As natural resources become increasingly scarce, reducing waste and recycling resources from waste materials are central challenges that must be faced to ensure the future basis for life on our planet.
When we discuss the topic of waste, most people think of garbage trucks, landfills and waste incinerating plants, or perhaps the environmental damage caused by the illegal disposal of hazardous waste. However, waste management is extremely significant in light of limited natural resources and a growing global population. Resource productivity Already some resources are near depletion today, and the scarcity of natural resources will continue to rise in the decades ahead. That's why resource productivity has become a top priority for the European Commission. "The transition to a resource-efficient economy is unavoidable and is only a matter of time." The message That was the message delivered by Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for the Environment, when he presented the EU roadmap for a resource-efficient economy in Brussels in September 2011. The roadmap targets are to be met by the year 2050. There is no doubt that the very existence of future generations depends on our intelligent, sparing and efficient use of natural resources. The goals In response to this roadmap, the cabinet of the Federal Republic of Germany launched the resource-efficiency program known as ProgRess on February 29, 2012. This program represents a strategic concept to promote increased resource efficiency to achieve the following goals:
- separating economic growth from resource usage as much as possible while
- reducing the negative environmental impact involved in this process and
- supporting the future and competitiveness of the German economy
Common principles Deutsche Telekom is determined to promote waste prevention and recycling, and has defined an International Waste Management Framework based on common principles for the entire Group. Deutsche Telekom is aware of its corporate responsibility and thus clearly supports the targets set by the European Commission, as well as the national realization of the goals outlined, for example, in the ProgRess Program, and has cooperated to help define a shared framework for achieving these goals known as the International Waste Management Framework. Measurable results Based on shared basic principles, such as preventing waste and reducing the amount of waste materials produced, plus increasing the reuse and recycling of resources while also promoting the safe and compliant disposal of unavoidable waste products, all Group subsidiaries will develop strategies in line with these principles. This includes defining measurable results and implementing the steps required to reach defined targets.