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. 

Our approach to sustainable procurement 

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

Energy production can also have significant impacts on biodiversity, as climate change strongly affects ecosystems and species diversity. Telekom’s active commitment to climate action therefore also supports the preservation of biodiversity. Climate action is an integral part of our Corporate Responsibility strategy. This ensures that climate action measures are closely linked to our core business. Our integrated climate strategy rests on four pillars: Emissions from the value chain, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and Enablement (positive climate action effects for our customers). We have defined targets and key performance indicators for each of these four pillars. To help address climate change, we support international reforestation projects. Trees store CO₂, produce oxygen, regulate water cycles, provide habitats for countless species, and thereby promote biodiversity. Through our "Magenta-Wald" initiative, we bring together projects already in place across the Group and show that many small actions can achieve a great deal together. Anyone can take part by arranging to have trees planted online and making donations, or by planting trees locally with others and having them registered along with their geodata. We have also asked our employees to use the Ecosia search engine whenever possible, helping support global reforestation and our "Magenta-Forest". Ecosia uses revenue from search ads to plant trees with local organizations in more than 30 countries. 

Preventing Deforestation 

We see it as our responsibility not only to contribute to reforestation, but also to stop deforestation. Deutsche Telekom is committed to using forests and the raw material wood responsibly. We see our greatest impact in our paper consumption. Our project „Paperless Office“ (paperless office) aims to eliminate paper across the Group as fully as possible by 2025. To support this, we have introduced print-on-demand systems and provide pay statements electronically. The ongoing shift from printed to online bills is also a good example of digitalization’s potential to support biodiversity. Most customers already receive their bills online. Since 2018, we have sourced only environmentally certified office paper through a paper wholesaler, certified with the „Blauer Engel“ or „Nordic Swan“ label. 

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 contribution to preserving biodiversity 

Deutsche Telekom also considers other biodiversity issues, such as water consumption and sustainable buildings and cafeterias, to be highly relevant, even though our footprint in these areas is limited: 

• Sustainable Telekom buildings that save CO2 and are used efficiently 
• Resource efficiency in the workplace, including sustainable office supplies and reducing waste in cafeterias  
• Employees sponsor wildflower meadows on Telekom properties 
• Where possible, we avoid mowing lawns on our Telekom properties to protect rare plant species

In addition, we offer a range of products and solutions that help reduce these environmental impacts, including:

• ICT solutions support transparency around water consumption and water management systems, as well as the tracking of animals to protect endangered species 
• Beehives connected through ICT solutions contribute to biodiversity by enabling sensors to collect data from beehives and transmit it to beekeepers
• 5G supports the digitalization of agriculture
• Organizations such as Pro Wildlife e.V., Landesbund für Vogelschutz Bayern, and Tierpark Hellabrunn collect used devices together with Deutsche Telekom and use the proceeds to support species conservation