In December 2019, the European Commission presented the European Green Deal with the ambition of making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, boosting the economy, improving people's health and quality of life, caring for nature, and leaving no one behind.

Digitalisation will be at the core of this ambitious program and fibre is key to align the digital and sustainability agendas. As the most sustainable telecommunication infrastructure technology, full-fibre is a prerequisite to achieving the European Green Deal and making the European Union’s economy more sustainable.

The need to work collectively towards a more sustainable society has become a strategic objective of policy makers and the vast majority of private organisations alike. With this context in mind, the sustainability Working Group of the FTTH Council Europe has been created with two key objectives:

  • Promote full fibre as the most sustainable access network technology and enabler of multiple applications which can contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of our activities. Remote working and learning being the most obvious examples.
  • Support all stakeholders of the Fibre to the Home value chain in their efforts to make their respective activities more carbon neutral.

Insights from the Committee

 

 

Sustainability Committee Supports Industry Progress on Code of Conduct and Sustainable Finance

Apr 30, 2026
Committee News | Sustainability Committee |

The Sustainability Committee contributed to the development of the Code of Conduct for the Sustainability of Telecommunication Networks, published in January 2026. This marks an important step toward positioning the telecom sector within the EU Taxonomy as a sustainable industry. The Code provides a framework to promote energy efficiency, decarbonisation, and greater transparency across the sector.

The Committee is now seeking further clarity on the applicability of certain standards outlined in the Code and will engage in discussions with relevant stakeholders in the coming months.

At the FTTH Conference, the Committee also presented initial findings from its ESG Survey, highlighting the growing importance of sustainable finance in the sector. Results show that ESG-linked financial products are becoming more widespread, while investors and shareholders are increasingly requesting ESG data from market players.

Building on this, work is underway on a White Paper on Sustainable Finance, combining survey insights with in-depth industry interviews. The publication is expected in June, providing further guidance on financing the transition to more sustainable fibre networks.

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