e-Boks UN Global Compact COP Report 2022

A letter from our CEO

In 2022, more than 22.7 million citizens across the world used their secure digital postbox, delivered by e-Boks, to access, sign, and store critical documents from more than 30,000 public and private institutions – banks, insurance and pension funds, and utility companies.

Since our beginning in 2001, e-Boks has established its business by delivering sustainable digital solutions and is today an important infrastructural component – not only in the Danish society, but also across Europe, delivering over 546 million digital documents yearly.

Looking back at the business of e-Boks over the span of the past three years, it has required an unprecedented level of agility to circumnavigate the multiple and mutually reinforcing pressures from COVID-19 and geopolitical instability, while at the same time ensuring that we as a business are fit for the future.

Our operating environment has been challenging, but, out of this, many opportunities have emerged that we are ready to embrace. We are going out of 2022 with some unique and important insights about the role of digitalization as a democratic force for good, but also of the mission critical importance of safe-guarding our personal data for the security of nations, financial systems, utilities and businesses in times of crises and geopolitical division.

It is our vision to create better digital societies and keep contributing to the sustainable development of society through digital transformation. We enable the transition towards paper-free distribution, handling, and storage of documents in the public and private sector with the security that users’ personal data privacy is ensured, and that their personal data is secured from landing in the wrong hands. To us, this is how we contribute to the UN Global Compact Ten Principles, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, SDG 12 – Sustainable Consumption and Production, and SDG 13 – Climate Action.

A blueprint for the digital transition in a new geopolitical age

The IMD World Digital Competitiveness Center has ranked Denmark as the most future ready digital economy in the world, defined by the WCC as “the level of country preparedness to exploit digital transformation”. The IMD ranking shows that governments and the private sector need to shield their digital infrastructure from cyber-attacks if they want to continue in the race for digitally competitive economies. e-Boks has been a key contributor in supporting Denmark on its secure digital journey and works to support public and private sectors across the world to embark on their digital transformation while safeguarding their digital infrastructures.

We are experiencing a growing recognition across the world that the digital transition is key for building well-functioning societies, but also that in the current geopolitical environment, personal data security has become a matter for national security and defense. This presents a great opportunity for e-Boks in our strategy of expansion, but it also requires a long-term

perspective, deep partnerships with key decision makers, and the foundational understanding of the geopolitical security context. We are well-prepared and today we can deliver hybrid cloud and on-premises solutions that meet the stringent security requirements of our customers, regardless of their data policies.

We are proud of the role we have played in the digital transition of the Danish society and economy over the past two decades. As decision makers across the world are stepping up their efforts to reduce their material and carbon footprints, we have looked at our environmental footprint contribution in Denmark over the period, and what a transition to paper free post and handling of documents could mean in terms of paper saved, including trees, water and tons of CO2e saved. We hope that these experiences can provide a blueprint for the environmental savings potential that a government or business may pursue in their own context and time horizon.

Partnering to prevent financial and cyber crime

Increasing compliance requirements for financial institutions and services necessitates the need for establishing a customer’s identity and set-up Know Your Customers - KYC - procedures to help prevent identity theft, money laundering, financial fraud, terrorism financing, and other financial crimes. This put increasing demands on companies’ business process handling, documentation, and security. In 2022, e-Boks partnered with New Banking Identity, a Danish RegTech company that owns, develops, and operates an identity compliance platform for customer data management across 75 countries. The entire process of accessing and providing sensitive personal information can now be handled via e-Boks, including consent, digital signatures, and other actions. This provides a safe environment for companies and users for the handling of sensitive personal information.

New e-Boks solution empowers many new sectors and consumers

Today, the Danish population has the flexibility of using a variety of digital secure postboxes to access documents from the public sector. However, 90% of the Danes still prefer to use their e-Boks postbox for secure digital communication with public authorities and private companies.

As a new feature introduced in 2022 e-Boks opened the option for companies to send mail to citizens for whom they do not have a prequired social security number. So far, 4 million Danes (and growing) have opted into this facility. It provides a strong foundation for companies that have not collected a social security number from their customers but need to be able to reach users directly with secure digital mail through e-Boks. We are already seeing a lot of interest from sectors such as energy and utilities, membership organisations, debt collection, parking, housing, and the like, and we expect to see an influx of new customers choosing e-Boks primarily because of this option.

