Our identity: “T”

In implementing our strategy, we leverage our strengths and take on social responsibility: Our brand in particular plays an important role in how customers perceive us. In the reporting year, the Brand Finance Global 500 study once again ranked Deutsche Telekom the most valuable telecommunications brand globally, putting its brand value in the reporting year at USD 85.3 billion, the highest yet in Deutsche Telekom’s 30-year history. This represents an increase of 16.4 % against the prior year (USD 73.3 billion). With an increase of 114 % since 2020 (USD 39.9 billion), our brand value has more than doubled in this period. Deutsche Telekom is listed eleventh in the study’s global ranking, and is the only European company to appear in the top 20. According to Brand Finance, the rise in Deutsche Telekom’s brand value is down to its consistent brand management and the Company’s positive economic and technological development. The Group continues to score highly with sustainable investments in network quality, digital technologies, and customer service. We also successfully strengthened perception of our Company as a global player through our consistent international branding.

A further factor crucial to our long-term success is the commitment of our employees. The question on Mood or Satisfaction among employees improved slightly against last year to 81 % (2024: 80 %). 83 % of employees confirmed they are proud of the brand (2024: 83 %), and participation in our Shares2You share program is further evidence that our employees identify with our Company. Through this program, we want to give our employees the opportunity for greater participation in the Company’s success. In the reporting year, over 43 % of our employees in Germany (around 39 thousand) participated in the program, along with over 6 thousand employees internationally. The existing countries of Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Singapore, Austria, India, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Greece, Croatia, Spain, and the United Kingdom were joined by two further countries in the reporting year: North Macedonia and Belgium.

In parallel, we fulfill our responsibility to society by systematically aligning our core business processes with the principle of sustainability. We have set ourselves clear and ambitious goals in respect of climate protection, circular economy, team culture and performance, digital responsibility, and participation. We want to reach net zero along the entire value chain by 2040. In the reporting year, we achieved our first major milestone of net zero emissions in our own business operations (Scope 1 and 2) by 2025. Another interim goal for 2030 is to cut emissions along the value chain by 55 % against 2020, and by as much as 90 % by 2040. Our climate goal complies with the requirements of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). We also want to make our value chain for terminal equipment and network technology in Germany and Europe almost entirely circular by 2030. This includes ambitious targets on the return of devices for refurbishment or recycling. We have additionally established an internal marketplace to promote the reuse of used or unused network equipment.

We introduced sustainability standards for our packaging back in 2020, removing single-use plastics in favor of recyclable materials and environmentally friendly colorings. Since 2021, 100 % of our electricity requirements for all Group units have been met from renewable sources. Whether designing network platforms, migrating to more efficient technologies, using highly efficient data centers, or deploying AI, our energy efficiency – the data volume in the network in relation to the power consumed in this context – is always front and center of our actions. From a long-term perspective, we will also achieve savings from the migration from copper to fiber-optic technology.

With particular regard to ensuring AI is used responsibly, we have established internal ethics guidelines and green AI principles to uphold high standards of accountability in the use of AI. Above and beyond this, we have been supporting a responsible approach to digitalization for many years. Under the “No Hate Speech” initiative, Deutsche Telekom is supporting, for example, projects for media literacy in society and against cyberbullying. In 2025, we successfully expanded our commitment in this area with further initiatives serving to highlight the importance of seeing and standing against online discrimination and hate speech, as well as addressing the risks and threats posed by climate change.

In the reporting year, we further expanded the Telekom Sustainability Campus, a learning platform offering all employees in Germany and Europe access to online sustainability training. This education gives employees the skills and support to contribute to the Group’s sustainability-related goals in their daily work.

For further information on our sustainability strategy, please refer to the section “Combined sustainability statement.”

Our strategy is summarized in the following ambitions:

• We want to make the difference by delivering the leading network experience for our customers: best fiber, best 5G network.
• We want to grow further: by monetizing high-quality networks and services that enhance the digital life and business of our customers. And generate additional revenue in business areas outside of traditional telecommunication services through the Magenta Advantage.
• We want to increase our productivity and cost efficiency end-to-end through continuous automation, simplification, and modernization.
• We want to maximize capital returns to re-invest in sustainable growth and to deliver superior shareholder value.
• We make digitalization our top priority and harness the full potential of our data and of AI.
• We leverage our global scale. We build and operate platforms and products globally, in the cloud, and with standardized interfaces.
• We play a responsible and active role in society. We are a partner, not just at a societal level, but also at a political one, and we work in the interests of ensuring the open, forward-looking development of all countries in which we are active.