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In a joint project Deutsche Telekom Stiftung and German Reading Foundation aim to awaken children´s interest in math and science and improve their language and reading skills by reading aloud to them. Appropriate reading materials (books, apps, e-books) are read aloud by volunteer readers to kids aged three to ten in kindergartens, primary schools and libraries. By late 2020, a total of around 3,300 volunteers engaged as volunteer readers in Germany and abroad– including 110 Deutsche Telekom employees (as of November 2020).

Deutsche Telekom's commitment to refugees started in 2015 as an initial aid task force with different measures, such as free WIFI hotspots or the provision of real estate to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. In the following years, these initiatives developed into the project "Deutsche Telekom supports refugees" with a focus on long-term integration into the labor market.

Through our activities, various kinds of offers for refugees were successfully implemented. In 2019 alone, 450 positions were filled. From low-threshold entries into internships to longer-term hiring for training or permanent positions: Job offers and recruiting processes were tailored to the needs of the target group. An example is the "Internship PLUS Direct Entry" program developed by Deutsche Telekom together with partner companies which was awarded the HR Excellence Award. In several phases with a slow increase in responsibility and sufficient time for language acquisition, it offered participants long-term prospects and stability.

At the end of 2019 the project was dissolved. The experience gained has been incorporated into our standard HR processes. In this way, we will continue to make it easier for refugees to enter working life in the long term.

The redesigned website of the Art Collection Telekom was launched in late spring. The site offers an overview of all works in the collection, which has a focus on East and Southeast Europe and fosters the dialogue between East and West.

With the large exhibition 'Keeping the Balance', the Ludwig Museum in Budapest reopened its doors under strict health rules after the lockdown at the beginning of September. The project was closely accompanied and supported by our subsidiary company ‘Magyar Telekom’. Title and concept for the exhibition had already been determined in autumn 2019 and received additional meaning with the pandemic. In order to make it accessible to a broader public, the digital presence of the exhibition has been strengthened. Artists produced short video clips that were shared on Instagram and the collection's website. The exhibition is also available online as a 3D tour.

The ArtScience Residency was launched in cooperation with Ars Electronica in Linz. It enables an artist to participate in a residency in a renowned institute and at Ars Electronica to incorporate in their work the latest developments in research, technology or science. In autumn 2021, the result will be presented at the next Ars Electronica Festival.

There are 5,500 different job descriptions at Deutsche Telekom in Germany alone. As digitalization progresses, many of them no longer match the tasks and skills now required.
The skillsUP! program launched in 2018 aims to cut the number of job profiles to less than 1,000 and adapt them so that they last for the next three to five years. However, skillsUP! involves more than just modernizing job profiles. The new, up-to-date job descriptions are linked to the Group’s skills management so as to ensure holistic, integrated HR planning, make it easier to identify possible gaps in required skills, initiate training measures, or advertise new jobs. Deutsche Telekom is the first large German company to have such a mechanism. skillsUP! is the Group-wide implementation of several pilot projects that have been conducted since 2016.

With the "Everyone needs education – education needs everyone" project, Deutsche Telekom and Deutsche Telekom Stiftung support the corporate volunteering efforts of Telekom employees at day care centers and schools since 2010. Employees who engage as volunteer readers or offer workskhops for programming with microcontrollers in schools can apply for sponsorship with Deutsche Telekom Stiftung.

After Telekom signed the UN Women Empowerment principles in 2015, we also signed the UN LGBT standards in 2019. For our work on equality, we received the Female Recruiting Award at women @ work fair in 2019. The magazine Brigitte honored Deutsche Telekom as one of the best employers for women and in the "Gender Diversity Index" of the Boston Consulting Group Deutsche Telekom achieved first place in the DAX 30 companies.

After Telekom signed the UN Women Empowerment principles in 2015, we also signed the UN LGBT standards in 2019. For our work on equality, we received the Female Recruiting Award at women @ work fair in 2019. The magazine Brigitte honored Deutsche Telekom as one of the best employers for women and in the "Gender Diversity Index" of the Boston Consulting Group Deutsche Telekom achieved first place in the DAX 30 companies.

In 2014 we became the first DAX company to develop a training program to prepare employees for supervisory board positions. The program was developed in collaboration with the European School of Management and Technology (ESMT). We are particularly interested in encouraging women to take a seat on the supervisory board. In addition to information on the traditional activities of supervisory board members, the training also provided insight into practical experiences presented by supervisory board members, case studies from the Group, and a simulated supervisory board meeting.
We also offered additional workshops for former program participants on topics such as “What’s new in corporate governance” and leadership networks.

Many of our employees are involved in addressing various aspects of diversity, for example as members of the numerous women’s networks that have been established within the Group thanks to their commitment. Another internal initiative is MagentaPride, a network of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual employees. Established in 2002, it is committed to eliminating prejudices and promoting diversity. The network supports the LGBT community, answers questions, and assists with difficult situations in day-to-day life. MagentaPride goes to pride parades together and also organizes diversity days and workshops. In recent years, around 250 employees have represented MagentaPride at ColognePride.

In 2018, we signed the European Diversity Pledge – part of the “Embrace Difference” initiative set up by the European Round Table of Industrialists. More than 50 companies are among the signatories. They pledge to create an environment in which all employees can achieve their full potential.

The Diversity Charter is an independent economic initiative that is supported by around 3300 companies and institutions in Germany. Its goal is to promote the recognition, appreciation, and inclusion of diversity in everyday working life in Germany, creating a work environment that is free of prejudice. Deutsche Telekom is a founding member of the initiative.
As in past years, we participated in the seventh nationwide German Diversity Day in 2019. In addition to a conference with around 150 managers from partner companies in the Rhine-Ruhr network participated, the Deutsche Telekom headquarters in Bonn hosted a exhibition with fact, figures and statements from Board Members and employees to show how diverse DTAG is.