CONNECTING SUSTAINABLY

Each year, Eutelsat publishes its sustainability performance in the Universal Registration Document.

Please see our Sustainability report, Universal Registration Document and ESG indicators for 2022 below.

As an active participant in the United Nations Global Compact since 2019, Eutelsat makes significant contributions towards advancing 9 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through our commitment to sustainable operations, we strive to address the evolving needs of society while actively working towards achieving these important global objectives. 

Watch Thomas Cardiel, our Group Director of Investor Relations, share how Eutelsat Group goes beyond financial value creation, by focusing on its economic, environmental, and social impacts.

Eutelsat undergoes evaluation by ESG rating agencies, which assess the company's sustaibanle development plivies and accomplishments using their sector-specific methodologies.

Protecting the unique environment of space is a key priority for Eutelsat. Living up to our fleet management policy, we strive to ensure the long-term sustainability of space operations by minimizing the risk of collisions and ensuring that no space debris is created during nominal operations of the Eutelsat fleet 

We work in close partnership with satellite manufacturers and launch service providers to mitigate satellite satellite’s environmental impacts. 

Since 2005, Eutelsat has been certified for satellite control and operations (ISO 9001 standard). We also set up the Space Debris Mitigation Plan which covers station-keeping manoeuvres, repositioning of satellite in geostationary orbit, anomaly remedial measures, strategies for operations in inclined orbit and end-of-life operations.  

This Plan is aligned with the international (issued by the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee and the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space) and European guidelines (European Code of Conduct for Space Debris Mitigation), and with the criteria defined by the French Space Operations Act. Furthermore, Eutelsat’s Space Debris Mitigation Plan sets out the requirements aimed at improving end-of-life and passivation operations, as well as minimising collision risks during operations. These requirements are more stringent than those contained in the regulations applicable to the Company and the Plan is updated on a regular basis to incorporate the new standards. 

The space debris management policy implemented by Eutelsat for many years makes the Company a responsible global satellite operator maintaining high standards and making constant efforts to protect the Earth’s orbital environment and the sustainability of space operations. 

Eutelsat is a founder member of the Net Zero Space initiative launched by the Paris Peace Forum, for the creation of a sustainable space environment by 2030 and a signatory of the ESA’s joint statement for a responsible sector. 

(1) Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC)

We recognize the significance of addressing the disparities in access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on a global scale. As part of our CSR mission, we are dedicated to pursuing extensive efforts to overcome the “digital divide” that hinders individuals and communities from benefiting from the opportunities presented by broadband access and satellite television broadcasting. 

Discover how Konnect satellite broadband solution transforms lives in the most remote areas of DRC. 

Our commitment to inclusive broadcasting

Eutelsat promotes access to free-to-air television for all households around the world.
As of 31 December 2022, the Group was broadcasting 6,800 TV channels including 2,480 free-to-air channels, accessible without subscription on its satellites (i.e., close to 30% of all channels broadcast as of that date), to an audience of over one billion viewers, mainly in Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Africa.

Supporting Emergency Telecoms

Eutelsat is one of the original signatories of the UN Crisis Connectivity Charter, integrated with the work of the World Food Programme (WFP). This Charter, which was signed in late 2015 by GVF (Global VSAT Forum), GSOA (Global Satellite Operators’ Association) and multiple satellite operators with the support of the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) under aegis of the World Food Programme and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, aims to provide governments and NGOs with immediate (within 24 hours) and resilient connectivity in the event of a major humanitarian crisis on four continents. It defines the framework for coordinating and working between stakeholders to optimise the arrangements and response times to telecommunications needs in emergencies.

Eutelsat and Télécoms Sans Frontières: a long-term partnership empowering humanitarian connectivity

On 13 December 2022, Eutelsat announced the inking of a multi-year sponsorship deal with the NGO Télécoms Sans Frontières, that follows on from a previous long-term partnership agreement between the two companies initiated in 2007.The assistance provided by Eutelsat under this partnership allows this international NGO to fit out a community or crisis unit with broadband connectivity within a few hours to send data, video or voice communications. As a sponsor, the Group is helping the NGO to strengthen its capacity in order to rise the communications challenges associated with emergency aid.

Find out more about our work with Télécoms Sans Frontières.

Supporting Mexican “Internet para todos” connectivity programme

Mexican service providers are working with Eutelsat to address Internet connectivity needs under CFE Telecommunications’ connectivity project for rural schools.
Under the Internet para Todos initiative, Eutelsat plays a lead role in bridging the digital divide, alongside three leading Mexican service providers, including Apco Networks and Globalsat. Eutelsat is currently providing them with capacity on its EUTELSAT 65 West A satellite, aimed at connecting Mexican rural schools through the installation of internet access points.

“Connectivity has become a basic human need, and we are honored to be a key part in the solution to assist the Mexican government in its mission to get all Mexicans online. This also aligns with our CSR mission to bridge the digital divide” – Richard Mortellaro, Chief Executive Officer of Eutelsat Americas.
 

