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

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

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

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

Insights from the Committee

 

 

Investor Committee Leadership Transition and Strategic Outlook

First of all, a big thank you to Tom Miller (HCOB), who led the Investor Committee over the past four years. He will be fondly remembered for his outstanding speaking skills, which captivated audiences at numerous conferences in recent years. Tom gave this committee a strong voice and the visibility it rightly deserved.

A new Chair of the Investor Committee was elected at the last Assembly in early June. In the initial weeks, the focus will be on how the Investor Committee can help reposition fibre as a reputable and trustworthy asset. In the coming days and weeks, the Chair will reach out to members—primarily CFOs and treasurers from ISPs, as well as members with financial backgrounds, such as representatives from banks.

Preparations are underway for in-person meetings in Q4 at various locations (London during the November Assembly, Frankfurt in November, and Paris & Madrid—TBD). These meetings will bring together stakeholders from the finance community to gather insights, perspectives, and reflections. Discussions will also take into account the outcomes of the recent Strategy Meeting with FTTH Council Europe Board Members and Committee Chairs. Banks and law firms are being considered as potential hosts for these events, and initial commitments have already been secured.

Another important topic is the close collaboration with other committees. To position fibre as a long-term infrastructure asset, it's essential to engage closely with areas such as Open Access, ESG/Sustainability, and Market Intelligence.

There is much to do—and we look forward to the work ahead!

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