Press Releases

Budapest, September 4, 2012 11:00

Magyar Telekom’s sustainability report was given the highest GRI level rating (A+) already for the fifth time. Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) applies the GRI G3 principles published in 2006 when compiling reports, harmonising with the principle of reports having the basic elements of transparency and international comparability.

As part of its commitments, the Magyar Telekom Group publishes the report about the company’s sustainability performance annually.

Since 2004 the reports cover the Group’s operation, activities and achievements in accordance with sustainability principles. Serving the purpose of credibility, reports are audited by independent third parties – their attestations are attached to each report.

Magyar Telekom’s sustainability report outlines the most important results achieved last year: resulting from its climate protection aspirations the group decreased its CO2 emission by 5.64%, versus last year. 23% of the electric energy used by Magyar Telekom Nyrt. (51 GWh) was renewable energy, and the company started to implement a research and development project based on utilising wind and solar energy at one of its base stations. The company added further hybrid and 2 electric cars to its fleet. In 2011 the group used 215.38 tons of recycled paper (amounting to 13.9% of the total usage) – which is almost 53% increase compared to the previous year’s usage of 140.96 tons. The company pays special attention to using responsibly operating suppliers, therefore in 2011 the 12 major suppliers underwent detailed sustainability analyses.

One of the main objectives of the 2011-2015 sustainability strategy is to raise awareness of the sustainability term and improve Magyar Telekom sustainability perception. Annual surveys reveal, that the majority of the company’s associates are aware of the term sustainable development: this ratio improved to 75% in 2011, versus previous years. Associates do their utmost for sustainable development. This clearly shows in the number of voluntary projects: 2011 11 voluntary work projects were organised, with altogether 389 Magyar Telekom volunteers participating, contributing 480 voluntary working days (3840 hours). Through these projects they voluntarily contributed to the good of society to the value of HUF 19.9 million.

In the framework of the company’s highly successful initiative called Digital Bridge in Smaller Settlements – aiming at promoting development in isolated, underdeveloped regions and social groups - 159 programmes were organised. At the event volunteers of the company gave an insight to possibilities inherent in Internet to dwellers of small settlements living under disadvantageous conditions. On the occasion of the Digital Bridge Fest – organised for the third year - Péter Novák orchestrated a talent search competition with locals participating, where winners were awarded the possibility of becoming publicly known on Internet.

Magyar Telekom signed annual cooperation agreements with three NGOs – Szívlapát Foundation, Kékpont Drug Consultation Center and the Hospital Pedagogic Association – committing to supporting the activity of the organisations.

On September 24, 2011 the Sustainability Day was organised for the fourth time, with almost 3,000 young people participating, raising awareness of the term sustainability among them.

In 2011 the company’s achievements earned several sustainability appreciations. The programme called Jövő/Menő – jointly launched by the company and its NGO strategic partner, Szívlapát Foundation – was awarded in the new entrant category the Labour Place Voluntarism Prize, within the programme called European Year of Voluntarism. The company’s commitment to enviro-conscious HR exercises and decreasing the ecological footprint of its employees was appreciated by StamfordGlobal liaising between international HR teams, by granting the European HCM Excellence Awards Green prize in the HR category. In 2011 for the third time already Magyar Telekom became one of the region’s best performing companies from the environmental, social and economic aspects as part of the Central and Eastern European Responsible Investment Universe (CEERIUS) index. Furthermore, the company was ranked as the most responsibly acting Hungarian large company in the CSR 24/7 analyses, and was ranked second at the environmental competition titled Life for the Environment issued by the Hungarian Business Leaders Forum (HBLF).

„Our primary goals for the future: raising awareness about sustainable development and further improving Magyar Telekom’s sustainability perception, as well as executing social and environmental innovations utilizing 10% of the R&D resources, decreasing the group’s CO2 footprint by 20% by the end of 2015, establishing a comprehensive and sustainable supplier chain management process, and increasing the ratio of services and products promoting sustainability, while informing the stakeholders about the impacts of all these” – said Christopher Mattheisen, chairman and CEO of the company.

The Magyar Telekom Group has been paying keen attention to sustainability since the 90ies, coordinating its environmental activities since 2002 and having a sustainability strategy since 2005. The main objective of the 2011-2015 strategy is to make sustainability part of Magyar Telekom’s identity, providing long term competitive advantage  for the company.

The 2011 Sustainability report is available on Magyar Telekom’s website: https://www.telekom.hu/static/sw/download/Fenntarthatosagi_Jelentes_2011.pdf