Thanks to the e-Boks team and partners

Let me finish by thanking the entire e-Boks team as well as our many partners and users across the world for your commitment, trust and confidence in us. Despite the challenging operating environment, I believe we came out stronger and more fit for the future. Among the absolute highlights is our transition from a mainframe solution to a completely new and modern tech stack, which has strengthened the cost-effectiveness of

e-Boks, without jeopardizing security. I recognize the heavy lift that everyone has contributed at e-Boks, and I am proud of our strong team and partnerships.

Ulrik Falkner Thagesen Group CEO e-Boks

Foreword

e-Boks has since 2018 been part of the UN Global Compact (UNGC) where we each year have reported our progress and the development that has happened internally in our organization. With the change in format of UNGC Communication on Progress, we still wanted to create an insightful document that shows how we through our business take environmental responsibility to contribute to a greener world; contribute to better digital societies; and maintain and build stakeholder trust.

In 2021 we took the first steps to report in alignment with the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Preparing for our 2022 report shows how far we have come in just one year. We have learned a lot about how to collect and process data correctly, making 2022 our baseline year for providing an account of material scope 1-3 emissions in our value chain. In this year’s report, we have also taken the opportunity to take stock on our sustainable impact over time: We have prepared a case study that shows the historic development of e-Boks in a Danish context, the digital transformation that we have been a part of, and its impact on a greener world.

We welcome any feedback and input from our stakeholders to how we can improve. Sustainability is an integral part of e-Boks business model and part of our sustainable growth strategy.

About e-Boks

e-Boks is a trusted provider of secure platforms and digital postboxes. We offer companies, public authorities, and private citizens across the world an effective, secure, and userfriendly platform for digital communication. In 2001, e-Boks was launched to facilitate a secure and more effective way for companies to communicate with their customers and public authorities with citizens. Since then, e-Boks has played a pivotal role in digitalizing the infrastructure in Denmark and across the Nordics. According to the OECD1, Denmark remains among the best countries in the world to provide digital public services and no 1 when it comes to user-driven digital services. Today, 90%

Purpose

of all Danish citizens have a secure digital postbox provided by e-Boks that is accessed with their personal secure digital ID.

e-Boks is an independent limited company co-owned by Nets and PostNord, providing national digital post solutions to the governments of Denmark, Greenland, Norway, Sweden and Ireland. Additionally, well-renowned international banks, insurance companies, and energy service providers have chosen to use the secure e-Boks platform instead of pursuing their own solutions.

1 https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Reports/UN-E-Government-Survey-2022

Our business model

Key resources

We finance our investments through cash flow from our operations, and through our publicprivate ownership structure of PostNord A/S and Nets Denmark A/S

Core activities

Provides end-users with a lifelong personal and secure postbox for important and sensitive information from public authorities and private businesses. Secure Identification of end-users is based on national eIDs

We invest in digital solutions and applications, which can be used together with relevant systems and platforms across geographies and enterprises to scale up the secure and efficient communication between public authorities, citizens and businesses

Guarantees a safe, digital distribution channel for sending sensitive and confidential personal data

Provides sender with the option to establish confidential, reliable, and secure two-way communication with end-user

We rely on external data centres to power our business. Data centres consume vast amounts of energy, and as an important digital player, we are committed to sourcing 100% carbon neutral data by 2030

The e-Boks portal solution for corporate online systems provides an integrated platform for digitizing costly and time-consuming manual processes into companies’ own digital universes. It supports the digital signing of documents, sending notifications, and the secure dialogue between sender and end-user

We rely on a highly skilled workforce to operate our business, and we work to secure a pipeline of diverse talent from leading educational institutions

Offers sender and recipients a convenient, reliable and secure way of signing documents (agreements, contracts, offers) digitally from both PC, tablets and mobile phones, including notification service, follow-up service, and archiving options.

