Who is Deutsche Telekom's New Corporate Responsibility Lead?

Robert Metzke, Global Head of Sustainability at Philips since 2017, is set to bring his transformation playbook to Deutsche Telekom, which owns and operates T-Mobile.

The seasoned ESG leader will take over from Melanie Kubin-Hardewig, currently Head of Group Corporate Responsibility at Deutsche Telekom, to advance the telco’s circularity and climate ambitions across a complex, multi-market footprint.

Robert’s path to this role has been defined by mission-led leadership and an ability to embed sustainability into core strategy.

Robert Metze's corporate career

He began his career in 1999 as Managing Editor for the online journal Science’s Next Wave, honing a cross-disciplinary lens that would later inform his systems approach at Philips.

Joining the Dutch health technology company in 2008, Robert became Senior Director of the EcoVision Programme, which he led through 2013.

EcoVision aimed to improve the energy efficiency of Philips products and close the materials loop by recycling and reusing products - early proof of his focus on lifecycle value and measurable outcomes.

After EcoVision, Robert moved into Philips’ Strategy Management team, identifying strategic challenges and strengthening the strategy network across the company’s businesses and markets.

This grounding in enterprise strategy would become pivotal when he was appointed Vice President, Global Head of Sustainability in 2017 and later Senior Vice President in 2022.

In that remit, he was responsible for the development and implementation of ESG and sustainability goals and policies, steering environmental priorities in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and advancing a circular economy by maximising the lifetime value of products.

His work helped position Philips as a global leader in sustainable health technology - an impact he credits to the teams around him.

Robert said on LinkedIn: “To my colleagues, mentors and friends at Philips: thank you. You’ve challenged me, supported me, and made this journey unforgettable.

“I’m proud of what we’ve built together - and I’m excited to carry these learnings forward.”

Stepping in to Deutsche Telekom

He now joins a platform with formidable scale. Deutsche Telekom serves more than 261 million mobile customers in more than 50 countries globally.

The telco company has committed to prioritising environmental and social responsibility across its value chain by working towards a circular economy and focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion.

It has also launched GreenMagenta and GoodMagenta labels, which award products and services for making a positive contribution to climate and resource conservation and social challenges.

For GreenMagenta labelled products in particular, there is a focus on promoting a circular economy and reducing carbon emissions - seen in many of Deutsche Telekom’s products that are plastic-free, helping consumers prioritise their environmental footprint.

Deutsche Telekom states it aims to reduce its carbon emissions through its climate protection strategy and has set itself the goal of becoming one of the world’s leading sustainable telecommunications companies by targeting net zero emissions across the entire value chain by 2040.

By the end of 2025, it aims to become climate-neutral in terms of its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by reducing emissions from its operations and offsetting the remaining emissions with techniques such as reforestation.

For Robert, the leadership mandate is clear: translate this ambition into execution at scale.

His track record suggests an approach rooted in governance, innovation and partnership - aligning product design with circularity, accelerating network and supply chain decarbonisation, and hardwiring ESG into business performance across T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom’s broader markets.

As with EcoVision, expect a focus on lifetime value and measurable progress, leveraging tools like GreenMagenta to steer portfolio choices and signal market expectations.

Discussing his new role, Robert says: “Now, I take a deep breath and look ahead.

“A new adventure begins, and I’m ready to again listen, learn, push boundaries, asking tough questions, and building bridges to ensure the innovation power of large companies serves society and respects planetary boundaries.”

With a 2040 net zero target and a 2025 Scope 1 and 2 milestone on the horizon, Robert’s next chapter will be defined by turning purpose into proof - mobilising a global organisation to deliver sustainability outcomes that are both business-critical and society-positive.