T-Systems in SA joins 49M campaign

Issued by T-Systems
Johannesburg, 06 Nov 2012

T-Systems in South Africa is proud to announce it has officially joined 49M, South Africa's number one energy efficiency campaign. The partnership agreement was signed today, 6 November 2012, at T-Systems' Smart Energy Conference, in Johannesburg.

49M is an Eskom initiative, endorsed by government and business partners such as T-Systems, which urges all South Africans to reduce their current energy consumption by at least 10%, by changing the way they use electricity. The initiative aims to drive energy savings as a national culture and aid South Africa in creating a sustainable future.

"Sustainability is one of T-Systems' core beliefs internationally, and a big part of creating a sustainable future is reducing energy consumption through smart, efficient and green IT practices and technologies. By joining the 49M movement, we are taking a significant step towards bringing this core belief home in South Africa," said Gert Schoonbee, Managing Director of T-Systems in South Africa.

"At T-Systems we believe that considering ICT solutions from an environmental perspective can deliver a host of benefits. By harnessing energy-efficient hardware and software, organisations can cut carbon emissions, save electricity costs and make business processes more cost-effective and eco-friendly, helping local businesses to work towards achieving the 49M goal," Schoonbee added.

T-Systems researches, develops, uses and sells solutions that save electricity, cut paper consumption, diminish the need for hardware, and ease traffic. Cloud computing, low-energy hardware or substituting time and cost-intensive business trips with videoconferencing can substantially reduce energy consumption. Cloud computing based on virtualisation technologies and high-level standardisation reduce data centres' electricity consumption by up to 80%. Using thin clients consumes only around 0.08kWh per day per computer, slashing CO2 emissions by 54%. Videoconferences reduce travel-related carbon emissions output by up to 10%.

Other technologies for sustainability developed by T-Systems include smart metering solutions to optimise prepaid utility usage, including electricity. Smart metering can help to drive down power usage and establish intelligent networks that manage electricity optimally, helping participants in the 49M campaign to achieve their 10% energy reduction targets more easily.

Schoonbee added: "Deutsche Telekom and its corporate customer arm, T-Systems, are leaders in the emerging field of smart energy to ensure that this increasingly scarce and expensive resource is managed more transparently and sparingly. While doing so, we realise locally as well that smart energy is more than a technology or even a set of technology solutions. It is a mindset. We are therefore excited that the 49M campaign can be used to mobilise all our people and partners to adopt this mindset, and believe it will pave the way to develop our smart energy offering even further."

"We are thrilled to have T-Systems on board. This partnership is a reinforcement of our commitment to acknowledge the role played by our partners in managing energy usage. We commend T-Systems for heeding the call to save energy in their business and for providing innovative technology solutions that can help other businesses and individuals to do the same," said Pieter Pretorius, 49M Project Manager and Senior Manager: Strategic Marketing at Eskom.

He added: "Saving energy is about changing attitudes and committing to small changes in everyday life; together, we can make a big difference."

Pretorius urged individuals and businesses to undertake a personal journey towards a sustainable future.

Since its launch a year ago, 49M has signed over 60 partners who have pledged their support to the campaign. More than 14% of these partners are corporate companies listed in the JSE. 49M also has the support of the country's top 10 environmental non-government organisations.

"The ICT industry is a significant consumer of electricity. By working towards reducing our carbon footprint, and by helping our customers to do the same, we will be able to make a positive impact on climate change, while simultaneously reducing costs and improving efficiency. We are proud to be a part of this campaign," Schoonbee concluded.

Deutsche Telekom

Deutsche Telekom is one of the world's leading integrated telecommunications companies with almost 130 million mobile customers, 33 million fixed-network lines and over 17 million broadband lines (as of 30 June 2012). The group provides products and services for the fixed network, mobile communications, the Internet and IPTV for consumers, and ICT solutions for business customers and corporate customers. Deutsche Telekom is present in around 50 countries and has over 233 000 employees worldwide. The group generated revenue of EUR58.7 billion in the 2011 financial year - more than half of it outside Germany (as of 31 December 2011).

T-Systems

Drawing on a global infrastructure of data centres and networks, T-Systems operates information and communication technology (ICT) systems for multinational corporations and public sector institutions. T-Systems provides integrated solutions for the networked future of business and society. The company's 48 200 employees combine industry expertise and ICT innovations to add significant value to customers' core business all over the world.

T-Systems generated revenue of around EUR9.2 billion in the 2011 financial year.

Since the inception of T-Systems in South Africa in 1997, the company has cemented its position as one of the most successful T-Systems companies outside of Europe. A leading ICT outsourcing service provider locally, T-Systems offers end-to-end ICT solutions in both the ICT operations and systems integration markets. Its extensive portfolio of services covers the vertical, horizontal, IT and TC space. T-Systems South Africa's head office is located in Midrand, with another major office in Cape Town, and 20 further representative offices in locations throughout southern Africa.

49M

49M is an Eskom initiative, endorsed by government and business partners, which urges all 49 million South Africans to reduce their current energy consumption by at least 10%, by changing the way they use electricity.

The following organisations are some 49M partners:

Samsung, Nedbank, Standard Bank, Anglo American, MTN, Anglo Gold Ashanti, Spintelligent, Food and Trees for Africa, Massmart, NUMSA, Solidarity, NUM, Sasol, Toyota Voltex, all state-owned companies reporting to the Department of Enterprises, including, Alexkor, Denel, Transnet, Eskom.

For enquiries: Sibusiso Duma
Tel: 011 800 3965
Mobile: 083 673 8615
Web site: www.49M.co.za

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