We rely on a culture of security and integrity that always puts citizens’ interests first – their right to privacy, confidentiality and secure transaction of their personal data

Stakeholder

We rely on constructive collaboration with public and private partners to enable e-Boks to strengthen people’s legal rights, protect their fundamental freedoms, secure their legal identities and enable their secure and transparent access to public and private institutions. This is our commitment to SDG 16

Provides recipients a convenient and secure way of paying invoices. Processes the invoices in collaboration with existing payment service providers (PSP).

e-Boks Plus is a self-service universe that is displayed in a separate section in the e-Boks app. Here e-Boks’ mobile app users in Denmark, Sweden and Norway can access value-added services provided by e-Boks and third parties.

e-Boks has joined forces with NewBanking Identity to solve the challenge of ineffective KYC processes. The platform is built to ensure the compliance of anti-money laundering and GDPR regulation. With the new KYC solution companies can request the necessary identification in e-Boks, and the customer can upload documents securely in the same place.

Case study:

Background

e-Boks has been a trusted provider of secure platforms and digtal postboxes for more than 22 years. With the establishment of a digital postbox in 2001 , e-Boks was key in starting the digitalization of Denmark that today is placing the country among the top-three in the UN e-Government survey, and as the world’s most competitive digital economy by the IMD World Digital

Competitiveness Ranking, among other things due to Denmark’s ability to shield personal data from cyberattacks.

Today, Denmark is ‘digital by default’ with 90% of the population having a secure digital postbox.

e-Boks societal impact over a decade

It is our vision to create better digital societies and keep contributing to the sustainable development of society through digital transformation. In the following model case description, we have looked at how e-Boks over the past decade has contributed to a significant shift

in the way private businesses and public authorities communicate and send letters in Denmark, and through that also has had a positive impact in reducing CO2e emissions and lowing the material footprint for the Danish population.

Model 1: e-Boks contribution to digital transformation – a summary

e-Boks users, physical letters sent and digital documents sent (2013-2021)

This model shows the historic development in e-Boks users from 2013 to 2021 in a Danish context (silo diagram) combined with the historic development of digital documents available through the e-Boks platform compared to the total number of physical letters sent in Denmark1

From 2013 to 2021, the e-Boks user base increased from 4 million to 6 million in Denmark. In the same period, the volume of digital letters grew to three times the number of physical letters – 542 million documents were available through our platform in 20212

The model shows how e-Boks over the past decade has contributed to a significant shift in the way people communicate and send letters in Denmark and how it over time has been possible to create a tipping point from physical letters to digital post (achieved in 2016).

1 The data for the physical letters sent in Denmark is derived from Trafikstyrelsens “Redegørelse for 2021 om det danske postmarkeds tilstand og udvikling”

2 The model shows the relation between letters sent based on numbers from the Danish postal service, PostNord and digital documents available through the e-Boks platform.

Model 2: e-Boks contribution to reducing the CO2e footprint – a summary

Emitted CO2-e for physical letters (PostNord) and digital post (e-Boks) in the period 2013-2021

Model 2 tracks the development in physical letters and digital documents and shows the total emitted CO2e from each of these over a historic period from 2013 to 2021. The graph shows a positive trend in terms of climate impact, as the CO2e emissions from both the physical letters and digital documents has fallen over the period, reaching an all-time low in 2021.

The reason why CO2e emissions from digital documents first increases and subsequently decreases, is due to the relation between the changing CO2e emission factor and development in number of documents. From 2013 to 2015 e-Boks total number of documents distributed almost doubled, which was followed by a more steady growth in volume. Additionally, from 2014 to 2021 the calculated CO2e emission from digital documents fell from 35g/CO2e per document to 3.3g/CO2e per documents. The combination of these two factors has led to the graphs trajectory.

Although the difference in CO2e emitted might not seem substantial for physical letters vis-à-vis digital documents, a closer look at the data reveals that while the number of physical letters has decreased in the period, the amount of digital documents has increased while still emitting less CO2e overall*. This is an important insight, as it indicates how a transition towards digital documents can considerably reduce the amount of CO2e emitted compared to convential physical letters.

Physical letters

28.7g/CO2e per letter

The CO2e emission per physical letters includes the emission from production (2.7g) of the paper and the distribution (26g) of the letters***

Digital documents

3.3g/CO2e per document

The CO2e emission per digital document distributed is based on the scope 3.11 emission data**. Emissions has been calculated based on an average size of each digital letter of 1 MB and assuming that it is opened, read and signed on a computer using Wi-Fi ***

* The reduced CO2e emissions for physical letters are also attributed to PostNord’s own efforts to reduce CO2e emissions: https://www.postnord.com/sustainability

Last visited June 2023

** The emission number per digital document distributed is based on a French study conducted in 2022 by the researcher Basile Fighier: https://www.sami.eco/blog/ empreinte-carbone-email Last visited June 2023

*** See appendix B for a detailed elaboration

e-Boks contribution to the environment

The transition to paper-less communication also has a positive impact on the environment. The pulp and paper industry uses commercially produced timber, water and energy in its production, and with the resulting pollution and carbon emissions associated with the paper production process.

