Many approaches are taken and many promises are made in the fight against climate change. However, how can investors or customers know how effective the ambitions and actions of the respective companies actually are? The CDP (formerly “Carbon Disclosure Project”) is a non-profit organization that takes a close look at the climate protection targets and activities of companies worldwide. Deutsche Telekom has also passed the critical test in 2020 and, as a result, has made it onto the well-known organization’s Climate A list for the fifth time in a row.
In 2020, over 9,600 companies answered the call from investors and corporate customers and gave the CDP data and facts regarding their climate-relevant activities as well as their efforts in the fight against climate change. And now the result is in: Deutsche Telekom has once again been recognized for its commitment to the fight against climate change and is one of 270 companies worldwide to have made the list. “Even today, climate change can significantly impact the financial statements and investments of companies. The impacts can range from losses incurred as a result of extreme weather events such as storms to business opportunities created by products and solutions that help customers to reduce emissions or adapt to climate change for instance. Only environmentally friendly companies will be able to remain resilient and competitive for the long-term,” explains Birgit Klesper, Senior Vice President for Group Corporate Responsibility at Deutsche Telekom AG. “We are really delighted about this recognition. At the same time, being on the Climate A list is also a motivation for us as the fight against climate change is a very real and urgent task that we must not lose sight of alongside the acute coronavirus crisis.”
Reducing emissions, minimizing climate risks, and paving the way towards a low-carbon society: this demand is our mission in the Group. Deutsche Telekom was one of the first DAX Groups to set itself science-based climate targets thereby aligning the Group’s activities towards compliance with the Paris Agreement aimed at restricting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. To achieve this, the Group has committed to reducing its emissions by 90 percent by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral by 2050 at the latest. An important step on this path to carbon neutrality, the company has only procured green energy in Germany since the turn of the year. Starting 2021, all electrical power for the Group will be taken from renewable energy sources. A focus has been placed on emissions from the supply chain and that are generated when our products and solutions are used: the Group is aiming to cut these emissions by 25 percent per customer by 2030. To meet this target, Deutsche Telekom implements cooperations with suppliers, for example through the CDP supply program and is offering more and more environmentally-friendly solutions to its customers such as the smartphone recycling scheme.
What is CDP?
In its investors' program, CDP, an independent organization (formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project) evaluates companies’ commitment to protecting the climate and the environment every year: more than 9,600 companies took part in 2020 and 270 managed it onto the Climate A list. The list singles out companies that are transparent with regard to climate protection and are aware of their responsibility, adopt and monitor suitable measures, as well as assume a leading role with regard to this issue. In addition to the climate ranking, the CDP also publishes rankings on the use of water and forests. As a leading ranking in the climate protection area, CDP’s evaluations are also used in other important sustainability ratings, where they affect the evaluations of Deutsche Telekom that investors see.
