Press Releases

Budapest, December 8, 2009 15:30

Magyar Telekom won the Healthy Workplace Award of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) this year. The award was given to the Company in recognition of its exemplary efforts in the context of preventive and proactive healthcare at work. The market leader telecommunication provider of Hungary has put considerable emphasis on health promotion in general and prevention in particular as part of its employer philosophy.

In the contest, held for the seventh time this year, the companies' achievements were evaluated in the context of healthcare at work, healthy eating, physical exercise, non-smoking workplace, ergonomics, mental-hygiene, as well as prevention of drug and alcohol use at work.

Commenting on the award, Magyar Telekom's Chief Human Resources Officer, Éva Somorjai said: "I firmly believe that the likable and livable workplace we strive to create is one where employees' health is provided for. That is why the motto of our competition project was: "This is also a worthwhile investment." The management is strongly committed to preserve the values and results that we have already achieved. Especially so, because many of them are not primarily dependent on financial resources. An example of that is the "Abigél" Counseling Program, which the jury highlighted as a good example of corporate practice. Abigél helps anyone in total secrecy, just like in Magda Szabó's novel. Our "jug", however, is a virtual one, as employees can turn to us for help through a dedicated intranet page, whatever the private or work-related problems they have, including alcohol or drug issues. Our Abigél is an HR staff member, who volunteered to play this role and fulfills this task outside working hours, in cooperation with volunteer and non-governmental organizations that joined the program. Our initiative, which is similar to the ones called Employee Assistance Programs in Western Europe and the US, is a unique one in the competitive sphere of Hungary."

Magyar Telekom proves with numerous measures that it feels responsible for the health of its employees. We provide our employees fringe benefits the value of which is unique in Hungarian comparison. Any kind of sports activities, sports equipment or recreation can be financed from our healthcare fund contributions. We provide complex preventive medical checkups to our employees every year, and support other checkup programs, too. Last year, close to 4000 employees availed themselves of this opportunity. Families of Telekom employees are offered places at the Company's holiday homes, and we also provide sports clubs, as well as gyms at an increasing number of our facilities. We have built or extended several bike storage places to meet the employees demand. Our medical offices offer CDs on how to quit smoking.

In October, Magyar Telekom joined the "Alliance for Health, against Breast Cancer - Health Bridge" initiative, in the framework of which the Company offered free breast cancer screening to a hundred employees.

In recognition of our efforts made to promote employees' healthy life style and satisfaction, we have received several awards this year. In February 2009, we won the Family-friendly Workplace Award, in July we came in third among close to a 100 companies competing for the Heart-friendly Workplace Award, and last month, Magyar Telekom also received a Best Workplace Award in the large companies category, which reflects the dedication and loyalty of our employees.

About Magyar Telekom
Magyar Telekom is the principal provider of telecom services in Hungary. It provides a full range of telecommunications and infocommunications (ICT) services including fixed line and mobile telephony, data transmission and non-voice as well as IT and systems integration services. The business activities of Magyar Telekom are managed by two business units: Consumer services (the home-related services brand T-Home and the mobile communications brand T-Mobile); Business services (T-Systems brand). Magyar Telekom is the majority owner of Makedonski Telekom, the leading fixed line and mobile operator in Macedonia and it holds a majority stake in Crnogorski Telekom, the leading telecommunications operator in Montenegro. Magyar Telekom's majority shareholder (59.21%) is MagyarCom Holding GmbH, fully owned by Deutsche Telekom AG.
For further information visit www.telekom.hu.