Saved Trees:

As digital letters replace physical ones, the demand for paper decreases, leading to a potential reduction in replacement of natural forests with commercial timber. While it is challenging to quantify the exact impact, it is clear that the transition to digital communication has contributed to preserving forests, which in turn has positive implications for biodiversity and climate change mitigation.

Energy Usage:

Digital letters typically require less energy to produce and deliver than their physical counterparts. The reduction in energy usage can be attributed to the elimination of the need for printing and transportation. However, it is essential to note that data centers and digital devices also consume energy. Our data hosting provider in Denmark is KMD who state that they are CO2e-neutral as they offset their carbon emissions with climate credits. Nevertheless, advancements in energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy sources are helping to minimize the environmental footprint of digital communication.

CO2e Emissions:

CO2e

The shift from physical to digital letters has the potential to reduce CO2e emissions, primarily through decreased reliance on transportation services for physical letter delivery. Fewer vehicles on the road mean fewer emissions, which can contribute to improved air quality and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. However, it is crucial to recognize that digital communication infrastructure also has its own carbon footprint. Therefore, companies must prioritize energy-efficient solutions and support the transition to low-carbon energy sources.

Based on our calculations the average CO2e emitted with a digital document was 3.3g compared to 28.7g CO2e per physical letter produced and distributed in 2021.

A blueprint for the digital transition

We are proud of the role we have played in the digital transition of the Danish society and economy over the past two decades. As decision makers across the world are stepping up their efforts to embark on their digital transition, we hope the Danish model case serves as an illustration of the potential for introducing a secure digital postbox to kick-start the transition and the multiple positive societal impacts that can be generated for our

climate and environment. We recognize that the Danish model cannot be replicated 1-1. Each country has their own cultures and norms and start at different levels of their renewable energy transition and mix. That said, we hope that these experiences can provide a blueprint for the environmental savings potential that a government or business may pursue in their own context and time horizon.

How we create value for society

Resources

• 22 years of experience as a provider of effective and user-friendly digital infrastructures

• Insights from public-private partnerships in 7 countries

• Co-creation with users

• 30,000 public and private institutions using e-Boks

• Data Center providers committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030

• Financial resources

• Diverse talent

Maintenance

Commercial partnerships

Controls & Verification

Creating better digital societies

IT security

Compliance

Service delivery and platform management

Innovation and product development

Protecting and safeguarding citizen’s rights

• 22.7 million users have access to secure digital post

• 100% GDPR and eIDAS compliant

• 100% delivery guarantee of secure digital documents

We are committed to SDG 12

Through helping digitalize countries and companies, we aim to contribute to reducing the material footprint of paper and water per capita and per GDP.

Contributing to sustainable development through active participation in UNGC

We participate in the UN Global Compact, and we are committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In 2022 our UNGC COP. has been selected as one of the 10 best reports from SMEs in Denmark.

Reducing CO2e emissions

• 546 million documents sent through the e-Boks platform

• We strive to source 100% carbon neutral data by 2030

Diverse talent amongst our employees

• 26% women

• 74% men

• 10 nationalities

• Best Place to Work Certified 6th year in a row

Labour inspection report

The Danish Working Environment AuthorityArbejdstilsynet - is working for a safe and healthy working environment in all companies in Denmark. In 2023 Arbejdstilsynet paid an unannounced visit to e-Boks. The Danish Working Environment Authority has subsequently submitted a report stating that e-Boks fulfils the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Lower costs

• Up to 80% savings on distribution costs by shifting from physical letters to digital documents

Our approach to ESG

As a provider of a secure digital communication platform and digital postboxes, e-Boks delivers an important part of the societal infrastructure that makes modern democracies function and thrive. Our corporate purpose is to deliver better

External commitments

e-Boks is a signatory to the United Nations (UN) Global Compact since 2018 and remains committed to integrating the ten universal principles of Human Rights, Labour, Environment, and Anti-Corruption into our strategy and operations, as well as in our supply chain.

