Press Releases

Budapest, June 11, 2020 10:00

An initiative to plastic-free, carbon-neutral operations, launch of green services, equal opportunity and diversity measures are outlined by Magyar Telekom Group’s report on year 2019 of the Group’s Sustainability Strategy covering the 2016-2020 period.

Digitalization helps to make the world a better place in many aspects, at the same time, developing and running the required technologies is an energy-intensive process. That is why it is quite a remarkable achievement that the company’s operations have been carbon-neutral for the fifth year in a row by last year: it improved its energy-efficiency, modernized its network and data centers, as well as increased the ratio of hybrid and electric cars in its fleet. Telekom runs many of its infrastructures on solar energy, gives preference to sustainable ICT products and services in its operations, as well as procures 100% of its energy consumption in Hungary from renewing sources, while also neutralizing its emission generated by fossil fuel consumption by supporting green projects.

In order to increase the volume of green energy produced by the company, Telekom built solar panel systems at Budapest and Szeged in the past three years, which laid the ground for a community solar panel project launched with the involvement of the employees. The company extended the initiative to customer, too in 2019: the approximately 80 000 customers who opted for the ExtraNet Green 1 GB data extension package can continuously monitor online the levels of energy produced by the solar panel systems of their choice.

Telekom also takes every possible step to decrease the emission of pollutants generated by its internal operations. Telework, which is mutually beneficial for both the employees and the employer, had already been an ongoing practice even before the corona virus pandemic. A total of 169 161 telework days were registered in 2019, by which employees eliminated the need for close to 6 million kilometers and 30 years of travel. The company has also taken another step last year by declaring that they gradually phase out the use of disposable plastic in their daily operations and facilities. The purpose of the Plastic Free Telekom program is to lower the volume of PET by 80%, to decrease the ratio of disposable plastic to zero and to replace the polystyrene still channeled into the company’s operations by its suppliers by the end of 2020.

Telekom is committed to the social aspects of sustainability, too, thus assumes an active role in the digital education of different layers of society, through which it contributes to the effort of enabling the greatest possible number of people to seize the opportunities offered by digital solutions. As part of the “Be a Member of Generation NOW!” program close to 70 customized sessions were held at the high schools of nine cities attended by about 1500 participants last year, in course of which the students taught members of the elder generations how to use digital devices. Though younger users navigate online platforms more confidently, the company also promotes measures to protect them from threats specifically targeting them, and takes a stand, as part of its commercial communication, against online harassment, fake news and violations of personal privacy.

Magyar Telekom’ss management and employees continuously work on creating an open, inclusive and safe workplace for everyone. In the spirit of their commitment to equal opportunity and an anti-discriminatory corporate culture, they elaborated the learning material titled “Increasing awareness about unconscious bias”: the first such material in Hungarian language, which has been made available not only for employees, but by publishing it on their website for free-of-charge use by anyone, they also supported other organizations in their efforts of fighting discrimination.

Sustainable digital solutions make technologies an asset in striving for social and business goals, as well as the protection of the environment, and Magyar Telekom Group, having realized that, continuously works on introducing the relevant innovative solutions. One of its major technological achievements is that last July the company became the first in Hungary to demo a 5G network under real-life circumstances, as well as that it runs close to 30 smart city solutions in 15 cities across the country. Last year, a total of 35% of the company’s sales came from products and services of a sustainable nature.

Magyar Telekom Group’s sustainability efforts have been recognized by several international responsible investor organizations. The company retained its position being a member of the FTSE4Good index family in 2019, too, where it was assessed to be among the top 1% best performers of the sector. The responsible investor assessment by ISS ESG, which placed the Group among the top three in the sector with a “B” Prime rating, is also a remarkable achievement. Such assessments are especially important, as 45% of Magyar Telekom’s free-floated shares are held by responsible investors.

More details on further achievements are available in the Sustainability Report
(PDF, 39.7 MB) .