Košice, May 26, 2025 – Thanks to a five-year partnership between our company, Deutsche Telekom IT Solutions Slovakia (DT ITSO SK), and the non-profit IT company AfB Slovakia, used technical equipment was transformed into tools of real change. Over the past five years, we have handed over 6,608 laptops and more than 1,200 other mobile and IT devices for recycling, with a total weight exceeding 18 tons. Of this amount, 99% was successfully refurbished and reintroduced to the market, and nearly 2,000 laptops were donated to schools, non-profit, and public institutions to support their activities.
Savings We Can Imagine: Energy for Hundreds of Households, Water Equivalent to an Olympic Swimming Pool
Currently, there is no truly sustainably manufactured IT hardware, making the extension of its lifespan through refurbishment one of the most effective solutions — from the perspective of saving raw materials, energy, and providing broader social benefits. That’s why the decommissioned hardware from DT ITSO SK, through our partnership with AfB Slovakia, is redirected to where it can continue to serve, help others, and contribute to reducing the ecological footprint. All donated devices undergo a certified process of data wiping, testing, upgrading, and refurbishment. Thanks to this collaboration, the following impact has been achieved over five years:
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3,741,690kWh of primary energy consumption saved
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5,620,909liters of water consumption saved
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99% reuse rate
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385,741 kg of mineral resources saved, calculated as equivalent to pure iron (Fe-eq.)
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5,022 tons of 1,4-dichlorobenzene equivalent (1,4-DB-eq.) reduced toxicity for humans
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968,550 kg CO2-equivalent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
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3 new jobs created for people with disabilities
A total of 3,741,690 kWh of primary energy was saved over 5 years — equivalent to the annual consumption of 258 four-person households or the monthly consumption of more than 3,000 households.
Equally impressive is the water savings — a total of 5,620,909 liters. That is more than two Olympic-sized swimming pools or the amount of water consumed by one four-person household over 50 years!
“This partnership is clear proof that ecological and social values can naturally be part of modern business. The results speak for themselves — responsible handling of technology has a real and measurable impact on the environment and people’s quality of life. We are pleased that our IT devices get a second chance and at the same time help where it is most needed. We are proud of the five years of cooperation so far and all that we have achieved together,” said Ľubor Žatko, Managing Director of Deutsche Telekom IT Solutions Slovakia.
The AfB Group employs nearly 700 people, of whom as many as 47% are persons with disabilities. The Slovak branch has 19 employees, 68 percent of whom have disabilities. Thanks to the decommissioned hardware and its refurbishment process, three new jobs have been created.
“We greatly appreciate the opportunity to celebrate the fifth anniversary of our cooperation and to jointly acknowledge its benefits. Through this long-term partnership, we have been able to donate equipment to nearly 200 organizations, helping them tackle everyday challenges — during the pandemic and even now. Equally important is that the decommissioned donated hardware allows us to create jobs for people with disabilities and contributes to environmental protection. Deutsche Telekom is a stable and value-aligned partner with whom we work together towards a more sustainable and inclusive future,” emphasized Marek Antoňák, Executive Director of AfB Slovakia.
Regional Reach of Donations: Support Felt Across Slovakia
Refurbished IT equipment helped primarily elementary schools and civic associations, but hardware was also donated to secondary schools, a university, and other institutions across eastern and central Slovakia. Thanks to cooperation with the Carpathian Foundation, we distributed material aid to various civic associations. From the public sector, recipients included, for example, the L. Pasteur University Hospital in Košice and the Children’s Faculty Hospital.
“During 2024, we donated the most equipment in the Košice-city district – as many as 25 recipients. Following were the districts of Trebišov (8), Košice-surroundings (34), and Rožňava (30). In terms of the number of units, Košice-city again leads with 253 devices, Trebišov with 63, and Košice-surroundings together with Rožňava with 34 units each. The equipment reached as far as Orava and Banská Štiavnica. Within eastern Slovakia, we covered 13 districts. These numbers demonstrate that our support has a real geographic reach and impacts even regions where aid is most needed,” said Martin Džbor, Head of Strategy at Deutsche Telekom IT Solutions Slovakia.
More Than CSR – Real Impact for People and the Planet
The cooperation is based on the principles of a circular economy and ReUse (bringing products back to market) and fulfills as many as 8 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the UN Agenda 2030, including climate action, responsible consumption, social inclusion, and decent work.
The project also:
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reduces pressure on the extraction of primary raw materials,
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extends the lifecycle of devices,
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eases the social system by creating meaningful jobs,
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strengthens the independence and self-confidence of people with disabilities.
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