2.5 Corporate Responsibility
United Internet AG’s Management Board and Supervisory Board consider it their responsibility to ensure the Company’s continued existence and create sustainable value through responsible corporate management that takes a long-term perspective. For United Internet, running a business involves more than pursuing economic goals – it also has an obligation to society, the environment, employees, and other stakeholders.
The non-financial Group report was prepared in accordance with sections 315c in conjunction with sections 289c to 289e HGB, including the disclosures contained in this non-financial report to fulfill the requirements of Article 8 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 (hereinafter “non-financial reporting”). With regard to the structure and presentation of the information, reporting is based on the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). This applies in particular to the following aspects of ESRS 1:
- Qualitative characteristics of information
- Double materiality as the basis for sustainability disclosures
- Due diligence
- Value chain
- Time horizons
- Preparation and presentation of sustainability information
- Structure of sustainability statement
Based on the ESRS concept, the impacts, risks and opportunities (IROs) identified using the double materiality analysis form the starting point for identifying the material sustainability topics. Also in line with ESRS, the qualitative and, in individual cases, quantitative information for these sustainability topics is then reported.
For the selection of qualitative information, the sustainability report adopts the concept of “policies, actions and targets” as set out in ESRS 2. Moreover, further quantitative information – collected in line with ESRS if indicated separately – is provided where relevant and possible.
The chapter General Disclosures sets out the basic cross-cutting requirements for sustainability reporting, including the disclosure of corporate strategy, governance, materiality and stakeholder engagement, which are mandatory for all companies. The second chapter maps the environmental information in relation to climate change, resource use, and the circular economy. Information and key figures relating to the Company’s own workforce, workers in the supply chain, and consumers and end users are presented in the Social chapter. Finally, there are chapters with content on Corporate Governance and the company-specific governance topics: Digital Ethics and Responsibility. The latter covers company-specific topics, especially with regard to the digital economy, which is relevant for the United Internet Group and the sector in general.
The Company’s Sustainability Report 2024, including the Non-Financial Group Report, will be published in late March 2024 (at www.united-internet.de/en/investor-relations/publications/reports.html).
In anticipation of the introduction of the European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), considerable effort was devoted to meeting the increased regulatory requirements as far as possible in the fiscal year 2024. This included refining sustainability targets within the divisions, strengthening the responsible teams, and expanding and optimizing data collection processes and systems. As a result, the Company is able to present environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects in greater detail and to make developments within the divisions more visible. At the same time, the existing risk management system was continuously adapted and expanded to ensure that the business model remains robust in the future. Moreover, the recording and updating of the ecological footprint has laid the groundwork for an even more targeted implementation of measures.
The Company’s Supervisory Board is responsible for examining the content of sustainability reporting. The Supervisory Board is supported in this by a “limited assurance” review of the separate non-financial Group report by PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft.