Telekom.
Achieving more together: international collaboration
How can international corporations put sustainability strategies into practice across borders? Deutsche Telekom employs CR managers for the relevant business segments and national companies to reach this goal. They use the CR Manager Network to regularly share best practices and discuss new challenges, thereby jointly promoting essential CR issues. The central Group Corporate Responsibility (GCR) department is responsible for managing the network. In the year 2021, the CR Manager Network encompassed more than 100 CR Manager from 34 subsidiaries based in 20 countries across the globe.
The participants are regularly invited to virtual meetings and capacity building calls by Group Corporate Responsibility. In 2021, content and likely implications of the EU Green Deal were discussed as well as progress within the #GreenMagenta programs and the new strategic stream "Positive impact on society" defined by the EU segment. Furthermore, the network members could gain insights into issues like Impact measurement and the future of a greener mobility.
“IT remarketing” project
Our “IT remarketing” project involves reconditioning our used IT hardware to make it suitable for further use. We continue to maintain our partnership with “AfB gemeinnützige GmbH”, which offers job opportunities to people with disabilities. Within the scope of this partnership, we are giving some of our used IT hardware (e.g. laptops) to the organization for reconditioning and reselling. This will support us to save resources and to create jobs for people with disabilities as well as extend the life cycle of our used hardware.
For more convenience and a good feeling that everything is in order at home: Deutsche Telekom's Smart Home platform.
The Consumer IoT division has developed the open, cross-manufacturer Smart Home platform and the Magenta SmartHome app. This gives customers the opportunity to combine devices from different companies easily and individually and to control them via app.
In the reporting period, we were able to further increase the number of devices that are compatible with the Smart Home platform. Customers can already choose from several hundred different Smart Home devices: With a Speedport Smart 4, customers now also have the option of using it as a Smart Home gateway. In addition, Magenta SmartHome now supports WLAN LED lamps from the new partner WiZ and the Alcatel GPS tracker, as well as other devices from SONOS, D-Link and Ledvance. In addition, our app now also listens to the word, as voice control is now possible directly in the app.
Magenta SmartHome received the World Smart Home Award 2021 in the category "Smart Home Apps" and impresses with its ease of use and excellent connectivity.
Customers gave the app an average rating of 4.3 (iOS) and 3.9 (Android) out of 5 stars*.
In 2021, the independent test institute AV-TEST GmbH was once again commissioned to test how secure the Smart Home platform and the Magenta SmartHome app are. Once again, the verdict was: very good protection. The next test of the platform by AV-Test GmbH is planned for early 2022.
The Consumer IoT division is also certified according to ISO9001_2015. The certification is updated regularly and covers points such as organisation, management and quality policy, as well as planning and operating processes. The last audit was carried out in the fourth quarter of 2021.
*14th October 2021
The 80/20 model
Since 2017, we have been using the 80/20 model to give our employees the opportunity to spend up to 20 percent of their working time on projects outside of their usual remit. This allows them to work with teams from other departments. In this way, we break up departmental silos and can make better use of the company’s broad spectrum of talent. The model makes employees more visible and motivated, and enhances their network of contacts. Use of the model is voluntary and is tied to a specific Group project.
Measurable success: Reduced CO2 generation at data centers
We keep our goal of reducing our carbon footprint in mind when planning and operating our data centers. To achieve this goal, we take a two-step approach. It starts with optimizing energy consumption at each data center site and then continues with improving processes throughout the global data center landscape.
The PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) figure is the key indicator for their energy efficiency. Since 2008, we have succeeded in reducing the average PUE factor at the T-Systems data centers in Germany from 1.85 to 1.56.
Data Center Energy Usage | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | ||||
Total energy used in data centers (MWh) | 837,265 | 735,800 | 647,162 | 407,741 | ||||
Percentage of renewable energy (of total energy) | 41 | 52 | 53,5 | 62,5 |
Our aim is to increase the share of renewable energy on a yearly basis. Therefore our reported target is to increase our share in comparison to the previous year.
Fair Pay - Equal remuneration
We offer our employees competitive, performance-based pay oriented to the relevant local markets. Our remuneration policies are structured to guarantee equal pay for men and women and do not discriminate.
Executive compensation at Deutsche Telekom is based on our Group-wide Global Compensation Guideline. We also offer our employees additional benefits such as our company pension scheme.
As part of our Group-wide employee survey, we regularly ascertain how satisfied our employees are with their pay and also conduct other surveys on specific topics and in specific units.