Through our participation in the UNGC, e-Boks aligns with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) index, which supports our intention to enable transparent communication of our progress towards achieving our environmental, social, and governance goals. Our most recent UNGC questionnaire can be found here, along with our previous UNGC COP reports.

The Ten Principles are integrated into the e-Boks Code of Business Conduct, which is anchored with our Board of Directors

digital societies, and at the heart of this promise are citizens’ fundamental and inviolable rights and freedoms – to privacy, anonymity, freedom of expression, and the equitable access to public information.

and Management Board, and the progress is tracked annually through the UN Global Compact Communication on Progress. It forms the backbone for our strategic decisions and daily activities and is operationalized and monitored through policies, codes of conduct, and external standards. The e-Boks code of conduct extends to our external collaborators and guides our way of working with contractors, suppliers, and partners.

Our support for the Copenhagen Pledge on Tech for Democracy, shows that e-Boks is committed to ensuring that digital technologies have a positive impact on democracy and human rights.

e-Boks way of doing business:

We place human rights at the core of our business - above all else, it is essential that clients and users trust that e-Boks observes the following principles in the way we develop and manage our systems –integrity, availability, confidentiality, and privacy.

We strive to be a great place to work - our people policy and Labour Code of Conduct set out to ensure that all e-Boks’ employees, as well as suppliers, no matter where they are located in the world, are offered optimal and safe working conditions with respect for their private lives.

We are in the business of protecting the environment - from data warehousing to the offering of digital alternatives to the physical mail distribution and storage of documents – e-Boks seeks to decrease our environmental footprint through collaboration with our suppliers, clients and users, as well as by looking at our own emissions.

Stakeholder trust is our license to operate - trust is a prerequisite for our ability to maintain and grow our business. Our Code of Business Conduct describes how e-Boks strives to engage with our stakeholders with respect and in compliance with rules and regulations, while upholding high ethical standards in everything we do. Acting honestly, decently, and responsibly is a fundamental part of our values. We provide continuous training to our employees, endorse a speak-up culture, and provide means to report unethical behavior in a safe and anonymous way.

Setting a 2022 baseline for our climate impact

As a digital platform and solutions provider, e-Boks’ greatest contribution to fight climate change and build a greener world is to enable the transition towards better digital societies. Every single action count to deliver on the urgent call for sciencebased climate action to reach net-zero emissions no later than

Approach

While we in 2021 took the first steps towards identifying our corporate CO2e emissions in scope 1 and scope 2, 2022 will be our baseline year for all material CO2e emissions related to e-Boks’ operations in scope 1, 2 and 3, providing the foundation

Our 2022 climate impacts

2050 and halve emissions by 2030. That is why we at e-Boks are ramping up our efforts to deliver a transparent and insightful account of our CO2e emissions in accordance with the Green House Gas (GHG) Protocol.

for future work with climate impact and reduction targets. All calculations have been validated by Primdal ESG, a third-party expert.

2,282.78 tons/CO2e

Scope 3 impact downstream

The vast majority of our total CO2e emissions are in scope 3, and the largest part (82%) of that is downstream in the enduse of sold goods and services (scope 3.11).

For e-Boks this covers every time a standard digital letter of 1 MB is opened, read and signed on a computer using Wi-Fi, representing estimated 3.3g CO2e per standard digital letter*.

In comparison, a physical letter of an equivalent size, produced and distributed in Denmark in 2021, was estimated to contribute to 28.7g CO2e. This means that e-Boks has an overall positive downstream impact on CO2e, enabling the transition from physical to digital post. See also our case study on page 10, which describes our historical impact in Denmark.

e-Boks total CO2e emissions for 2022 (scope 1-3)

While transport and storage of digital data represent a fraction (1%) of the total CO2e emissions from producing, sending and storing digital letters, we recognize that data centers are still a major contributor to CO2e emissions. According to UNEPCCC1, data centres worldwide are now responsible for 2% of global CO2e emissions, with the potential to escalate to 14% by 2040.

