Biodiversity and Water

One of the main causes of biodiversity loss and species extinction is the growing land use by industry, agriculture, and transportation. As a telecommunications company, we use relatively little land compared with companies in many other sectors. However, our business activities also have impacts in other areas of our value chain. To assess these impacts, we conducted a qualitative impact analysis. This analysis evaluated both the positive and negative impacts of Deutsche Telekom's business activities on various biodiversity parameters across the upstream and downstream value chain. This includes, among other things, deforestation, species protection, and the protection of oceans and ecosystems. 

Biodiversity in the supply chain

We have identified the greatest impacts in raw material sourcing within our upstream value chain. Deutsche Telekom does not support any activities, drilling, exploration, or mining in or near areas of globally or nationally significant biodiversity. At the same time, our ability to take action is limited because we do not manufacture our products ourselves. We expect our suppliers to support environmental protection and, since 2022, have required them under our Supplier Code of Conduct to minimize negative impacts on biodiversity, deforestation, and water scarcity. We regularly verify this on site through social audits. We also expect our suppliers to apply the same requirements to their subcontractors. To minimize the impacts of raw material sourcing and promote the circular economy, Deutsche Telekom has implemented take-back systems for mobile devices and landline equipment. This can extend product use and return valuable resources, such as precious metals, to the materials cycle. We also aim to increase the share of recycled raw materials in the products we offer. We measure the success of these initiatives through various KPIs. For example, “Take Back Mobile Devices” measures the share of returned mobile devices relative to the number of devices placed on the market. We aim to steadily increase this figure. You can find the current KPI status in the latest CR Report.

Our climate strategy

The way energy is produced also affects biodiversity. Since climate change puts pressure on ecosystems and biodiversity, limiting climate change also helps protect their natural habitats. Climate action is a fundamental part of our corporate responsibility strategy. This ensures that climate protection measures are closely linked to our core business. We focus on reducing emissions across the value chain, using renewable energy, increasing energy efficiency, and enabling our customers to reduce climate-damaging emissions through digital solutions. In the fight against climate change, we support international reforestation projects. Healthy forests can store CO₂, regulate the water cycle, and provide habitats for numerous species. For daily online searches, we set the search engine Ecosia as the default on all Telekom computers in 2024. Ecosia uses its own revenue to fund reforestation projects. By the end of 2025, more than 25 million searches had been conducted via Ecosia across the Group. According to the search engine operator, this contributed to the planting of more than 500,000 trees.

Reduce paper consumption 

Wood is an important renewable raw material. At Deutsche Telekom, direct demand arises particularly from the use of paper. We are therefore working to reduce our paper consumption, for example by consistently switching to digital processes. Where possible, we provide invoices, customer information and other documents digitally. Many internal processes, such as travel expense reports, are now also paperless. Where printed information is required, print-on-demand systems help reduce material consumption: documents are produced only when needed. This avoids pre-production and storage and reduces the amount of outdated material that has to be disposed of. We also take defined environmental criteria into account when selecting paper. Since 2018, the office paper we purchase through our central paper wholesaler has been certified with either the Blue Angel or the Nordic Swan Ecolabel.

Impacts of our services 

Providing our services can also affect biodiversity. Mobile communications rely on electromagnetic fields to transmit voice and data. The effects of electromagnetic fields on their surroundings are widely researched and publicly discussed. The Federal Office for Radiation Protection states that, based on current scientific knowledge, there is no evidence of negative effects when Limit values are observed. Our subsidiary, Deutsche Funkturm, is responsible for expanding our mobile network infrastructure. When selecting suitable sites, we consider environmental factors as part of the building permit process. We also support species and plant diversity. In collaboration with nature conservation authorities and Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V. (NABU), Deutsche Funkturm plants trees and other plants and supports habitats for native animals by installing nesting and bee boxes. Nesting storks on cell towers, in particular, are not uncommon, as the towers provide good protection during the breeding season. To avoid disturbing the animals, we adjust our maintenance schedules and carry out repair work in ways that minimize disruption during breeding season. Deutsche Telekom also works with NABU on a case-by-case basis. 

Our biodiversity measures

We also take environmental aspects related to biodiversity and resource use into account on our premises, in our buildings and in our daily work. These include, for example:

• measures to reduce energy consumption in buildings and use existing space efficiently
• more efficient use of resources in the workplace and measures to prevent waste in our canteens
• employees sponsoring wildflower meadows on Telekom premises
• reduced mowing frequency on suitable Telekom sites, giving plants more space to develop

How digital solutions can support environmental management

Digital technologies can collect environmental data and help manage resources more effectively. Examples include:

• Digital solutions can record water consumption and thereby support water management.
• Tracking solutions can provide data on animal movements and support research and species conservation projects.
• In connected beehives, sensors collect data and make it available to beekeepers to monitor their bee colonies.
• 5G enables data-driven applications in agriculture, such as more precise control of machinery and processes.