Employee Level |
Average Women Salary |
Average Men Salary |
Executive level (base salary only) | 833,333 | 833,333 |
Executive level (base level + other cash incentives) | 1,605,000 | 1,680,000 |
Management level (base salary only) | 101,000 | 103,500 |
Management level (base salary + other cash incentives) | 129,000 | 133,500 |
Non-management level | 58,500 | 61,500 |
Detailed information:
- Note for value "Executive Level" (Board Remuneration) Public Source: DT Annual Report 2020 => Table “Total compensation” for Board of Management =>“Non-Performance-based” compensation
- Further employee levels
- Calculation is only for Germany
- Management level: MG 2 and MG 3 and high exempt levels AT3 and AT4
- Non-Management level: Tarif employee's Group 1-10
Network Reliability
Network reliability is essential for telecommunications services to ensure a secure network and thus the best customer experience. A stable network without failures is the basis for this. Deutsche Telekom AG measures various factors in order to constantly monitor, control and optimize the reliability of its networks. We focus on every aspect that can have a direct impact on our customers. The following parameters are determined annually for Deutsche Telekom's entire network in Europe:
- “Average network interruption frequency” (Total number of customer interruptions/total number of customers served)
- “Average network interruption duration” (Total duration of customer interruption/total number of customers served).
These parameters are calculated for all technologies and all Deutsche Telekom networks in Europe.
In 2020, the average network interruption frequency was 0.14 and the average network interruption duration was 26.15.
References to Information published by Deutsche Telekom Major Group Companies and Respective Overview
Deutsche Telekom comprises a number of major subsidiaries operating in different countries respectively regions. Several of them are listed stock corporations in their own right and publish as such comprehensive information on their respective sub-group, including inter alia their subsidiaries, activities, employees, revenues, profits/losses and taxes. In order to access such information, please find the following references to the sub-group reportings for 2019 & 2020:
- T-Mobile US
a) T-Mobile US-Annual Report 2019
Comprehensive reporting of subsidiaries, activities, employees, revenues, profits/losses and taxes of publicly-listed US-subsidiary, see pages 29, 33, 36-37, 42-43, 53, 57-59 etc.b) T-Mobile US - Annual Report 2020
Comprehensive reporting of subsidiaries, activities, employees, revenues, profits/losses and taxes of publicly-listed US-subsidiary, see pages 28, 29, 35, 38, 47-49, 57-58, 77-78, 113-115 etc. - OTE
a) OTE - Annual Report 2019
Comprehensive reporting of subsidiaries, activities, employees, revenues, profits/losses and taxes of publicly-listed Greece-subsidiary, see pages 8, 16, 34, 38, 65, 142-147 etc.b) OTE annual report for 2020 to be published soon; check OTE-website: OTE Investor Relations
- MAGYAR
a) MAGYAR Telekom - consolidated annual report 2019
Comprehensive reporting of subsidiaries, activities, employees, revenues, profits/losses and taxes of publicly-listed Hungary-subsidiary, see pages 15, 17, 21, 64-69, 82, 96 etc.b) MAGYAR Telekom - consolidated annual report 2020
Comprehensive reporting of subsidiaries, activities, employees, revenues, profits/losses and taxes of publicly-listed Hungary-subsidiary, see pages 15, 17, 21, 57-60, 74, 88 etc. - Hrvatski Telekom
a) Hrvatski Telekom_Croatia Annual Report 2019
Comprehensive reporting of subsidiaries, activities, employees, revenues, profits/losses and taxes of publicly-listed Croatia-subsidiary, see pages 44-45, 62-63, 71, 78-81, 115, 125-126 etc.b) Hrvatski Telekom_Croatia_Annual Report 2020
Comment Comprehensive reporting of subsidiaries, activities, employees, revenues, profits/losses and taxes of publicly-listed Croatia-subsidiary, see pages 44-45, 52-58, 76-77, 92-97,112-113, 122-123 etc.
Furthermore, there are also several other unlisted subsidiaries of Deutsche Telekom that publish comprehensive relevant information. In order to access such information, please find the following references to their reportings for 2019 & 2020:
- T-Mobile Czech
a) T-Mobile Czech_Annual Report 2019
Comprehensive reporting of subsidiaries, activities, employees, revenues, profits/losses and taxes of Czech Republic Holding-subsidiary, see pages 10-11, 15-17, 55-58, 87, 94-95, 97, 106, 123-124 etc.b) T-Mobile Czech_Annual Report 2020
Comprehensive reporting of subsidiaries, activities, employees, revenues, profits/losses and taxes of Czech Republic Holding-subsidiary, see pages 12-13, 14-17, 73-74, 91-92, 96, 104-105, 107 etc. - Slovak Telekom
a) Slovak Telekom Annual Report 2019
Comprehensive reporting of subsidiaries, activities, employees, revenues, profits/losses and taxes of Slovak Telekom Group, see pages 14-15,16, 32-34, 36, 61-62 etc.b) Slovak Telekom Annual Report 2020
Comprehensive reporting of subsidiaries, activities, employees, revenues, profits/losses and taxes of Slovak Telekom Group, see pages 13-16, 17, 32-24, 36, 59-60 etc.