1% = digital transport and storage of data over the network

23% = lifetime footprint of user’s computer

69% = lifetime footprint of sender’s computer

Our data center provider, KMD, has set an ambition of becoming net-zero by 2030. Already in 2020, KMD reached its ambition of net-zero energy consumption, among other things by sourcing energy from Ørsted’s offshore windmill farm Horns Rev 2 and through certificates of origin on renewable energy from Norwegian hydropower. As we internationalize our business across the world, we have little direct impact on our customers’ choice of data-center providers. However, we proactively demonstrate the full potential of transitioning to digital post, also advocating for choosing data center providers that have committed to setting scienced-based targets towards the Paris Climate Agreement.

Our way forward

e-Boks recognizes the need for setting absolute timebound corporate CO2e reduction targets in alignment with the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi). At the same time, we must admit that we, as a digital platform and solutions provider, have limited control over the areas where our biggest CO2e emissions occur, not least in the downstream use of our products and services.

An important step in the direction of showing our commitment to environmental responsibility, has been the scope analysis of our scope 1-3 emissions, as it paves the way for evaluating the efficiency of our processes, identifying areas for improvement, and setting meaningful reduction targets in the future.

One crucial metric is the GHG emission intensity figure, which helps us measure the efficiency of our operations in terms of emissions generated based on number of digital documents.

This number indicates that even though e-Boks total CO2e emissions increase as the number of digital documents also

increase, the CO2e emissions pr unit of output are considered relatively low.

Our GHG emission intensity figure covers scope 1 and scope 2 emissions as these are the material emissions that e-Boks has the most control over. By employing this metric, we continue to drive sustainable progress and embed sustainability throughout our operations. Currently it does not cover scope 3 emissions, as e-Boks has limited direct influence on these emissions.

Nonetheless, we strive to create a culture where we think green in the way we conduct ourselves on a day-to-day basis, including in the way we procure products and services, and by being an active stakeholder and sustainable partner with our suppliers and customers. In the coming years, we will explore ideas to how we can contribute to lowering our direct company emissions in scope 1 and scope 2, but more importantly, also how we can be a catalyst for change in our supply chain and among our partners in order to lower our scope 3 emissions.

Scope 1 + Scope 2 carbon intensity figure in 2022

For every 1 million digital documents distributed

7% = energy used to produce the letter 1: https://c2e2.unepccc.org/kms_object/global-growth-potential-of-energy-efficient-data-centres/

Stakeholder engagement

e-Boks is working closely with stakeholders to understand and respond to their key concerns, expectations and needs. We draw on stakeholder insights, feedback and partnerships to understand where we have the greatest risks and potential for delivering stakeholder impact - short and long term.

Stakeholder How we engage Employees

Focus: Employee safety, physical and mental health and wellbeing, engagement, inclusion and diversity, people development, labor rights

Structured input: On-going people development employee-manager dialogues, tri-annual workplace risk assessment and annual employee-driven Great Place to WorkTM assessment

Talent

Focus: e-Boks awareness and reputation among IT professionals

Structured input: Annual reputation survey conducted by the Danish tech media Computer World. Engaging with higher educations. e-Boks talent development internally.

Regulators

Focus: Emerging standards and regulatory requirements for data platform providers

Structured input: Regular meetings with public agencies for digitisation in countries where e-Boks is present or is building a presence.

Policy makers

Focus: How e-Boks best aligns with and contributes to EU’s vision and targets for digital transformation by 2030 as well as policy priorities for the development of digital public infrastructures outside of EU

Structured input: Closely following the European Commission and its Europe’s Digital Decade 2030. Dialogue with national policy makers and public authorities within and outside the EU about expectations as to how e-Boks can deliver long-term value

Industry associations

Focus: Stakeholder trends, concerns and expectations to the wider IT sector and opportunities for sector-wide responses

Structured input: CEO representation in the Confederation of Danish Industry IT policy committee, participation in Copenhagen FinTech DIs udvalg for offentlig digitalisering og it-politik

DI og Finansforbundets “Data etisk forum”

Commercial public and private partners

Focus: Stakeholder expectations and requirements to e-Boks ESG performance, risks, and opportunities for e-Boks ability to deliver on its ESG commitments in the marketplace

Structured input: Annual partner questionnaires and feedback on e-Boks ESG performance, ESG requirements in public and private tenders, on-going input on emerging data security, privacy and cyber security protection measures and standards, e.g., in the financial sector

Users

Focus: Application of e-Boks offerings from a user perspective, evolving user needs and concerns, user-friendliness, accessibility and relevance of e-Boks services and solutions

