Speed Fibre Group_Sustainability Report 2023. by hedermangms

Sustain ability Report

2023

Message from our CEO

In 2023, Speed Fibre Group (“SFG”) reached a pivotal moment in its ESG journey, marking significant strides towards a more sustainable future. Amidst dynamic changes within our organisation, our steadfast dedication to ESG principles remained unwavering. Throughout the year, our primary focus was on driving continual enhancement across all ESG facets to elevate our GRESB score. Notably, we prioritised identifying and assessing environmental impacts, including business transition risks towards a lowcarbon economy, and physical risks associated with climate change such as adverse weather patterns. Simultaneously, we intensified efforts in procuring green energy and securing green building certifications for our offices. Two pivotal initiatives were undertaken

in 2023: firstly, assessing our alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and secondly, initiating a net-zero pathway with the view to aligning with Ireland’s ambitious carbon emission goals for 2030 and 2050. We are immensely proud to have earned a 5-star rating, scoring 97/100, and clinching the top position in our sector across Europe in the GRESB assessment. This accolade from GRESB, a respected global organisation providing validated ESG benchmarking, reflects our dedication to transparently disclosing our nonfinancial ESG performance. Our voluntary participation in such assessments has proven invaluable, fostering tangible benefits and driving operational excellence through evidenced-based reporting. Indeed, over the past three years, transparent reporting has not only guided us towards international best practices but

has also enhanced our competitive edge. Setting us aside from our competitors was our superior ESG performance.

Looking ahead to 2024, we anticipate an exciting chapter for SFG. Our focus will be on formalising our alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and solidifying our netzero pathway. Additionally, we are committed to deepening our engagement with stakeholders, aspiring to become catalysts for a circular economy. As we embark on this journey, we remain steadfast in our commitment to sustainability, driving positive change for our business, society, and the planet.

Peter McCarthy, Group CEO

Our Strategy and Materiality

We are dedicated to carrying out our responsibilities and commitments under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement as well as running our company with consideration for climate change. We aim to explore how we can implement a net carbon zero pathway within our business and align to Irelands 2030 and 2050 targets.

We acknowledge that we significantly influence others’ ability to fulfil their ESG commitments, particularly in the social sphere. As a result, we are focused on aligning our operations in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (“UNSDG’s”) and will evaluate our direct and indirect positive and negative contributions with regard to achieving these objectives.

In the interest of transparency, we commit to annually publishing our progress on ESG performance through the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (“GRESB” infrastructure scheme) so that our stakeholders can follow our progress as we aim to maintain our 5-star rating and also in the hopes to influence other companies to begin their ESG journey.

Our Strategy and Materiality

Waste management

Stakeholder Engagement Fraud

Water Use

Habitat and Biodiversity

Employee training and Development

Employee Engagement

Inclusion and Diversity

Data Security Conflicts of interest Lobbying

Community Giving and Engagement

Physical Climate Risk

Customer Satisfaction

Whistle blower protection Carbon Emissions

Employee & Contractors Health and Safety

Legal Compliance

Relevance to business success

Our ESG strategy is guided by a robust materiality assessment that aids the identification and prioritisation of environmental, social and governance issues that are of greatest concern to our internal and external stakeholders.

2023 ESG Highlights

Achievements:

Peter McCarthy

Speed Fibre Group CEO, CEO

100 Index

John Delves Magnet + MD, CEO

100 Index

Legal Team

Legal GC 500

Teams Powerlist

Magnet+ won Communication

Excellence Award at Tech Excellence Awards

Environmental Social

Certifications

Magnet+ and Enet: ISO 45001

Certification

SFG ISO 14001

Certification

Enet: ISO 9001 certification

GRESB: 1st in Europe for our sector

Deloitte best managed company – gold standard

79% reduction in Scope 2 emissions due to increased procurement of green energy tariffs.

Our EV chargers helped us avoid 1,050kg of GHG emissions.

Initiating the transition our fleet to more sustainable models such as hybrid vehicles.

Continuation of paperless billing initiative, saving over 65,802 pages of physical billing documents since its initiation. This approximately amounts to 8.2 trees saved.

Monthly internal EHS communications.

Employee Engagement Days

Training:

• 3521 hours of training provided.

• 93% of employees received training in 2023.

• 7 employees supported in higher level course, certificates or master’s degrees.

0 reportable H&S incidents in 2023

Governance

Acquisition by Cordiant Digital Infrastructure. Monthly internal environmental communications.

0 major cyber incidents in 2023.

93% of employees completed data security training in 2023.

Sustainability

Report alignment with SASB standard.

Investor in Diversity Silver Accreditation

Launch of Departmental Team Building Days Launch of the Employee Recognition Programme

Launch of Volunteer Day Initiative

D&I committee cultural celebrations

CSR: Van donation –Scrubbery Charity

Companywide Wellness

Webinars & Events

Continuation of the SFG Data Advocates Network.

