ENVIRONMENTAL information
United Internet acknowledges the urgency and global importance of climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation. In this chapter, the Company provides the detailed current status of data collected for climate-related metrics. The chapter also shows that the focus in fiscal year 2024 was on data collection. The aim in fiscal year 2025 is to develop Group-wide strategies for emissions reduction and for implementing sustainable business practices.
United Internet’s double materiality assessment determined that its energy requirements and greenhouse gas emissions result in both actual and potential impacts.
United Internet provides internet and telecommunications services whose operation depends on an energy-intensive infrastructure (mobile networks and data centers). Consequently, the main emissions in its own operations relate to energy consumption by its data centers and telecommunications networks. In addition, battery arrays designed to ensure an uninterrupted power supply for telecommunications network operations in the case of power outages or voltage fluctuations result in emissions. Moreover, standby power systems are deployed at the technical locations so as to ensure uninterrupted power supplies in emergencies. These run on energy from fossil sources (diesel and gasoline), resulting in additional emissions if they are deployed. What is more, leakages can lead to coolant escaping in own and leased data centers. Equally, emissions from own operations occur at United Internet’s office locations. These include emissions from electricity and heating consumption, the consumption of coolant for air conditioning units, and employee mobility resulting from workplace commuting and business travel.
Emissions in the upstream value chain are primarily attributable to the expansion of the data centers and the network infrastructure. These represent the majority of emissions from purchased goods and services, and from capital goods. Other emissions arise in the upstream chain for electricity and heating in offices and the telecommunications network. Still other emissions are produced by waste (e.g., office or canteen waste), and as a result of the logistics for purchased and resold goods. In addition, emissions are generated in the upstream value chain at leased co-location data centers and technical locations. Energy trading by the Consumer Applications Segment also generates energy-related emissions from upstream extraction and processing, and from the transportation of electricity.
Downstream emissions arise from the sale of merchandise and customer premises equipment such as smartphones or routers. This happens both during the use phase for such goods and as a result of their recovery at the end of their life cycle. In some cases, United Internet resells used IT equipment from its business operations that has been refurbished for resale. This also leads to emissions from their processing, use, and recovery at the end of their life cycle. Additional emissions are produced as a result of the energy trading performed by the Consumer Applications Segment due to the use of the natural gas that is traded.
Other downstream emissions result from the equipment with which users access United Internet services such as e-mail mailboxes. These emissions are not reported since United Internet cannot influence its customers’ electricity contracts.
Moreover, emissions arise from equity interests in companies over which there is no operational control.
All in all, United Internet’s energy consumption is expected to continue to increase in the coming years as data loads and the need for telecommunications services go on growing and the telecommunications network continues to expand.
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