Turning sustainability ambition into action

When people think about sustainability, they do not always think about networks.

Yet every cloud application, AI workload, video stream and digital interaction depends on connectivity. As digitalization accelerates, the infrastructure powering our connected world becomes increasingly important, not only for economic growth and innovation, but also for how we manage our environmental and social responsibilities.

That is why sustainability is not a separate initiative at Arelion. It is part of how we run our business and make decisions. Our Sustainability Report 2025 is an opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come, where we still need to improve and what comes next.

Measuring meaningful progress

One result I am especially proud of is that, since our 2021 baseline, we have reduced our carbon footprint (Scope 1, 2 and 3) by 35%. This represents significant progress toward our target of achieving a 50% reduction by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2040.

These results are the outcome of continuous efforts across the business, from improving energy sourcing and operational efficiency to investing in technologies that deliver more capacity with less negative environmental impact.

Another milestone that stands out is that 96% of the energy consumed across Arelion-owned sites now comes from renewable sources, bringing us closer to our goal of reaching 100% renewable energy by 2030.

As demand for connectivity continues to grow, especially with the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure, ensuring that growth is powered responsibly becomes even more important. Sustainability and digital growth must move forward together.

Building more while using less

One of the most encouraging trends we see is that network traffic continues to grow rapidly while energy consumption increases at a much slower pace. This reflects years of work focused on energy efficiency, smarter network design and continuous technology innovation.

During 2025, Arelion expanded its network footprint, added new routes and invested in infrastructure to support AI and cloud growth. At the same time, we continued improving the environmental performance of the network that underpins these services.

This highlights an important principle: sustainability does not have to be about limiting growth. It can be about finding ways to grow more responsibly.

Advancing circularity across our network

Circularity is another area where we made meaningful progress during the year.

Network equipment contains valuable materials and resources, making it essential that we extend product lifecycles wherever possible. In 2025, nearly 90% of dismantled operational equipment was reused, resold or recycled. Much of this equipment was reused internally, helping us reduce waste and make better use of the resources we already have.

Our ambition remains clear: 100% of dismantled network equipment should be reused, resold or recycled. While there is more work ahead, the progress we are making demonstrates what is possible when circularity becomes part of everyday decision-making.

Sustainability is also about people

Environmental progress is only one part of the sustainability journey.

Building a sustainable business also means creating a workplace where people can thrive, develop and contribute their unique perspectives. Different experiences and backgrounds help us challenge assumptions, solve problems more effectively and make better decisions.

In 2025, women represented 34% of our workforce and 36% of leadership roles across Arelion. While we continue working toward our long-term goals, these figures reflect meaningful progress in an industry that has traditionally struggled with gender diversity.

We also continue investing in employee wellbeing, learning and leadership development. Sustainable companies are built by people, and creating an environment where employees can grow and succeed remains an important focus for us.

Looking ahead

The digital economy is entering a new era driven by AI, cloud computing and data-intensive applications. As a result, networks have never been more critical.

Our responsibility is clear. We must continue delivering the connectivity our customers depend on while steadily reducing our negative environmental impact and strengthening sustainability across our value chain.

There is still plenty of work ahead. Reaching our long-term goals will require persistence, collaboration and a willingness to keep improving.

But when I look at where we were in 2021 and where we are today, I believe we are moving in the right direction. That is what this year’s report is really about: showing that meaningful progress is possible when sustainability becomes part of how we work every day.

Sandra Klackenborn, Head of Sustainability