Events

Facilitating a Low Carbon Economy

Our Network

Speed Fibre Group (“SFG”) is a leading supplier of both wholesale (“Enet”) and retail connectivity (“Magnet+”) to the Irish market with a network that is utilised by all major Irish, European and US telecom carriers.

Enet Network:

• 1,400km Fibre Infrastructure

• 4,000km Backhaul Links

• 292 High Site Locations

• Spread Across 94 Cities

• Serving 100 Carriers Across Ireland

Magnet+ Network:

• 11,800 connections

• 6,300 B2B Customers

• 2,000 B2C Customers

At SFG we recognise the reach we have in Ireland through our business and so we always aim to facilitate a low carbon economy, through our own activities or through positively influencing other.

Facilitating a Low Carbon Economy

Our Journey to Net-Zero

We at SFG consider the transition to a low carbon economy of the utmost importance for future resilience. SFG deem that our contributions can not only facilitate carbon transition but also positively connect communities and grow the economy. We recognise that our ever expanding network is a critical resource for service providers and businesses across Ireland, providing connectivity with reliability at its core – enabling enterprises to grow and thrive in these increasingly unpredictable times. SFG champions sustainable connection and has taken positive steps to facilitate the evolution of the low carbon economy and help our customers with accessing a more sustainable connectivity option.

Since 2019 we have been committed to monitoring, improving and disclosing our energy and carbon performance. It is important, now more than ever, that we ensure we remain on the right track to limit global warming, by pursuing change and embracing innovation across our business. Our net zero carbon commitment will ensure SFG is well positioned to mitigate the worst impacts of the climate that would otherwise disrupt the economies that rely on our service, but also ensure

that we act as responsible operators. A growing coalition of countries, cities, businesses, and other institutions are making pledges to achieving net zero carbon emissions. An ambitious goal but one necessary to limit environmental disaster. SFG is cognisant of our responsibilities and commitments under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement and as part of this we are exploring how we can implement a realistic and measurable net carbon zero pathway in order to align to Irelands 2030 and 2050 targets.

Facilitating a Low Carbon Economy

During 2023 we have initiated this project in considering what a net-zero pathway looks like for our business. This involved collaboration across the whole business and coined the ‘SFG Green Team’. SFG has a proven track record of integrating sustainability into decision making and managing our business with climate change in mind in order to create value and long-term rewards for our stakeholders. Since beginning our annual participation in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (“GRESB”) submission, we have developed and enhanced our overall ESG strategy. Through the GRESB submission we have become acutely aware of the importance of ESG metrics and KPI’s. As that saying goes “You can’t manage what you can’t measure” - SFG have taken this adage onboard and formulated an effective system of monitoring, tracking and assessing our greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions on an annual basis.

We are ISO 14001 certified: a testament to our adherence to high standards for environmental management systems. Concurrently, we are actively exploring ISO 50001 certification, which will further formalise our protocols, measures, controls and procedures governing our environmental practices and management. As part of our journey towards ISO 50001 certification, we have, in 2023, made significant strides in procuring green tariff energy for a number of our colocation sites. Currently 79% of our Scope 2 energy consumption now originates from verified renewable sources (see below 2023 energy consumption).

Our commitment remains unwavering as we continue to source and procure green tariffs wherever possible with the ultimate aim of achieving carbon neutrality in alignment with Ireland’s 2030 and 2050 sustainability commitments.

Our Net-Zero Pathway follows a general delivery strategy of:

During 2024, we hope to further expand our net-zero pathway. We aim to further understand and formalise annual reduction targets in alignment and thereafter report on our progress annually through our Sustainability Report in line with the availability, scope, materiality, and quality of data.

We have identified our main carbon impact areas as follows:

• Scope 1: direct emissions through corporate fuel usage, heating at SFG offices and employee travel in company owned vehicles.

• Scope 2: electricity used by SFG at sites owned and/or controlled by them.

• Scope 3: indirect emissions through employee travel in employee-owned vehicles, employee home-working emissions, emissions associated with materials and supply chain.

2023 Energy Consumption

We have made a significant improvement in our Scope 2 during 2023. While we have successfully procured green tariffs for 79% of the electricity usage in 2023, and as such have recorded a significant reduction in our GHG emissions through undertaking a market based methodology with a 63% reduction across scope 1 and scope 2 emissions. At the outset of our net-zero pathway journey we agreed that focusing our efforts on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions would result in the most positive contribution as this is where the majority of our emissions are expended. However, we do continue to monitor our Scope 3 emissions in the form of employee commuting but due to the current unreliable nature of the Scope 3 at this current time we have not expanded our remit further in this regard – albeit this is on the agenda to explore in the coming years.

Our Commitment to Sustainable Procurement and a Circular Economy

Through the collective efforts of our customers, partners, employees, and broader community, SFG aspires to champion the principles of a circular economy. We have recognised over the last number of years the increasing demand for products and services from telecommunications companies. It is estimated that at least 800 kilotons of network equipment are sold each year .

