The climate crisis is a challenge humanity has never faced before. Fast and decisive action needs to be taken by politicians, businesses and individuals to keep global warming below the critical 1.5-degree danger line. As Europe’s leading telecommunications provider, Deutsche Telekom also wants to be a pioneer in environmental protection. Sustainability is written into the corporate strategy. Social and ecological consequences are taken into account from the very outset of every business decision-making process.
By setting its own specific, measurable climate targets, the company is helping meet the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting the increase in average global temperatures to 1.5 degree Celsius and fulfilling its responsibility for a climate-friendly society.
Employees from a range of different areas are working specifically to make influential aspects of the company's core business, such as network operation, office buildings and shops, more sustainable and climate-friendly.
Confirmed by experts
The Group's climate targets are purposely aligned with scientific research. The independent Science Based Targets initiative has confirmed that Deutsche Telekom is making a contribution to achieving the important 1.5-degree target in doing so.
Deutsche Telekom is consistently committed to a climate-neutral and resource-efficient economy and lifestyle.
The most important climate targets at a glance
Climate neutrality in operation (Scope 1&2) until the end of 2025
Reduction of all technically avoidable emissions (up to 95% compared to 2017) by the end of 2025.
Unavoidable residual emissions will be neutralized through high-quality CO2 sequestration projects.
Purchase of 100 percent electricity from renewable energies worldwide since 2021.
Reduction of emissions in the supply chain as well as in the usage phase by our customers (Scope 1-3) by 55 percent compared to 2020 by 2030
Climate neutrality (net zero emissions) along the entire value chain (Scope3) by 2040 at the latest
What is Deutsche Telekom doing to protect the climate?
Deutsche Telekom has been actively committed to climate protection since the 1990s. We are constantly reducing our environmental footprint and also offering our customers more and more sustainable products and services.
Since 2021Deutsche Telekom customers can surf a “green network,” with the company’s electricity requirements worlwide being sourced solely from renewable energy. What is more, Deutsche Telekom’s data center is one of the most efficient in the world.
Network build-out and cutting-edge technologies like 5G will make Deutsche Telekom’s energy needs even greater going forward. Will it still be possible to speak of a “green network” then?
Network build-out and cutting-edge technologies like 5G will make Deutsche Telekom’s energy needs even greater going forward. Will it still be possible to speak of a “green network” then?
In and of itself, consuming energy is not necessarily bad for the climate. The important thing is the source of the energy. That’s why Deutsche Telekom is committed to covering all of its energy needs worldwide with renewables.
Another important factor is that new technologies also have big resource-conserving potential. Videoconferences, for instance, can replace business travel.
What specific targets has Deutsche Telekom set itself to stop climate change?
In order to limit global warming, Deutsche Telekom has adopted ambitious climate targets. Until the end of 2025 we want to be climate-neutral regarding our own emissions (Scope 1 and 2). To this end, we are going to reduce our worldwide emissions by up to 95 percent. The remaining emissions from our carbon footprint will be neutralized. For this, we are concentrating on offsetting measures aimed at long-term removal of carbon from the atmosphere, such as afforestation. We want to be climate neutral by 2040 at the latest and leave no CO2 footprint. To achieve this, we aim to reduce at least 90 percent of emissions; only up to 10 percent may be offset through high-quality CO2 sequestration projects. In March 2023, we set ourselves a new, ambitious interim goal on our path to climate neutrality: by 2030, we want to have cut our CO2 emissions by 55 percent compared to 2020.
In order to achieve all this, we are implementing a large number of different measures – from climate-friendly products and sustainable Telekom Shops through to IT and network infrastructure, and energy-efficient buildings and mobility.
How will I as a customer know that the product I buy from Deutsche Telekom is climate-friendly?
Our basic principle is to ensure that all our products and services are climate-friendly and conserve resources. For example, the case of the Speedport Smart 4 router and of the MagentaTV One are made almost entirely from recycled or bio-based plastic. Additionally, all of our new devices are environmentally friendly packaged. What is more, the packaging of all of our new proprietary products is eco-friendly.
We have introduced the labels #GreenMagenta and #GoodMagenta to draw attention to products and offerings that are especially ecological and sustainable. A case in point is our sustainable end device cycle: selected devices are professionally processed and can be re-marketed to consumers at attractive prices. The packaging used is 100 percent biodegradable as well.
We are also pushing renting as an alternative to buying. Rental services conserve resources, reduce the volume of electronic waste, and thus avoid carbon emissions. When a contract is canceled, the devices are returned and then either re-rented or professionally recycled.
Environment
Deutsche Telekom has made a clear commitment to climate-neutral business practices and the pursuit of a circular economy.
