GHG Removals and GHG Mitigation Projects Financed through Carbon Credits

United   Internet gives reducing electricity consumption and hence the associated environmental impacts a high priority in its fiber-optic network operations. The most important measure being taken here is to use green electricity at the Company’s own technical locations. Where the Business Access Segment uses third-party fiber-optic networks (city carriers, Deutsche Telekom, etc.), it does not manage electricity procurement itself. In these cases electricity consumption is paid for via usage fees. For technical locations in which the segment cannot influence electricity sourcing, it aims to use validated credits to offset emissions for the fiscal year in question in the course of the following year, following receipt and review of the current consumption invoices. In fiscal year 2024 the Business Access Segment used carbon credits to perform greenhouse gas removals and greenhouse gas reduction projects. The Company used 100   % credits from the renowned Gold Standard for offsetting in fiscal year   2024. Under the Gold Standard, projects can only be certified if they are offered via the Gold Standard Marketplace. All Gold Standard projects must make a measurable contribution to at least three of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Gold Standard is supported by a broad network of nongovernmental organizations and is the only climate-related standard that complies with the International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling Alliance (ISEAL) Code of Good Practice in Standards-Setting, Assurance and Impacts.

In fiscal year   2024, the Business Access Segment retired 4,713 Gold Standard-compliant verified emission reductions (VERs). Retiring VERs means that these carbon credits are permanently withdrawn from trading. The volume of credits corresponds to a real reduction of 4.713 tonnes of CO 2 e.

The volume of carbon credits to be retired outside the Company’s value chain in the future is not based on existing contractual agreements.

The Business Access Segment is planning to offset the residual emissions resulting from the energy consumed during operation of the fiber-optic network using validated credits until further notice.