We in SFG see this as an opportunity to enhance our business and network while aligning and contributing to United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (“UNSDG’s”). We have already introduced some elements of circular practices such as the recycling of IT and Network equipment through WEEE registered electrical waste companies. ESG compliance has become a mainstay obligation in business nowadays so exploring how SFG can implement these practices will no doubt set us apart from the crowd. During 2023,

SFG has initiated a review of our current suppliers and procurement practices with a view to implementing further ESG considerations in our procurement processes in 2024 such as supplier audits and supplier ESG screening questionnaires.

In 2024, SFG will consider our current procurement practices through an in-depth review of the current business practices. SFG strives to ensure that we have alignment across our stakeholder group on all ESG issues and so sustainable procurement and ESG screening processes will be a key consideration for 2024 – ensuring the companies we do business with have the same positive ESG aspirations as us. We understand that the implementation of these circular economy and sustainable procurement practices will not only ensure we are meeting our regulatory requirements but will also foster long term sustainability and competitiveness. SFG recognise

that embracing sustainability not only drives innovation and cost savings but also emphasise the work SFG does as a responsible corporate citizen committed to environmental stewardship and societal well-being. Lastly, in an effort to aid transparency, we will continue to report on our end-to-end product management in alignment with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (“SASB”) Telecommunications Standard.

Social & Economic Inclusivity

Our Customers Customer Case Studies

Hospital Connectivity

Enet provides connectivity to all hospital locations outside of Dublin on behalf of a number of different carriers, including diverse and wireless links to some of the more remote locations along the west coast.

The protected nature of the connectivity provided by Enet ensures the hospitals can operate on a 24/7 - 365 basis. The higher bandwidth provided by the Enet connections also ensures the greatest level of information flows to and from the hospitals ensuring they can operate in a modern fashion, providing streamlined medical care to their patients, as well as connectivity to information and training facilities at universities, medical schools and other care centres locally, nationally and internationally.

This connectivity is becoming only more important to the operations as technology and information plays a bigger role in health care with the growing use of centralised online medical records, remote consultations, and AI usage in the review of results from scans and tests.

Fingal Co Council – Community Centre Wi-Fi

Over the past five years, Magnet+ has been working with Fingal County Council on a number of Wi-Fi projects. The most recent project involved the installation of Wi-Fi services across the network of Community centres across the Fingal County Council Municipality. This involved the installation of Wi-Fi access points both internally and externally within the Community centres and the provision of a ‘welcome’ page which would advise users that the free Wi-Fi service was being provided by Fingal County Council.

The service is promoted within the centre by staff and via leaflets and posters etc and the take up of the service has been very encouraging with some centres seeing over 600 people per month taking advantage of this service.

As there is no charge to use the service, it has proved beneficial for a cross section of the community and in addition has encouraged greater use of the Community Centre by the residents and visitors alike. This has been particularly important over the last 12 months as the number of non-Irish residents living within the communities has grown and this Wi-Fi resource has been a ‘lifeline’ for them.

Customer Satisfaction Enet

At Enet, customer satisfaction is at the heart of everything we do. Our 2023 Customer Satisfaction Survey provided valuable insights, helping us to enhance our services and meet customer needs effectively.

In 2023, we achieved a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 40, reflecting strong customer loyalty. Overall satisfaction with our services was rated 7.7 out of 10, while satisfaction with our account management team scored an impressive 8.6 out of 10.

Customers rated their satisfaction with the range of products and services Enet offers at 4.2 out of 5. The account management team received a stellar rating of 4.7 out of 5, demonstrating their dedication to maintaining strong relationships and providing exceptional support.

Satisfaction with the speed of Enet’s response and resolution to issues or concerns was rated 4.0 out of 5, reflecting our commitment to addressing customer needs promptly and effectively.

Our customers praised the efficiency of our service delivery team and professionalism of our NOC engineers. The reliability of our services and the proactive engagement of our account management team were also highlighted as significant strengths.

“I am incredibly proud of our commercial team and the improvement in our customer experience program during 2023. The positive feedback and high satisfaction scores are a testament to their hard work and dedication. We continue to listen and take action to improve our customer experience, delivering a world-class service for all our clients,” said Cormac Ryan, CCO of Enet.

Customer Satisfaction Magnet+

At Magnet+, the customer is at the heart of everything we do. Our voice of the customer (“VOC”) programme has been in operation for a number of years. In 2023, the programme was refreshed and an emphasis placed on understanding all customer pain points and in turn changing internal processes in order to enhance the overall customer experience. Our customers receive a survey after every touchpoint, the feedback is then

analysed and turned into actions. Our VOC team, contact every customer who gives us a detractor net promotor score (“NPS”), to further understand their issues and ensure that their needs are met. Overall, our customer satisfaction continues to improve as each of our customers know that even if Magnet+ make a mistake, we will always rectify it and enhance processes to ensure the customer experience of all customers is of the highest standard.

