The EU Taxonomy (Regulation (EU) 2020/852) is a uniform, binding classification system for environmentally sustainable economic activities. Companies are obliged to report on the results of this classification on an annual basis. The aim is for them to provide an overview of which of their activities and investments are environmentally sustainable. Article 9 of the EU Taxonomy Regulation sets out six environmental objectives. Fiscal year 2023 saw the introduction for the first time of concrete specifications ( technical screening criteria ) for environmental sustainability for all six environmental objectives (Commission Delegated Regulation (CDR) (EU) 2021/2139 and CDR (EU) 2023/2486).
As was the case in the previous year, United Internet determined both Taxonomy eligibility and Taxonomy alignment for the first two environmental objectives
for fiscal year 2024. In addition, in fiscal year 2024 Taxonomy alignment was determined for the first time for the “transition to a circular economy” environmental objective.
Only Taxonomy eligibility was determined for the three other environmental objectives
for the fiscal year. In line with the requirements of the EU Taxonomy, alignment was not determined for these three environmental objectives since no Taxonomy-eligible economic activities have been found to exist . Reference will be made to these environmental objectives later on.
United Internet reviewed and reassessed its Taxonomy-eligible economic activities for the fiscal year. The following turnover-generating economic activities as set out in Annex 1 of CDR 2021/2139 (environmental objective: “climate change mitigation”) and Annex 2 of CDR 2023/2486 (environmental objective: “transition to a circular economy”) were identified as Taxonomy-eligible:
With respect to the first environmental objective (“climate change mitigation”), United Internet’s business activities can be assigned in particular to economic activity 8.1 “Data processing, hosting and related activities.” United Internet’s Business Applications Segment offers business applications such as domains, home pages, web hosting, servers, cloud solutions and cloud infrastructure, e-shops, group work, and online storage (cloud storage). This segment’s international service offering is therefore responsible for the majority of United Internet’s Taxonomy-eligible activities. The Consumer Applications Segment is home to United Internet’s consumer applications such as online storage and personal information management. Activities relating to activity 8.1 were also identified in this segment. To a limited extent, the Consumer Access and Business Access segments also contain Taxonomy-eligible activities that fall within economic activity 8.1, since they provide online storage and cloud telephony.
As in the previous year, United Internet identified those activities in which hosting and data storage play a key role (such as online storage) as Taxonomy-eligible activities for the fiscal year. No distinction was made between hosting and data storage activities using the Company’s own or third-party data centers . Other activities that only tangentially involve data transfer are not included under activity 8.1.
United Internet’s only turnover-generating economic activities that can be assigned to environmental objectives 3–6 currently relate to the “transition to a circular economy” objective. The Consumer Access Segment refurbishes returned smartphones and resells them to customers as reconditioned second-hand goods; this corresponds to economic activity 5.4 “Sale of second-hand goods.”
Based on our current understanding, the core business activities performed by other United Internet sub-areas are not covered by the EU Taxonomy. As a result, activities relating to the expansion and use of telecommunications networks were classified as Taxonomy non-eligible, as was the case in the first two years’ reporting.
In addition, material cross-divisional activities and infrastructure-related activities were identified in connection with CapEx and OpEx at United Internet:
“Climate change mitigation“ environmental objective:
The economic activities identified have been assigned to the “climate change mitigation” (CCM) environmental objective, since there are currently no adaptation plans containing specific measures for the activities concerned.
Because of this, no CapEx nor OpEx has been assigned to the “climate change adaptation” environmental objective pursuant to Commission Notice C/2023/305 (FAQs). Since the activities concerned are also not enabling activities within the meaning of this environmental objective (i.e., activities that provide adaptation solutions that can enable another economic activity to make a substantial contribution), no turnover has been assigned to this environmental objective. This avoids double-counting.
“Transition to a circular economy” environmental objective
In accordance with Question 150 of the Draft FAQs dated November 29, 2024, purchases of output from Taxonomy-aligned economic activities under all environmental objectives must be included. This has led to a reassessment of the activity, with United Internet reporting the Taxonomy-eligible CapEx and OpEx associated with electrical and electronic equipment under CE 1.2 for the first time.
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