Update Q1 2019

Read more about the approach to sustainability including strategy integration and contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the “Digital impact” sustainability framework, goals and progress at www.teliacompany.com/sustainability and in the 2018 Annual and Sustainability Report.

• The combined 2018 Annual and Sustainability was published. The report was prepared and externally assured according to a newly developed Sustainability Reporting Framework.
• At the capital markets day on March 26th, Telia Company announced three ambitious environmental goals to guide the company’s work until 2030:
  • Zero CO₂ throughout the value chain
  • Zero waste, supporting a circular business model
  • 100% action and engagement from employees

On the same day, a letter went out to hundreds of suppliers to explain what will be required of them going forward. As a first step in 2019, CO₂ is being added to supplier evaluation criteria.

The goals strongly reflect Telia Company’s commitment to the UN SDGs and to the Paris Agreement ambition of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

”This agenda will require strong collaboration within the company, among peers, across industries, and with the public sector. We welcome all partners and while we are proud of our bold ambition, we would love to see others join or get even bolder,” says CEO Johan Dennelind.

• Telia Company’s Guiding Principles on Trusted AI were published. The nine principles include, inter alia, a commitment to respect human rights by considering and evaluating the risks and impacts of AI on human rights. See the highlight below for more information.
• Roll-out of the new Code of Responsible Business Conduct e-learning course continued in several countries. The new e-learning course provides employees and third parties working for Telia Company hands-on guidance in how to apply the requirements of the Code and other policies.

Anti-bribery and corruption

• Work continued in implementing the ABC action plan for Telia Carrier. An ABC assessment was carried out in Telia Company’s innovation unit Division X.

Children’s rights

• Planning together with NGO partners for the 2019 Children’s Advisory Panel (CAP) workshops. The 2019 CAP will focus on e-sports and responsible gaming.
• A Children’s Rights and Business Principles impact assessment workshop was carried out focusing on marketing, communications and brand.

Environmental responsibility

• As a step in the commitment to develop Science-Based Targets, work began on mapping the full value chain (scope 3) emissions in Telia Finland.
• Telia Estonia received ISO 50001 energy management system certification.

Freedom of expression and surveillance privacy

• The Law Enforcement Disclosure Report (LEDR) was released alongside the Annual and Sustainability Report. Statistics on requests for blocking (e.g. DNS blocking) was added.

Health and well-being

• As part of their transition from OHSAS 18001 to ISO 45001, Telia Sweden passed an internal ISO 45001 audit with no identified major non-conformities.

Responsible sourcing

• A mandatory Supplier code of conduct e-learning course for all sourcing managers was launched.
• Closed around 100 of the supplier audit non-conformities registered at year-end 2018

Highlight: Guiding Principles on Trusted AI Ethics

To contribute to artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool to extend and complement human abilities, rather than lessen or restrict them, Telia Company has published Guiding Principles on Trusted AI Ethics. The principles provide guidance to Telia Company’s operations and employees in design, implementation, testing and follow-up of AI solutions.

A basic inclusion in these principles is the link to Telia Company’s commitment to respect human rights. The third principle – Rights respecting – states that: “We aim to know and show how we respect human rights. We seek to identify, prevent, mitigate and account for how we address our impacts on human rights and how we manage human rights risks and opportunities, such as privacy, children’s rights and anti-discrimination. Aggregation and use of data shall always be clear and serve a useful purpose towards our customers and employees.”

Telia Company’s human rights due diligence processes cover both adverse human rights impacts that the company may cause or contribute to through its activities, or which the company may be directly linked to. Going forward, Telia Company will need to ascertain that assessments of actual and potential human rights impacts are part of the processes for development and deployment of AI.