“I am very proud of our CX Team and the improvement in our [customer experience (“CX”)] program during 2023. Our NPS score for 2023 was 60.3, due to the hard work and dedication of our CX Champions. We continue to listen, and take action to improve our customer experience to deliver a world-class service for all our customers” - Patrick Masterson, MD Magnet+

Charity and Volunteering

As part of our steadfast dedication to creating a positive influence, we are resolute in our commitment to champion charitable contributions and philanthropic endeavours, not only in the communities close to our heart but also in those beyond our immediate sphere of influence. We firmly believe in the significance of giving back and cultivating meaningful associations with organisations that effect substantial change worldwide.

In 2023, we have launched our company-wide ‘Volunteer Days’ initiative, giving employees a unique opportunity to actively engage with their local communities and local charities. Through ‘Volunteer Days’, our team members are encouraged to dedicate their time and skills to initiatives that uplift and support the well-being of the communities we serve. Throughout 2023, we have volunteered towards the Turkey Earthquake Appeal, Limerick Animal Welfare, and St. Francis’ Snr National School.

Additionally, we donated €2000 to St. Francis’ Snr National School for their nurture room project, demonstrating

our commitment to supporting educational environments that foster emotional and social development in children. This initiative not only aligns with our CSR goals but also reflects our commitment to fostering a strong bond between our organisation and the communities we touch, resulting in a lasting positive impact on society.

“We are immensely proud of our team’s dedication to making a tangible difference. Our initiatives, like the Volunteer Days and our donation to St. Francis’ Snr National School, highlight our commitment to fostering positive change and building stronger communities,” said Lisa Gillivan, Head of CSR and Marketing, Speed Fibre Group.

Charity and Volunteering

2023 also saw Enet donating a humanitarian aid vehicle to Londonbased charity ‘The Scrubbery’ to transport essential medical supplies to Eastern Ukraine. This donation allowed the transport of vital medical supplied to the war-torn region, supporting the courageous efforts

of Ukrainian medical staff. The van, stocked with crucial equipment including wheelchairs, crutches, compressors, scrubs, face masks, and surgical tools, left Dublin on April 20th, embarking on a journey across Europe to reach Ukraine. Once the medical supplies were delivered to their intended recipients, the vehicle was transformed into an ambulance, ensuring safe medical evacuations for those in urgent need of assistance.

Our People

Our operational ethos is deeply rooted in the principle of equitable treatment for all stakeholders whether they are within the Group or part of the broader community we serve. Since our inception, we have been committed to generating social value for our people and for our consumers by providing high quality fibre connectivity. At SFG, we firmly believe we can make a meaningful impact on the social aspects of ESG considerations. Our networks and infrastructure support businesses growth but also community development by reaching those who have historically been overlooked or underserved. By bridging the connectivity gap, we empower businesses, communities and individuals allowing them to compete more effectively on a regional, national, and even global scale. Moreover, this expanded access to reliable connectivity opens doors to a wider array of employment opportunities, fostering economic inclusivity and growth.

drive Ireland’s economy forward. SFG is poised to lead the charge in societal adaptation and the transformation of workstyles. By embracing the potential of 5G network, we can further enhance connectivity, efficiency and innovation, propelling Ireland into a future where connectivity is seamless, and opportunities are abundant for all.

Our People

Training and Development

We prioritise continuous Learning and Development throughout the Group, recognising it as a cornerstone of our enduring company ethos. From leadership to frontline employees, learning is ingrained in our company culture, fostering growth and career advancement at every level. Our commitment to lifelong learning is exemplified throughout our comprehensive educational assistance policy. At SFG, we view ongoing learning as essential for personal and professional growth, thus we invest significantly in our L&D initiatives. These initiatives are dynamic, continuously evolving to meet the changing needs of our workforce.

In 2023, 93% of employees spent 3521 hours attending training, which ranged from technical skills like Excel and Power BI, to crucial areas such as Data Protection, Data Security, Mental Health First Aid, and Interview Skills and much more. Both virtual and in-person training sessions were conducted, ensuring accessibility and flexibility for all employees. Our

dedication to learning is further reflected in our monthly Business Review Meetings, where all L&D activities are meticulously recorded and reported on.

Moreover, we actively support employees seeking to enhance their qualifications and progress their careers. In 2023, we provided support to numerous employees pursuing diplomas, certificates, postgraduate degrees, and masters programs, enabling them to reach new heights professionally.

Looking ahead to 2024, we are excited to announce our partnership with Udemy, a leading on-demand e-learning platform. This collaboration will offer our people unlimited access to a vast array of courses, empowering them to drive their own learning journey. The company will introduce a dedicated learning hour each month, providing our employees with uninterrupted time for selfstudy. Additionally, learning is a key objective, with employees expected to complete a specified number of courses annually to enhance their

development. Managers will provide personalised learning paths through the learning platform to facilitate continual upskilling and retraining in areas of interest, free from time constraints. By eliminating rigid attendance schedules, our goal is to optimise employee autonomy and selfdirected learning, perfectly aligning with the objectives of our Learning & Development strategy.

