Study shows Deutsche Telekom leads the way when it comes to protecting children’s rights.
Children are the weakest members of our society and are therefore particularly at risk of being exploited and abused. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child came into force in 1989 with the aim of protecting them. This international undertaking is intended to ensure each and every child has the right to a happy, fair, and prosperous future – and also a say in decisions that affect his or her life. The obligation applies equally to governments, civil society, and business.
But are companies actually honoring their responsibility to protect children’s rights? The Stockholm-based Global Child Forum and the Boston Consulting Group looked into this to mark the Convention’s 30th anniversary. Deutsche Telekom was one of the companies assessed, and it achieved an impressive result in the “Telecommunications and Technology” category. It scored 9.4 out of 10, was categorized as a leader in children’s rights, and came second behind Ericsson (which scored 9.5).
A total of 692 companies from nine industries worldwide were scrutinized for the study entitled “The State of Children’s Rights and Business 2019: From Promise to Practice.” The companies’ official commitments were evaluated using 20 indicators relating to three different areas. Workplace investigated the working conditions for young staff, parents, and caregivers, and also the prevention of child labor. Marketplace assessed the way the market approaches children, focusing on aspects such as marketing and product safety. And Community & Environment looked into the education, health, and support infrastructure for children.
The encouraging outcome shows Deutsche Telekom is on the right track with its wide-ranging efforts to protect the rights of children and young people – efforts that it will systematically continue.
You can read all the study results and the full report here.