We understand the urgency of addressing the challenges of climate change and are fully committed to accelerating our environment program in line with the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5°C. On a daily basis, we take concrete steps to reduce our environmental impact across our operations. This includes closely managing the impact of our geostationary satellite fleet, monitoring and optimizing our electricity consumption, implementing measures to minimize water consumption, actively addressing our impact on biodiversity, and adopting sustainable practices to mitigate waste production. We will be submitting our carbon reduction targets to the SBTi by 2024.

The Group assesses the significant items of greenhouse gas emissions over a broader scope, in compliance with Article 173 of France’s Energy Transition Act (Loi de transition énergétique) and according to the rules of ADEME’s carbon audit.

(1) All the buildings at our sites are amortised for their entire life cycle. 

(2) All the waste generated. 

(3) FRANSAT products are only sold in France. 

(4) All rail and air travel by the Group’s employees. 

(5) All the satellites in our fleet are amortised over their entire design life cycle. 

(6) The carbon impact of the satellites we lease as a proportion of the capacity leased by Eutelsat

Generating green energy

The Group has been actively increasing its capacity to generate green energy through the installation of solar panels as its teleports. In 2022, the electricity generated from solar panel systems owned and operated by Eutelsat at its teleports witnessed a remarkable increase of +436% compared to the previous year. This significant surge was primarily driven by the installation of a new solar panel system at the Cagliari teleport in Sardinia. 

The momentum for harnessing solar power is set to continue in 2023, as additional solar panel systems are scheduled to come online at both Eutelsat teleports in Italy, specifically Cagliari and Turin. Moreover, plans are underway to assess and implement solar panel systems at the Group’s sites in Mexico, with detailed assessments currently underway. 

Eutelsat’s strategy focuses on prioritizing green energy installations in countries where the carbon impact of procured electricity is highest. Italy and Mexico, with their substantial carbon footprints, present significant opportunities for carbon reduction through the adoption of renewable energy sources. By embracing renewable energy, Eutelsat not only contributes to mitigating climate change but also yields substantial environmental benefits. 

Furthermore, Eutelsat is actively exploring the feasibility of implementing solar panel systems at its teleports in France (Rambouillet) and on the island of Madeira (Caniçal). While a solar system has been in place at the Madeira site since 2016, delivering approximately 30,000 KWh/year, the Group is assessing further installations to enhance its green energy generation efforts. 

Integrity and ethics are key priorities for the Group. This is reflected in the governing body’s commitment to fighting corruption and all forms of unethical business practices. It is demonstrated by all the actions and measures put in place not only to prevent and detect corruption or influence peddling, but also to ensure compliance with regulations on personal data protection and competition law.

The Eutelsat Code of Ethics provides all Eutelsat employees with the tools and guidelines that will enable them to resolve the issues and dilemmas they may encounter in their work.

Our Code of Conduct explains our commitment against all forms of corruption and influence peddling. It expresses Eutelsat’s zero tolerance policy in this regard and applies to everyone who works for the Group, both in France and abroad.

Our Code of Conduct for Suppliers is based on the principles of the United Nations Global Compact, of which Eutelsat is a signatory, and reflects the values and principles relating to ethics, human rights, labour law, environmental and anticorruption standards that Eutelsat wants to promote in the day-to-day operation of its business. Eutelsat applies these values and principles to each of its business activities and expects its suppliers to comply with the standards set out in the Code.

At Eutelsat, we are dedicated to strengthening and continuously improving our social commitment. With a special emphasis on diversity and employee engagement, we strive to create more inclusive and supportive environment. The multicultural composition of our workforce, deeply rooted in our DNA, is a distinctive asset that we are committed to perpetuating. With 1700 commercial, technical, and operational employees from over 50 countries, our unique human resource is a distinctive asset that we are committed to perpetuating. 

Everyone works based on shared values, endorsing both internally and publicly the values that the Group believes in:

One Team, Customer Centricity, and Respect

We believe in the power of collaboration, teamwork, and mutual support. By fostering a strong sense of unity and cooperation among our employees, we promote a culture of inclusivity, respect, and shared responsibility. The representation of women within the business and gender equality are priorities for the Company

Encouraging young talents in their space-related projects

Eutelsat is collaborating with the Ailes de France Foundation, which was established under the auspices of the Fondation de France. In association with the CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales), Eutelsat is actively involved in the project by funding scholarship funds, known as ESPACE scholarships, valued at 5,000 euros each. The aim of these scholarships is to provide young individual aged up to 25, who are pursuing various scientific and non-scientific studies, with the opportunity to realise their educational projects in the space industry. 

Eutelsat's renewed commitment to the Foundation aligns with the Group's extensive history of supporting the education and professional integration of young individuals, as well as the cultivation of future talented professionals in the space sector.

Every year, a jury consisting of distinguished experts from CNES, Eutelsat, the French Air Force and space industry firms convenes to select the project.