Our People

Wellness and Employee Engagement

At SFG, we prioritise the wellness and engagement of our employees, recognising its paramount importance to our business success. We understand the direct correlation between productivity and wellness, which is why we integrate a variety of wellness and engagement activities into our social calendar each year. This has included talks and webinars from esteemed speakers such as Eoin McGee focusing on financial wellness, how to save and prepare yourself for the future and Karen Weekes who is an inspiration to us all on her resilience and courage when she became the first Irish female to row the Atlantic

Ocean solo and unsupported.

We organised in-house talks featuring nutritionist Jemma Kehoe, focusing on women’s nutrition, menopause, and overall wellness, especially pertinent as we approached the winter months. Moreover, we proudly support and sponsor the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health team based in University Hospital Limerick, contributing to their annual Wellness Day. This team provides crucial services for women in the perinatal period who may face mental health challenges. Our commitment to employee wellbeing extends beyond mental health to encompass physical and financial health. In 2023, we provided SISU Health Stations in our Limerick and Dublin offices, offering employees free, self-service health checks in under five minutes. We will see this as

an annual initiative. Additionally, we facilitated access to various webinars hosted by VHI and Irish Life covering topics like skin cancer awareness and men’s health.

We introduced team building days that provided each department or shared service function within the Group with an opportunity to venture off-site for a day of engaging team activities. This inaugural initiative at SFG garnered exceptional feedback, fostering a sense of camaraderie as colleagues from different offices and counties came together to bond and enjoy shared experiences. It not only enabled those who typically don’t travel for work to connect but also allowed everyone to forge stronger connections and have a memorable time together.

SFG Summit

In November 2023, Speed Fibre Group (SFG) held its inaugural Summit, marking a momentous occasion that celebrated the remarkable achievements of Enet and Magnet+ over the past five years and heralded a future brimming with potential under the new shareholders, Cordiant Digital Infrastructure.

This event served as a showcase of our significant progress and a platform for forward-looking discussions, setting the stage for a future driven by innovation and growth with Cordiant Digital Infrastructure. The presence of our dedicated team members and the support from Cordiant underscored our shared vision for advancing digital infrastructure and highlighted our commitment to continued excellence.

Our People

Employee Recognition

We firmly believe that our people are the heart and soul of our company. That’s why we’re dedicated to going the extra mile to support them and ensure they feel truly valued. Each and every person in the business plays a vital role, and we celebrate this as one of our core PACE values: “We value our people.”

We believe in the power of magic moments in the workplace. Whether it’s a high-five for a job well done or a big shout-out to the whole team, we’re all about creating those special moments of employee recognition. We empower every member of our team to shine a spotlight on the hard work and dedication of their colleagues, peers, and teams. At SFG, we’re all about fostering a culture where you’re encouraged to bring your A-game every day, knowing that your efforts will be seen, appreciated, and celebrated.

At SFG, we believe in celebrating our team’s achievements in style. That’s why in 2023, we proudly launched our employee recognition program

to shine a spotlight on the incredible talent and hard work within our company. As part of this initiative, we hosted our very own Oscar ceremony, complete with a dazzling array of nominations ranging from the serious to the downright hilarious. The event was a highlight of the year, filled with laughter, applause, and plenty of well-deserved recognition. As we move forward, SFG is committed to continuing to showcase the many achievements and talents of our team members, ensuring that their contributions are celebrated and appreciated for years to come. Some of our nominations opposite:

• Quarterly: “Outstanding Employee of the Quarter” Award,

• Annual: ‘Overall Employee of the Year’ Award,

• Annual: The “All Stars Dept of the Year” Award,

• Annual: The “Have no Fear” Award,

• Annual: The “Standing Ovation” Award,

• Annual: The “Mr / Mrs Congeniality” Award,

• Annual: The “The Notetaker” Award,

• Annual: The “The Red Code” Award, and

• Annual: The “Pop Culture Master/ Superfan” Award.

Our People

EDI

Since 2021, our collaboration with the Irish Centre for Diversity has been instrumental in demonstrating our dedication to promoting Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (“EDI”) within Speed Fibre Group. This partnership underscores our commitment to fostering a supportive work environment that values the unique perspectives and contributions of all our current and prospective employees. By actively embodying these EDI principles and behaviours, we not only enhance employee engagement and retention but also attract talent from diverse backgrounds on a global scale. While our recent attainment of a ‘Silver’ award from the Irish Centre for Diversity in early 2023 highlights our steadfast commitment to this program, we recognise that there is always more we can do to further advance EDI within our workplace. To that end, our D&I Committee has been actively engaged throughout 2023 in organising a series of events to recognise and celebrate key cultural

and personal milestones, including Holi, Ramadan, Eid, International Women’s Day, and Pride Celebrations. We cemented our allyship by holding a pride talk with LGBT Ireland focusing on identity, marginalised groups, terminology and celebrating the journey of Pride.

