Voluntary commitments.

Our corporate responsibility finds expression in numerous voluntary commitments at international and national level as well as in various initiatives of our own. In this way we set ourselves rules of corporate conduct in all countries and markets where Deutsche Telekom operates.

Social and environmental standards.
In the year 2000, Deutsche Telekom was one of the first ICT companies to sign the United Nations (UN) Global Compact. By doing this, we acknowledged the initiative’s ten principles and made a commitment to respect human rights, maintain appropriate working standards and take an active role in environmental protection and the fight against corruption.

Recognition of our leadership role.
As part of its CR reporting, Deutsche Telekom publishes an annual Global Compact Communication on Progress, which contains information about the measures that have been taken to implement the ten principles. Our 2008 report was awarded a "Notable Communication on Progress" rating by the Global Compact Office. The executive director of the Global Compact, Georg Kell, described our Communication on Progress as an "illustrative and inspiring example of reporting.” In this context, Deutsche Telekom received an invitation from the Global Compact to participate in creating a new leadership platform, the “Global Compact Group of Leading Companies”.

Commitment to climate protection and the environment affirmed.
Under the Global Compact, the Deutsche Telekom Board of Management also signed the “Caring for Climate” declaration, thereby affirming the Group’s commitment to climate protection. In October 2008, we attended the first meeting of signatories. At the UN Headquarters in Geneva, 150 representatives from the fields of politics, science and business met to discuss how companies can make a contribution toward climate protection in the future. At industry level Deutsche Telekom supports the “Environment and Sustainable Development Charter” of the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association (ETNO).

Commitment at every stage of the value chain.
We not only embrace the general catalog of requirements that are important for all of our Group’s value-added processes. We also take particular responsibility for each and every link in our value chain.