The Company issues its third Sustainability Report: focus on local community development, equal opportunities and people’s growth, energy saving are the strategy drivers
Rome, 11 May 2023 – Open Fiber issued its third Sustainability Report, the document outlining the Company’s approach to business and its commitment to technological innovation and the generation of shared value by building a cutting-edge infrastructure and fostering relations with territories and communities, institutions, partners and suppliers, universities and research centres.
By the end of 2022, Open Fiber covered 15.5 million households (of which 13 million in FTTHFTTH “Fiber to the Home” is the technology that connects POPs, located in exchanges, to end users’ property units with fiber optics. and 2.5 in FWAFWA Also known as ‘Wireless Local Loop’ (WLL), FWA refers to the use of radio solutions to cover the last mile to property units dispersed in very sparsely populated areas. A main antenna, typically connected to the network via fiber optics, covers an area of varying size where an antenna is mounted on each property unit equipped with an apparatus that transforms the radio signal and enables the connection of the CPE (Customer Premises Equipment), the electronic device used as a user-side terminal.) with its ultra-broadbandBroadband The term broadband, in telecommunications, generally refers to the transmission and reception of information data at a connection speed of over 144 kb/s. Broadband organises different channels, conveying different content in the form of data, such as Internet radio, animation, audio files and high-definition video. networkNetwork In computer language, the term network defines a set of hardware and software devices which, when linked together, enable the exchange and sharing of resources, data or information. In a computer network, the devices that generate, route and terminate data are called network nodes., confirming its position as Italy’s leading FTTH operator and among the top players in Europe. By building an ultra-high-performance network, Open Fiber can provide a tangible contribution to attaining some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), i.e., the 17 SDGs set by the United Nations for 2030, thanks to its distinctive factors: innovation and technology for the environment, enabling innovative services, investment in the growth of individuals as the driving force behind the sustainability strategy and responsible business management
Compared to traditional copper networks, Open Fiber’s network marks a quantum leap in environmental and energy sustainability. The company adopts a low-impact fibre-optic laying method, reusing existing infrastructure wherever possible and digging with the less invasive techniques currently available (mini-trench, micro-trench, no-dig), thus reducing the amount of materials employed and the waste produced. Specifically, in the country’s rural areas, the reuse of existing infrastructure reaches up to 80%, thus minimising both the environmental impact and the disruption to communities caused by road construction sites. The focus on the environment also involves the network operation phase by implementing energy efficiency and emission abatement solutions. On these points, 2022 has stated Open Fiber as the protagonist of an important milestone: 100% of the electricity purchased comes from renewable sources. This achievement has enabled to avoid over 15 thousand tonnes of CO2.
Open Fiber is playing a crucial role in the country’s digital transformation. This role matches with the awareness of the significant responsibility towards all the stakeholders and, in particular towards the territories and communities suffering the most from the digital divideDigital Divide A term to describe the gap between those who can use new information and communication technologies and those who, for technical, economic or social reasons, are unable to use them. Read the news item “Digital divide and social inequality: the role of Open Fiber” to find out more.. Placing people at the core is one of Open Fiber’s main cornerstones, which is reflected in its many activities in Welfare & Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, e-Working, risk prevention and workplace safety. In 2022, OF’s workforce totalled 1,571 people, with over 400 hires, 35% of whom were women. More than 57,000 total training hours were provided, 38 per capita on average.
Open Fiber’s commitment to sustainability and implementing policies and practices for managing ESG (environmental, social and governance) issues in recent years was also confirmed at the beginning of 2023 with the ESG Certification awarded by an independent third party.
“Open Fiber is sustainable not only from an environmental and economic viewpoint but also from a social one. Specifically, in villages and remote areas, where people are expected to be able to take advantage of the most advanced digital services, just like those living in large cities,” commented Mario Rossetti, CEO of Open Fiber. “The infrastructure we are building everywhere in Italy is a development driver for the communities, public administrations and manufacturing activities, from tourism to Industry 4.0Industry 4.0 This term refers to the fourth industrial revolution and envisions a production process based on the connection between physical and digital systems, complex analyses through Big Data and real-time adaptations. In other words: use of web-connected machines, analysis of information from the web and the possibility of more flexible management of the production cycle. Enabling technologies range from 3D printers to robots programmed for certain functions, via cloud-based data management and data analysis to detect production weaknesses and strengths. It is the IoT applied to industrial production. to territorial monitoring and smart agriculture. Moreover, in a time that pays special attention to energy issues, we should not forget that fibre-optic is an energy-saving technology sparing over 80% of energy compared to copper networks.”
Open Fiber’s Sustainability Report 2022 is available on the Company website openfiber.it.
Open Fiber Press Office