Looking ahead, we aim to expand our efforts in promoting EDI by considering the establishment of Employee Resource Groups (“ERGs”) to provide dedicated spaces for employees to connect, share experiences, and advocate for inclusivity within specific affinity groups, including a focus on disability and neurodiversity. Additionally, we are committed to fostering crossfunctional collaborations within our group, recognising that diversity of thought and perspectives enriches our collective problem-solving capabilities and drives innovation. To support this, we will place emphasis on providing more training opportunities aimed at increasing awareness, understanding, and appreciation of diversity and inclusion issues.

“Our

commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive workplace is unwavering. By celebrating different perspectives and experiences, we make our company stronger and more dynamic. We’re proud of our progress, but we know there’s always more we can do to make everyone feel valued and included.”

Marie Kearns, Director of HR

Our Commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (“UNSDGs”) represent a collective effort, compromising of 17 agreed goals endorsed by all 193 UN member states, shaping policy and funding priorities for the next decade. They recognise and acknowledge the interconnected nature of ending poverty and addressing various deprivations, emphasising the importance of strategies that enhance health and education, mitigate inequality, foster economic growth and combat climate change while safeguarding our precious ecosystems.

The SDGs have gained widespread recognition as a framework that businesses can align to, with many now globally reporting on their performance and contributions towards achieving them. Therefore, we firmly believe that aligning with the values embodied in the SDG would be beneficial to SFG, underscoring our commitment to sustainability and making a positive impact on society and the environment.

In 2023, SFG undertook the UNSDG Action Manager assessment, a tool developed by the United Nations Global Compact, to evaluate the alignment of our business with the UNSDGs. This assessment aimed to identify the UNSDGs that directly correspond to our operations and pinpoint areas where we can further enhance our alignment and make meaningful contributions.

Moving forward into 2024 and beyond, our mission is to diligently pursue these identified goals and report on our progress. By continuously striving to align our efforts with the SDGs, we remain committed to driving positive change and fostering sustainable development within our sphere of influence.

Assessment Process

The SDG Action Manager stands out as a distinctive impact management solution, designed to set goals, track progress, and maintain focus and organisation in pursuing the UNSDGs by 2030. This tool employs a meticulous approach by identifying the most relevant nine UNSDGs for SFG, considering factors such as business information, sector, and location.

Within each UNSDG module, a series of questions are structured around five pivotal attributes:

1. Business Model

2. Internal Operations

3. Supply Chain

4. Collective Action

5. Risk Level

Through this comprehensive assessment, we have pinpointed six specific UNSDGs where our actions can generate the most significant positive impact in the years ahead.

Transparency & Influence

Our Leadership & Stakeholders

Leadership

SFG has made ESG a core part of how we do business since 2021. We recognise the importance of having the clear ‘tone from the top’ on how sustainability is a key factor in all we do. Our Board of Directors have overall responsibility for the ESG strategy and oversight in the business and delegates its implementation to our General Counsel, Company Secretary and Director of Shared Services, Claire Murphy. Claire has championed ESG through the business and ensures that sustainability is always on the agenda in any decision-making processes. Claire is supported by a dedicated team for implementing our strategy, which includes our HR Director, Marie Kearns. Marie oversees various aspects related to our people agenda, such as EDI, L&D, Employee Wellbeing, and Employee Engagement. Additionally, Claire manages Health and Safety, with our EHS officer ensuring compliance with our reputable H&S ISO certifications and energy ISO certifications. Our Corporate Governance and Compliance Coordinator Emma

Armitage also plays a vital role in maintaining governance best practices and managing our annual GRESB submission. These individuals represent just a portion of the talented team at SFG who actively contribute to our sustainability agenda.

Although our ownership changed in 2023, our steadfast dedication to ESG remains unchanged. In October 2023, Cordiant Digital Infrastructure Ireland (“Cordiant”) completed the acquisition of SFG, marking an exciting chapter for our company. Despite this change, SFG remains committed to investing in its network, expanding services, and offering innovative telecommunications solutions tailored to meet evolving customer needs. Cordiant brings not only sectorspecific expertise but also a stable, long-term capital base to support SFG’s strategic initiatives, including the enhancement of our ESG policy. This partnership signifies a robust alliance that will accelerate growth, foster collaboration, and bolster SFG’s customer-centric approach and capabilities.

Stakeholders

We in SFG recognise that businesses exist within a complex ecosystem of various stakeholders. During 2023, SFG continued to foster positive and meaningful relationships with our stakeholders in line with our GRI aligned Stakeholder Relations Policy. We continue to consider our stakeholders needs, interests, and requirements in all our decisionmaking activities and have regular touchpoints with them such as in our ‘Voice of the Customer’ program in Magnet+ Plus, our regular liaison meetings with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and our engagement with ComReg on various industry topics.