Structured input: e-Boks citizen panel, pop-up user-feedback to e-Boks solutions, user pretotyping of new services and concepts, on-going dialogue with civil society organisations representing people with special needs, such as the elderly and disabled people

Suppliers and contractors

Focus: Risks and opportunities for e-Boks ability to deliver on its ESG commitments in the supply chain

Structured input: Supplier and contractor due diligence processes during selection, annual questionnaires, supplier audits and assurance processes

Key ESG focus areas

Environmental

• CO2e emissions

• Energy consumption

• Water consumption

• Materials consumption

• Land and biodiversity

Social Governance

• Users’ access to a secure digital postbox

• Employee wellbeing, development, and rights

• Protection of Human Rights

• Users’ access to a secure

• Anchoring of ESG

• Embedding of e-Boks Code of Business Conduct

• Compliance with data security standards and regulation

• Anti-corruption

• Responsible supply chain management

e-Boks commitment to the 2030 Agenda

SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production

e-Boks targets SDG 12.2.1, working to reduce the material footprint per capita and per GDP by accelerating the transition from paper-based to digital post. By 2030 our target is to enable 1.5 billion digital documents to be sent.

SDG 13: Climate action

e-Boks works to reduce our own CO2e footprint in scope 1 and 2, while also mapping how we can reduce our CO2e footprint in scope 3

SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions

e-Boks works to ensure that every time we open one million digital postboxes, we also strengthen one million people’s legal rights, protect their fundamental freedoms, secure their legal identities, and enable their secure and transparent access to public and private institutions. Our 2030 ambition is to grow our number of users to 30 million.

ESG dashboard

* Currently e-Boks only employs 2030 targets on selected ESG parameters. We are in the process of evaluating how we can best set targets, measure and track relevant KPI’s relating to our ESG activities, in order to ensure a high level of transparency in our reporting.

** The main reason behind the significant increase in scope 2 emissions from 2021 to 2022 is a result of a) updated data and b) an improved calculation method. The combination of these two elements has enabled us to provide a more accurate and transparent accounting of our scope 3 emission. However, this also means that it is too early to make a clear conclusion on the development of the emissions in our scope 2

*** The reason why the ESG dashboard shows a drop from 744 to 546 million documents sent between 2021 and 2022, is due to a change in methodology. Previously all types of messages were included, where as now, e-Boks has decided to only count the documents which result in an invoice to a customer. We hope that this will give a more accurate depiction of the volume of digital documents distributed on the e-Boks platform. The 542 million documents mentioned in the historical model on page 10 corresponds to the 744 milion documents in the ESG-dashboard for 2021 after the updated method has been applied.

100% of our employees know and understand our Information Security Policy

We have a high level of security, rated by PwC

100% of our employees know and understand e-Boks Code of Business conduct

Through our supplier contracts, all significant suppliers agree to adhere to e-Boks Code

Conduct

Sources

Data centres CO2 emissions

Source: https://c2e2.unepccc.org/kms_object/global-growth-potential-of-energy-efficient-data-centres/

Data on paper production in Scandinavian context

Source: https://www.holmen.com/en/paper/sustainability/sustainability-stories/how-to-undrestand-carbon-footprints/

PostNord approach to sustainability

Source: https://www.postnord.com/sustainability

PostNord sustainability reports with data on distribution emissions

Source: https://www.postnord.com/da/investor-relations/regnskabsaflaggelse/arlige-rapporter-og-baredygtighedsrapporter

Denmark remains among the best countries in the world to provide digital public services

Source:https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Reports/UN-E-Government-Survey-2022 det%20danske%20postmarkeds%20tilstand%20og%20udvikling.pdf

French study with emissions for digital letters

Source: https://www.sami.eco/blog/empreinte-carbone-email

Number of letters sent in 2021 in Denmark

Source: https://www.trafikstyrelsen.dk/Media/638094774603594297/Redeg%C3%B8relse%20for%202021%20om%20

Third party ESG expert

https://primdal.biz/

Appendix Appendix A

Model 1

Explainer

Note that the model illustrates a historical development in a Danish context and therefore does not necessarily reflect expected developments in other countries. Further, it cannot be assumed that emissions in other countries will follow the same development path, as this depends on several variables in each country, including energy composition and mix.

