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Sophie Jeromin and Malte Schuemann,
Schlossgymnasium Gützkow.
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| Welcome to the O2 Germany section of mmO2 plc's corporate responsibility report. The focus areas of our corporate responsibility activities are youth, education, our employees and health. |
| Message from CEO | Youth and education | Ideas | Customer centricity | Technology | Community involvement | Environment | Health | Key data |
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| A message from Rudi Gröger, Chief Executive Officer O2 Germany |
Undoubtedly, the highlight of O2 Germany's last business year was our transition to EBITDA profitability for the first time. We now have almost 6 million subscribers and we are proud of the work our employees have done to improve customer centricity.
But as we grow our responsibilities increase. It's important we respond to concerns in practical ways as well as identifying opportunities that would benefit both our business and society at large.
This year we identified four main areas where we think we can make a difference to German society: youth, education, health and the environment, and employees. We are particularly pleased with the SCHOLA-21 project which has taken off in schools and now has an international dimension.
We simply couldn't succeed if it weren't for the skills and hard work of the people in O2 Germany. It is therefore important that we create a place for them to work which is stimulating, fair and equal, while making sure they remain highly focussed on our customers.
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German Children and Youth Foundation
During the year we began our sponsorship of SCHOLA-21, an interactive learning and information system for good project practice and a technological network for students, schools and their teachers. With DO IT, SCHOLA-21 provides pupils and teachers with virtual project classrooms in which various interactive tools support the joint learning process.
This initiative forms part of O2 Germany's involvement with O2's chosen charity of the year, the International Youth Foundation.
SCHOLA-21 operates under the German Children and Youth Foundation, a charity which helps build self-confidence in young people by encouraging them to be active in society. It particularly focuses on issues such as civic attitudes, entrepreneurship, tolerance and violence. More than 300 German schools are using the SCHOLA-21 portal, and now children all over the world stand to gain, thanks to the launch of a new, English-language international portal at www.SCHOLA-21.com, which was funded by O2 Germany.
SCHOLA-21 has been a great success, changing the way pupils learn. Collaborative and project-based, it is designed as a useful step for children on their way into the world of work. SCHOLA-21 won first prize at the German educational software awards "digita 2004" in February. SCHOLA-21's IT work system DO IT received the prestigious award in the category "didactic tools", winning praise from the jury for its outstanding didactics and optimum use of the computer as a medium.
O2 Germany aims to get as many employees as possible involved through mentoring, and employee volunteers have joined SCHOLA-21 project teams to contribute help and advice.
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 Innovation powered by employees
We value our employees and their views. Employees can take part in the Group-wide Reflect O2 surveys, in which we gathered their opinions on O2 over the year and measured increasing levels of job satisfaction. We have also conducted focus groups and online surveys on corporate responsibility, which have helped in formulating our strategic objectives on corporate responsibility.
In July O2 Germany followed up this work with the launch of 'smartidee' [smart idea]. The scheme was launched at an employee event in Munich and at subsequent events around the country and is designed to tap a rich seam of creativity among our employees.
So far, the scheme has produced more than 2000 ideas and we exceeded our annual target within six weeks of the launch. Not only do our employees, customers and the business stand to gain, but prizes for the best ideas can take the form of charitable donations. The organizations supported by smartidee are Project Magic – an organization offering special therapies to people with disabilities – and Bündnis für Kinder – a foundation which fights violence against children.
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Customer orientation
We have worked hard in the last year to improve our customer orientation. Applying a customer-centric approach, we want to be perceived as different when dealing with customers. Our particular goal is to make sure each customer's experience of O2 is improved because our employees are motivated, properly skilled and understand how the brand promise of "can do" can be fulfilled by each individual. In response to a detailed study of the O2 customer experience we are investing heavily in customer relationship management systems, we have installed 'live' mobile handsets in our O2 shops and we are training our customer care agents to recommend suitable tariffs and handsets to different customer segments.