Our Leadership & Stakeholders (Cont.)

We have recognised our main stakeholders as being:

We will continue to engage with our stakeholder and use this insight to steer and adjust our ESG strategy going forward which will include their involvement in our reconducted ESG materiality assessment in the coming years.

Our board reporting and board papers are one way which SFG continues to contribute to transparent reporting. We also recognise the importance of external benchmarking and voluntary disclosures. As such in 2023, we continued to voluntarily report our ESG efforts to the GRESB assessment, an internationally recognised rating agency. In doing so we received our best score yet, receiving a 5-star rating, a score of 97/100 and placed first in our sector in Europe. This was a huge achievement for all the ESG team and the accomplishment was marked across the business. Our remarkable GRESB ranking showcases the dedication of the entire SFG team to ESG values. Our joint efforts have paved the way for both digital progression and sustainable growth.

We also continue to report on our ESG performance through the annual publishing of our Sustainability Report, however, there is a slight difference this year as we have voluntarily chosen to align our report to the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (‘SASB’) Telecommunications Services Standard. SASB is an independent organisation that provides voluntary industry-specific standards for companies to disclose relevant industry ESG metrics and information. These standards provide stakeholders with comparable, consistent and reliable data on relevant sustainability factors. SFG recognise that this standard is becoming a core disclosure tool and as such have decided to include a SASB Disclosure Index in this report (see more below).

Our

Awards and Certifications

In addition to the GRESB assessment, we have also undertaken a number of other recognition programmes including our silver accreditation with the Investor in Diversity programme (as discussed above), with a view to progressing to gold standard in the coming years. In 2023 we were also recognised as a Gold Standard Deloitte Best Managed company, further showing our commitment to excellence. Our Legal and Compliance team have been awarded for their excellence in 2023 at the Legal500 GC awards.

SFG have also aligned our practices to a number of ISO certification, including ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System), ISO 9001 (Quality Management) & ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety). In recognition of our high standards and commitment to best practice. Lastly, in late 2023 we were also notified that we were shortlisted for the ‘ESG Best Performer of the Year’ in the Green Awards, showcasing recognition for our achievements throughout the year in protecting and enhancing the environment.

Our Culture

At SFG, we hold ourselves to a high standard of integrity and professional conduct. This means not only ensuring compliance with the law, rules and regulations, but also upholding our PACE values and voluntary commitments. SFG’s AntiBribery and Corruption policy clearly set out the expectation on employees to recognise and mitigate any form of corruption they are faced with in relation to their office, employment, position or business. We promote a culture of integrity through our leadership and believe that open communication leads to a healthy and successful business and working

environment. SFG is committed to the highest possible standards of honesty, openness and accountability and take all wrongdoing extremely seriously. SFG has implemented policies and procedure to educate and inform employees about what whistleblowing is, the procedures for reporting through a secure and robust internal reporting channel and guidance on protections that will be afforded to any whistleblower in such instances. SFG hopes to foster an environment in which people feel free to voice concerns without fear of repercussion but also wish to reiterate that we take any reported concerns seriously.

Our Data Protection & Data Security Measures

Data Protection

SFG has adopted a continuous improvement approach to our data protection obligations, recognising that the risk-based approach of GDPR requires constant attention to be paid to these obligations. We also take a strategic view on data protection through our formal Data Protection Governance Charter, ensuring that ethical and other considerations in relation to the adoption of new ways of working and new technologies are considered through data protection by design, helping us ensure we stop and consider the issues and impacts of data processing to the organisation and to our stakeholders.

Our Data Protection Governance Framework has enabled us to decentralise data protection responsibility and align accountability and responsibility into the relevant business areas. Key to this is our Data Advocates Network, who have been busy in 2023 revamping and updating our comprehensive Register of Processing Activities and reviewing

data processor agreements. This has contributed to a greater knowledge of and appreciation of data protection in the organisation as a whole, and an increased awareness of data value and data risks in general. In addition, all staff and new joiners receive regular training on data protection obligations.

In collaboration with the IT function we continue our efforts to secure relevant external accreditation for our Data Protection Governance Framework through ISO27701.

However, our priority remains to ensure that the policies and practices of data protection by design and by default are embedded into our operating culture and day to day decision making to ensure we protect the personal data of our customers, our staff, and our partners.

Security

IT has a major role in designing and implementing technological solutions, services, and infrastructure that enable sustainable business operations. IT also assists in gathering, assessing, and reporting on ESG performance. Microsoft Teams and Workvivo have boosted engagement and inclusion in the workplace by promoting cross team/department communication and cooperation and during 2023 both platforms have seen a significant increase in interaction and activity.

