Press Releases

Budapest, March 29, 2012 12:30

Our Planet will darken again in the evening of March 31, 2012, in the framework of the Earth Hour movement. As a responsible company, Magyar Telekom has actively taken part in the initiative since its inception in Hungary. This year Telekom will contribute to the success of the campaign by switching off the lights of several T-Point shops, the blackout of the [origo] portal and by supporting the concert organised to enliven the program in Budapest.

Magyar Telekom considers it is important – and it also strives for it through its hello holnap! movement—that it should make its customers and employees aware of the significance of sustainable development and individual ownership of responsibility, which may have a major impact on not only our life but that of our children as well. Due to this commitment it was the first among Hungarian large companies to join the Earth Hour initiative back in 2008, so as to help draw the attention to the dangers of climate change and the importance of energy consciousness. During the campaign lights will be switched off in several T-Point shops of Telekom and the [origo] news portal will also go dark for 60 minutes. Also at the foot of Chain Bridge, which will be the location of the Budapest Earth Hour program, Fábián Juli and Zoohacker will give a concert free of charge, out of environment friendly commitment, with the support of the company, prior to the blackout.

In 2012 organisers announced the program in the spirit of active participation and, as a proof of their commitment to our Planet they request those who join the program to make their pledge to lastingly change the way they live. On the occasion of this year’s Earth Hour event Magyar Telekom highlights its pledge to reduce by 20% CO ₂ emission at group level by 2015. The investments of the company related to climate protection also prove that the topic is present in the life of Magyar Telekom not only in this single hour; it is one of the key elements of the company’s sustainability strategy. The company has introduced, in order to protect the environment, the free cooling procedure at the company’s base stations, the hydrogen operated energy cells (PEM), and it uses heat pumps and has added hybrid and electric cars to its car park. In addition to all this the company group covered close to 23% of its overall energy consumption from renewing energy sources in 2011. The company hopes that by setting a good example it will encourage a lot of people to join the struggle for the protection of the environment.