We appreciate that there are concerns about the increased spending by young people on mobile services. Introducing new data services like e-mail and surf & e-mail packages in September 2003 with flat package prices reflected our goal to address upcoming customer needs with transparent and well-priced services. Through our involvement in the Starmap alliance we will be able to offer clearer tariffs when roaming across Europe and better access to familiar services also from abroad. (Details on the European Commission's investigation into international roaming charges can be found on here).
It is a particular concern of ours to protect children and young people from inappropriate content and contacts made through chat rooms. We are therefore developing solutions that would prevent or restrict access to such services.
Keeping employees in touch with technology
Employees can now get an O2 branded mobile camera phone and in addition opt for €35 a month in airtime to tap in to and stay in touch with the latest data services. We believe it is important they understand the potential of the products and services we are offering our customers.
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 German gala night
A key element of our community involvement during the year was a gala fundraising event organised for the German Children and Youth Foundation and sponsored by O2 Germany.
The occasion brought together more than 300 invited guests, including dignitaries and government representatives, in an opportunity for relationship building and mutual co-operation for this worthwhile charity. The gala, held in Berlin, raised €180,000 for the charity and was a good vehicle to advertise the importance O2 Germany puts on working with young people.
German Museum
As part of its community investment focus, O2 Germany sponsors the German Museum in Munich, the biggest science museum in the world with 46 permanent exhibitions. O2 Germany has partly funded the update of the telecommunications exhibition, while the Museum is supporting SCHOLA-21 by mentoring two projects.
Commitment to education
Another educational initiative is our sponsorship of a professorship at the University of Munich with the express aim of helping to provide training and education and to secure high levels of information and communications technology education in Germany. Our Chief Executive Officer Rudi Gröger supports this commitment by regularly giving lectures at Munich University on various business topics.
We have further expanded our support for education through a partnership with a secondary school in Vaterstetten outside Munich. Through this partnership students have the opportunity to learn about mobile communications and what it is like to work for O2 Germany.
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Environmental protection
Waste is managed as required by the current German legislation and regulations. An internal quality assurance system constantly checks and controls our waste management. This includes waste separation and recording waste volumes as well as proper waste disposal.
This year, we aim to achieve our target to be accredited to the ISO14001 standard in environmental management. We are planning to increase audio conferencing to avoid unnecessary travel.
Research and consultation with communities on health concerns
We make every effort to contribute to the industry's efforts to identify any potential health risks. To add to our knowledge and understanding, O2 Germany supports a telecommunications research programme (Deutsches Mobilfunk Forschungsprogramm).
The programme is jointly funded by the German government and mobile network operators, to the total cost of €17 million. Funding for the first 18 projects is already available and the studies will include biology, dosimetry, epidemiology and risk communication.
We take care to ensure that we consult closely with communities where we are developing our networks. An external review of the industry's consultation process by B.A.U.M. e.V. and the German Institute of Urban Affairs confirmed the implementation of O2 Germany's site acquisition process and made proposals for further improvements. The Federal Government and the Association of Local Authorities found the report findings encouraging.
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| Key data for 2003/04 |
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| General |
| Number of customers: 5.98 million |
| Workplace |
| Number of employees: 3,517 |
| Environment |
CO2 emissions: 4,359 tonnes1
Electricity sourced from renewable sources: 12% |
| Community |
Total community contribution: €375,382
Main areas of involvement: education and children
Type of contributions to the community: financial: 96%, employee time: 4% |
| O2 Germany Awards |
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- National Leadership Award Economic Forum Germany, November 2003
- Silver Effie 2003 Association of Communications Agencies GWA
- German Media Award 2003 for the Media Strategy of the Year (1st prize)
- Red Dot Communications Award for O2's communications strategy at CeBIT 2003, November 2003
- Bavarian Quality Award, category Business-Oriented Service Companies, Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, March 2004
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1 Office buildings and networks
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| Message from CEO | Youth and education | Ideas | Customer centricity | Technology | Community involvement | Environment | Health | Key data |
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| More than 300 German schools are using the SCHOLA-21 portal, supported by O2 Germany, to help pupils and teachers do better project work. |
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