We have employed online training services to improve security awareness, provide training, and promote best practice. These courses have centred around basic cybersecurity and data protection principles. We recognise the benefit of process automation to improve efficiency and productivity in the business and so we have selected our CRM and ERP solutions on that basis.

Training and process automation has been an effective process for enhancing transparency, compliance, and decision making in the business.

IT is helping to strengthen the governance of the company by ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, enhancing cybersecurity and data privacy, and promoting transparency and accountability. We support the company’s efforts to align with stakeholder expectations, industry standards (aiming for alignment with ISO 27001), and best practices (ITSM & data governance) and will provide digital platforms that enable risk management, reporting, and assurance. This process started in partnership with VMgroup to benchmark and improve the security footprint of the business and will continue with the implementation of 24/7 cybersecurity monitoring.

“In an era where data security challenges constantly evolve, our dedication to embracing industryleading practices, fortifying robust defences, and upholding the core values of integrity and trust within our governance framework remains unwavering.” – John Gilvarry, CTO

SASB Disclosures 2023

SASB DISCLOSURES 2023

Environmental Footprint of Operations (1) Total energy consumed, (2) percentage grid electricity and (3) percentage renewable

Data Privacy Description of policies and practices relating to behavioural advertising and customer privacy

Number of customers whose information is used for secondary purposes

Total amount of monetary losses as a result of legal proceedings associated with customer privacy

(1) Number of law enforcement requests for customer information, (2) number of customers whose information was requested, (3) percentage resulting in disclosure

Data Security (1) Number of data breaches, (2) percentage involving personally identifiable information (PII), (3) number of customers affected

Description of approach to identifying and addressing data security risks, including use of thirdparty cybersecurity standards

Product End-of life Management 1) Materials recovered through take back programs,

Percentage of recovered materials that were: (2) reused, (3) recycled, and (4) landfilled

Competitive Behaviour & Open Internet

Total amount of monetary losses as a result of legal proceedings associated with anti-competitive behaviour regulations

Average actual sustained download speed of (1) owned and commercially-associated content and (2) non-associated content

Description of risks and opportunities associated with net neutrality, paid peering, zero rating, and related practices

Managing Systemic Risks from (1) system average interruption duration, (2) system average interruption frequency and (3) customer average interruption duration

Technology Disruptions

Discussion of systems to provide unimpeded service during service disruptions

Quantitative Gigajoules (GJ), Percentage (%)

Discussion and Analysis n/a

Quantitative Number, Percentage (%)

Discussion and Analysis n/a

Quantitative Metric tons (t), Percentage (%)

TC-TL-130a.1 (1) 16,414 GJ (Scope 1 and Scope 2) See ‘2023 Energy Consumption’ Section for more information (p8) (2) 100 (3) 79%. See ‘2023 Energy Consumption’ Section for more information (p8)

TC-TL-220a.1

Data Protection compliance is recognised by the Speed Fibre Group Companies as a key contributor to our overall corporate mission. Enet and Magnet + both have comprehensive privacy policies published on their websites which outline when and how company data is used (https://www.enet.ie/cookies-privacypolicy/ & https://www.magnetplus.ie/privacy-statement/ ). These policies, along with our suite of internal data protection policies, are reviewed and updated as required to accurately capture our current practices and also to comply with any changes in laws or regulations.

Speed Fibre Group do not partake in behavioural advertising.

TC-TL-220a.4 (1) 13 (2) 13 (3) 69%

TC-TL-230a.1 (1) 1 (2) 1 (3) 0

TC-TL-230a.2

During 2023 Speed Fibre Group has taken numerous steps to proactively identify and address data security risks. The company has established Data Advocacy Network to enable cross-functional collaboration and alignment on Data related topics. Additionally, with the support of CISO as a Service SFG carried out several security assessments and implemented remedial actions. These efforts were aligned with both ISO 27000:1 as well as CIS Critical Security Controls. These efforts will continue in 2024.

TC-TL-440a.1 (1) 1.38t (2) 0% (3) 100% (through WEEE scheme) (4) 0%

Quantitative Presentation currency

Quantitative Megabits per second (Mbps)

Discussion and Analysis n/a

Quantitative Quantitative Minutes, Number, Minutes

Discussion and Analysis n/a

TC-TL-520a.1 €0

TC-TL-520a.2 (1) Not applicable (2) Not applicable

TC-TL-520a.3 As a wholesale provider to the industry, net neutrality and paid peering does not present a material risk to SFG. We continue to monitor and support the industry position.

Zero Rating is not applicable in relation to the products and services we provide.

TC-TL-550a.1 (1) 77.5 (2) 2/88 (3) 77.5

TC-TL-550a.2 The business has a robust Business Continuity Plan in place to ensure unimpeded service for our end users.

SASB DISCLOSURES 2023

Feedback

At SFG, we value constructive feedback from our stakeholders and always operate on a continuous improvement basis.

If you have any comments or queries on this report please get in touch at esg@enet.ie