Germany-based telecommunications giant Deutsche Telekom announced that it has achieved company-wide climate neutrality across its operations, hitting one of the company’s key climate goals on the path to net zero across the value chain.
The achievement follows the launch by Deutsche Telekom in 2021 of a series of climate goals, including a target to reach net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions, including direct operational and purchased electricity emissions, by 2025 – now achieved – and to reduce emissions across all three scopes by 55% by 2030, as well as to hit net zero across the value chain by 2040.
According to the company, it has reduced its worldwide emissions by more than 94% compared to 2017 – resulting in around 28 million tons of CO2 reduction – with the remaining 6% offset through CO2 sequestration projects.
Tim Höttges, CEO of Deutsche Telekom said:
“We have stayed the course and consistently pursued our climate targets. At Telekom, you don’t just surf in the best network, but also in the most climate-friendly one. At the same time, climate protection is an important economic factor for us. We are more independent, efficient, and thus more successful today.”
The company outlined its key emissions reduction initiatives utilized to reach its climate goals, including securing green electricity through signing long-term power purchase agreements and large-scale battery storage as backup storage for intermittent renewable energy sources, making large-scale investments in energy efficiency such as intelligent grid control or modern technology, and e-mobility measures, such as the ongoing switch of the Group fleet to e-mobility, and building modernization initiatives including flexible space utilization, smart controls, and modernized heating technology.
Robert Metzke, Head of Corporate Responsibility at Deutsche Telekom, said:
“Digitization can only succeed on a large scale if we also design it ecologically and socially. We set our targets based on the planet’s requirements and then work with our partners to achieve them.”.