The model shows the relation between letters sent based on numbers from PostNord and digital documents available through the e-Boks platform. For the sake of transparency we want to highlight that documents available through our platform doesn’t equal read documents 1-to-1, as there are multiple digital solutions for Danish consumers. However, a survey conducted in 2022 shows that 90% prefer e-Boks to other digital sites. Therefore, we believe the numbers are still valid.

Sources

Trafikstyrelsen:https://www.trafikstyrelsen.dk/Media/638094774603594297/Redeg%C3%B8relse%20for%202021%20om%20 det%20danske%20postmarkeds%20tilstand%20og%20udvikling.pdf

e-Boks: https://www.e-boks.com/danmark/da/nyheder/vi-goer-klar-til-ny-vaekst

Model 2 Explainer

The model displays a development that has been supported by e-Boks, but not necessarily driven by e-Boks. The reduced CO2e emissions for physical letters cannot be solely attributed to digitalisation in connection with e-Boks. The general technological development in Denmark, PostNord’s own initiatives, cultural behavioural changes, etc. also plays a role. The emission factors on which the figure is based are founded on certain methodological choices and estimates as described in appendix B.

Sources

PostNord approach to sustainability: https://www.postnord.com/sustainability

PostNord sustainability reports with data on distribution emissions: https://www.postnord.com/da/investor-relations/ regnskabsaflaggelse/arlige-rapporter-og-baredygtighedsrapporter

Appendix B

Physical letters

CO2e emissions from paper production and distribution of all physical letters sent via PostNord in Denmark in the period 2013-2021.

Production of paper:

It is important to note that the CO2e emissions related to paper production can vary significantly depending on the specific production processes and inputs used in the paper manufacturing. Factors to consider are the type of paper, the amount of reused paper fibres and the energy sources used etc. The emission factor associated with the production of paper includes CO2e emitted from the forestry management, raw materials, purchased energy, wood transportation, paper mills etc.

The Swedish paper manufacturer Holmen Paper has calculated the emissions associated with the production of 1 tonne of its paper in 2023. The emissions vary between 82 and 172kg CO2e/tonne of paper produced. Applying the 172kg CO2e per tonne of paper, it corresponds to an emission factor of 0.86g CO2e per piece of paper produced and 2.7g CO2e per letter, (if we assume 1 letter weighs 15.7g and 1 piece of paper weighs 5g).

Source https://www.holmen.com/en/paper/sustainability/sustainability-stories/how-to-undrestand-carbon-footprints/

Distribution of letters

The emission factors related to distributing letters in Denmark are based on publicly available data reported by PostNord. Data from 2014-2017 as well as 2021 is available and has therefore been interpolated to cover the remaining years of the model.

Source https://www.postnord.com/da/investor-relations/regnskabsaflaggelse/arlige-rapporter-og-baredygtighedsrapporter

Digital letters:

CO2e emissions associated with the total volume of digital letters sent in Denmark via e-Boks in the period 2013-2021.

The emission factor of a digital letter depends on many different factors, e.g., the length of the message, the formatting, the addition of an illustrated signature, the weight of the attachments, the time it takes to write and read, the internet connection etc. The calculations of this model have therefore been developed based on several assumptions, such as the average size of all digital letters being 1 MB, and that all digital letters are written and read on a computer with Wi-Fi.

Carbon emissions associated with digital letters are broken down into 3 categories: Depreciation of the manufacture of the computers used to write and read the message, the energy consumption of the computer during the writing and reading of the email, and the transport of data over the network. Note that emissions associated with the storage of digital letters are excluded as e-Boks’ supplier of data hosting runs on renewable energy.

Two different emission factors have been applied, one from 2014 and one developed in 2021, for the calculation of carbon emissions related to sending digital letters through e-Boks’ platform in Denmark in the period 2013-2021.The first emission factor is based on data from the publicly available database, La Base Carbone, which refers to a report from 2014. The database is managed by the French Agency for Environmental Change (ADEME). The second emission factor is based on a French life cycle assessment (LCA) study from 2021 conducted on emails by a team of experts in measuring the carbon footprint of digital technologies.

Both emission factors cover the LCA of digital letters based on respectively 2014 and 2021 data. The two emission factors have been interpolated to cover the entire 2013-2021 period.

Source https://www.sami.eco/blog/empreinte-carbone-email