In focus: Building digital participation As the digital society takes shape, we at Deutsche Telekom are working hard to ensure that everyone can participate. That’s why, as part of our social commitment, we are working on enabling digital participation.
The internet offers a wealth of opportunities for education, work, networking, and cultural life. In an equitable society, everyone – regardless of their age, disability, education, income, or place of residence – has access to the technology necessary for accessing the internet, and to the digital opportunities available online. When people do not take part in the online world, that should happen solely as the result of free choice – and not due to a lack of financial means or requisite know-how.
We believe there are three crucial factors that allow people to participate equally in the digital society: technical access to fast networks, the affordability of equipment and services, and the ability and motivation to use digital media competently.
Access: We are continuously expanding and upgrading our network with a view to enabling access. To this end, we cooperate with various partners – especially in more remote areas. Also, we are pressing ahead with the development of equipment and products for various demographics. The “nora” Notruf App (“nora” emergency-call app), for example, which offers one-tap emergency calling – and is intended especially for people with hearing and speech impairments – is based on a patent of Deutsche Telekom.
Affordability: Our range of rate plans includes plans for just about any budget. We also offer a subsidized rate (only available in German) and reduced basic charges – for schools, for example. With this approach, we strive to make digital access affordable for everyone.
Ability/Competent use of digital media: We help people to use media in a competent, responsible, and critical manner, and in line with basic democratic values. Our No Hate Speech campaign, which has been underway since 2020, serves as a good example in this regard.
We want everyone to be able to participate in digital society. In this spirit, we not only stand for access to the internet, but are also committed to diversity, tolerance, and joy in interpersonal interaction. We believe digital participation requires not only the ability to use digital media competently, but also the willingness to act responsibly when online. This orientation highlights how our social commitment is closely interrelated with our core business. And it allows us to put our expertise as a telecommunications company to the best possible use for the benefit of society. Our commitment to fair and equitable digital participation also plays an important role in our positioning as an attractive employer.
Our commitment to sustainable economic activity is explicitly enshrined in our Group strategy, in our exhortation “Act responsibly.” It covers the following topics:
Aiming for climate neutrality in our business
Developing circular products and services
Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as investing in the continuous skilling of our employees
Enabling digital participation
Voluntary commitment, financial support, and international connectedness As part of our social commitment, we carry out our own projects and initiatives. In addition, we promote voluntary commitment on the part of our employees. For example, we provide financial support for associations in which our employees are active. We also give them time off for volunteer work – to help Ukrainian refugees in the spring of 2022, for example.
In addition, we provide financial support – for example, via donations to, and collaborative efforts with, non-profit organizations that work to promote more harmonious coexistence and combat marginalization.
Also, we collaborate closely in this regard, and across national borders, with our national companies, sharing experience and best practices. In many cases, we invite our national companies to regionally implement, under their own responsibility, initiatives that we launch centrally.
Close cooperation with social players such as NGOs, associations, and initiatives also plays an important role. The reasons why we place priority on such interaction, across organizational and national boundaries, include the opportunities that it provides for mutual impetus and for the development of new ideas.
Measuring our success We measure the impact of our social commitment on a Group-wide basis, with a set of ESG KPIs. Since 2021, we have enshrined all aspects of digital participation – which is a central aim of our CR and company strategy – in our KPIs:
The Community Contribution ESG KPI maps our social commitment in terms of financial, human, and material resources.
The Beneficiaries – Focus Topics ESG KPI reflects the number of people who have benefited from our commitment to digital participation and to a society that protects the climate and conserves resources.
The Reach ESG KPI indicates the number of people and media contacts that we have reached with our communication on digital participation and about a society that protects the climate and conserves resources.
Our measures are also based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. We have listed the activities with which we are pursuing SDGs in an overview.
In focus: Building digital participation
As the digital society takes shape, we at Deutsche Telekom are working hard to ensure that everyone can participate. That’s why, as part of our social commitment, we are working on enabling digital participation.
The internet offers a wealth of opportunities for education, work, networking, and cultural life. In an equitable society, everyone – regardless of their age, disability, education, income, or place of residence – has access to the technology necessary for accessing the internet, and to the digital opportunities available online. When people do not take part in the online world, that should happen solely as the result of free choice – and not due to a lack of financial means or requisite know-how.
We believe there are three crucial factors that allow people to participate equally in the digital society: technical access to fast networks, the affordability of equipment and services, and the ability and motivation to use digital media competently.
We want everyone to be able to participate in digital society. In this spirit, we not only stand for access to the internet, but are also committed to diversity, tolerance, and joy in interpersonal interaction. We believe digital participation requires not only the ability to use digital media competently, but also the willingness to act responsibly when online. This orientation highlights how our social commitment is closely interrelated with our core business. And it allows us to put our expertise as a telecommunications company to the best possible use for the benefit of society. Our commitment to fair and equitable digital participation also plays an important role in our positioning as an attractive employer.
Our commitment to sustainable economic activity is explicitly enshrined in our Group strategy, in our exhortation “Act responsibly.” It covers the following topics:
Voluntary commitment, financial support, and international connectedness
As part of our social commitment, we carry out our own projects and initiatives. In addition, we promote voluntary commitment on the part of our employees. For example, we provide financial support for associations in which our employees are active. We also give them time off for volunteer work – to help Ukrainian refugees in the spring of 2022, for example.
In addition, we provide financial support – for example, via donations to, and collaborative efforts with, non-profit organizations that work to promote more harmonious coexistence and combat marginalization.
Also, we collaborate closely in this regard, and across national borders, with our national companies, sharing experience and best practices. In many cases, we invite our national companies to regionally implement, under their own responsibility, initiatives that we launch centrally.
Close cooperation with social players such as NGOs, associations, and initiatives also plays an important role. The reasons why we place priority on such interaction, across organizational and national boundaries, include the opportunities that it provides for mutual impetus and for the development of new ideas.
Measuring our success
KPIs. Since 2021, we have enshrined all aspects of digital participation – which is a central aim of our CR and company strategy – in our KPIs:
We measure the impact of our social commitment on a Group-wide basis, with a set of ESG
Our measures are also based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. We have listed the activities with which we are pursuing SDGs in an overview.