At the 7th Stakeholder Dialogue Day, Deutsche Telekom discussed the importance of sustainability for the economic success with suppliers and partners in Shenzhen, China.
Globalization, climate changes, rapidly changing demographics and technologies: The issue of sustainability increasingly penetrates all areas of life - and it is not just a social responsibility, it is also necessary from a corporate perspective. During the dialogue in November 2014 in Shenzhen, Telekom and the 118 participants discussed what this sustainable business might look like in light of the global transformation. CR an important assurance for good business Social responsibility is firmly anchored at Deutsche Telekom in all areas of the company. The close collaboration between Procurement and Corporate Responsibility (CR) means that sustainability topics can be effectively guided by this dual leadership. Birgit Klesper, Senior Vice President Group Transformational Change and Corporate Responsibility, made it clear: "Corporate responsibility is not a question of charity." Transparency and sustainability are also increasingly demanded in the scope of supplier and partner activities. In addition to climate-friendly production, use and disposal of products, Telekom also relies on high social and environmental standards from its worldwide suppliers and regularly inspects these on-site. Apart from these checks, however, a cooperative partnership with suppliers is of key importance. This is one reason why the program "Together for Sustainability" was initiated for the purpose of sustainable supplier development.
Success of "Together for Sustainability" The initiative has already yielded positive results for the companies participating. Eva Wimmers, SVP Group Procurement at Deutsche Telekom, emphasized that consistent implementation of sustainable practices in Procurement not only lowers costs, it is also increasingly relevant for business success. In addition, Xiaodan Zhang, Managing Director of the Center of Environmental Certification at the Ministry of Environmental Protection explains that "responsible companies contribute not only to their sustainability by lowering energy consumption and making more energy efficient products, they also promote environmental awareness in others, for example through innovative logistics or intelligent networks."
Strengthen partnerships The dialogue in Shenzhen pointed out once again that the challenges of our time can only be met with close cooperation among the ICT industry and politics. Eva Wimmers: "The partnership approach with all stakeholders is an important key to success. If we can more closely collaborate both internally and externally and further intensify the dialogue with suppliers, partners and employees, everyone benefits. It's what every company should know: Sustainability pays off!"