ESG pioneering role confirmed:O₂ / Telefónica achieves top ratings in sustainability ratings by Sustainalytics and EcoVadis

O₂ / Telefónica Germany continues to improve in the relevant ESG ratings by Sustainalytics and EcoVadis. The company performs particularly well in the environmental and ethical categories, confirming its pioneering role in sustainability management in the telecommunications industry. Sustainalytics recognizes O₂ / Telefónica Germany as one of the best ESG performers in 2022 among more than 4,000 companies analyzed. The company improved in all ESG categories assessed and its overall ESG risk was rated as "low". The ratings in the "Carbon" and "Business Ethics" categories are particularly outstanding. The former refers to risk management in relation to the company's own operational energy consumption. "Business Ethics" covers the assessment of business practices in terms of ethical criteria, particularly with regard to taxation, accounting, anti-competitive practices and intellectual property issues. The Sustainalytics rating is the basis for the Sustainability Linked Loan of 750 million euros, which O₂ / Telefónica Germany concluded at the end of 2019 and whose interest margin is linked, among other things, to the development of this rating. In the EcoVadis Sustainability Assessment, which evaluates business activities in the areas of environment, labor and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement, O₂ / Telefónica Deutschland scores "very good" / "platinum". With an overall score of 76 out of 100 points, the company is among the top two percent of telecommunications companies assessed by EcoVadis. In the areas of environment and ethics, the company makes it into the top one percent group.