16.7.2024
- Record results in digitalization, environmental and resource protection, and digital inclusion
- Digitalization for a better future: 361.4 million euros of investment, the most ever in one year
- Environmental protection and responsible management of resources: 100% 'green' electricity, 3% reduction in CO2 emissions, 4% reduced energy consumption, 41% more recycled waste, the first vPPA, 139% more environmentally managed electronic devices through the 'Call you have to take' platform
- Digital inclusion: National investment programs in STEM education, digital literacy, safety of children and young people on the internet, reduction of the digital gap and inequality
Hrvatski Telekom published the 2023 Sustainability Report
Hrvatski Telekom has published its Sustainability Report for 2023, confirming its twenty-year commitment to sustainable business. HT continuously sets high standards in reporting on programs, activities, and progress in sustainable development, social responsibility, and responsible corporate business.
In 2023, HT confirmed again its position as a technological leader and the largest private investor in digitalization as the foundation of a better future. The company invested a record 361.4 million euros, the highest annual investment in its history and as much as 50.7 percent higher than the previous year. These investments, by far the largest in the telecommunications industry, underline HT's commitment to further developing digitalization infrastructure, which is essential in raising national competitiveness and stimulating economic growth and societal progress.
During the past year, HT continued to develop the gigabit optical Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) network, achieving 20 percent more coverage than the previous year. HT's optical network is available to 1.8 million people and expands throughout Croatia, connecting 132 cities and municipalities in 20 counties. With an investment of EUR 135.5 million, HT also secured the largest spectrum share in the public auction for frequency bands in 2023. In addition to having already won the largest share of the 5G spectrum two years earlier, this has laid the foundations for further improvement of the service and user experience in the next 15 years. Three independent analyses conducted separately by Ookla, umlaut, and HAKOM confirmed that Hrvatski Telekom's network is the leading network in Croatia.
HT accompanied investment in better network coverage and quality by developing a series of modern ICT services that enabled digitalization, modernization, and improvement of operations. These services, such as the OneCity app, smart monitoring of energy consumption, smart parking, and greater e-mobility, contribute to developing smart factories and agriculture and increasing the quality of life in smart and greener cities.
In environmental and resource protection, HT remains committed to achieving key group goals - a net zero rate of greenhouse gas emissions for direct and indirect energy consumption within the organization by 2025, a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the value chain by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 2020 and achieving climate neutrality with complete neutralization of the carbon footprint in the value chain by 2040. HT achieved the climate goal of purchasing 100 percent of electricity from renewable sources more than three years ago. In addition, HT reduced energy consumption by four percent in 2023 and CO2 emissions by three percent, a reduction of 210 tons of CO2, while recycled waste increased by 41 percent.
Simultaneously, HT concluded the first virtual corporate agreement (vPPA) on renewable electricity supply in Croatia, which covers a significant part of its annual energy needs. The company also began to phase out the 3G network, accelerating the transition to more energy-efficient 4G and 5G technologies.
HT launched the Call You Have To Take platform dedicated to environmental protection, more efficient use of natural resources, and more conscientious electronic equipment and waste management. Through this initiative, a record 30,000 pieces of small ICT equipment were collected and disposed of in an environmentally safe manner in one year, with the collected mobile devices alone preventing the release of more than six tons of CO2.
The number of e-invoice users has increased by 400,000 since 2020. All T brand products and smartphones from Deutsche Telekom's portfolio come in sustainable packaging. Through cooperation with business partners and suppliers, HT has increased its portfolio's share of partner products with sustainable packaging.
Through digital inclusion programs such as the unique Tools For Modern Times, Generation NOW, Generation Together, World of Equal Opportunities, Digital Innovation Incubator, and the EU Boomer project for older people, HT invests in education and actively works to raise the level of digital literacy of children, young and elderly, their inclusion in the digital world and the acquisition of the necessary digital skills and knowledge.
In 2023, HT made additional strides in material rights and benefits for employees, customer experience, corporate governance, and socially responsible business. A new Collective Agreement was signed, increasing employees' working and material rights and new benefits. With this, HT once again stood out as a responsible social partner and the most desirable employer in the telecommunications industry, confirmed by the awards for the best employer: for the ninth time, the status of Employer Partner and the certificate 'Equal Pay Champion'. In 2023, more than 800 employees progressed through salary increases and job changes, while an additional 200 employees were included in development programs closely related to their career paths. At the end of the year, 39 percent of managerial positions were held by women, with full pay parity with male colleagues.
Customer satisfaction is the highest in history and the best on the market, which was strongly contributed to by the additional improvement of network and service quality, continuous employee education (29 percent increase in the number of hours), and customer-focused programs. More than 350,000 user comments and feedback were collected, improving the customer experience.
As the only Croatian company and one of only three telecoms in the world, HT has been included in the World's Most Ethical Companies® list of the most ethical companies in the world according to the renowned Ethisphere for progress in 2023. For the third year in a row, HT won the award 'Croatian Sustainability Index - HRIO' of the Croatian Business Council for Sustainable Development Mental health promotion program 'How are you?' was named the best social responsibility initiative in Europe and the 'World of Equal Opportunities' program has been awarded multiple times for promoting diversity, equality and inclusion
Hrvatski Telekom remains committed to sustainable development, aiming to encourage positive changes and overcome limitations in 2024, creating a better future for everyone.