Sustainability
at Swiss4net
ESG responsibility, renewable energy and environmentally responsible fibre optic networks for the digital future
Sustainability
at Swiss4net
ESG responsibility, renewable energy and environmentally responsible fibre optic networks for the digital future
For Swiss4net, sustainability means responsible conduct and ensuring the environmentally responsible, long-term operation of our own energy-efficient fibre optic networks. We combine ESG principles, use renewable energy for network operations and pursue a resource-efficient infrastructure strategy.
ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance. These three areas form the foundation of Swiss4net’s approach to sustainability.
Sustainability at Swiss4net
97
out of 100 points
GRESB 2025: Top result with 97 out of 100 points
Swiss4net and its shareholders attach great importance to sustainability and transparency. Participation in the GRESB Benchmark therefore plays an important role. In 2025, Swiss4net achieved 97 out of 100 points in the GRESB Benchmark, the leading international assessment system for measuring the sustainability performance of real estate and infrastructure companies and funds. We are therefore very proud of this outstanding result.
Swiss4net also exceeded high expectations in the audited areas of Environment, Social and Governance and once again achieved an exceptional top result in 2025 compared with both its peer group and all companies assessed by GRESB.
What is GRESB?
In the 2025 ESG Benchmark, real assets with a gross asset value of more than CHF 8 trillion were assessed. The analysis enables companies to compare their sustainability performance with their respective peer groups and creates a high level of transparency for all stakeholders.
In addition, the GRESB data collected is used by hundreds of investors and thousands of asset managers to compare investments across portfolios in terms of sustainability.
Environment
Energy-efficient network operations using renewable energy.
Social
Occupational safety, training and
a socially responsible project environment
Governance
Transparent processes and responsible corporate governance.
Environmental, Social and Governance Policy
As a company, Swiss4net is committed to protecting the environment, assuming social responsibility and acting ethically throughout the organisation. These principles and requirements are reviewed monthly and guide the construction and long-term operation of all local fibre optic networks.
Renewable energy for network operations
From the start of each project, all operating companies of Swiss4net Holding AG use exclusively renewable energy to operate the fibre optic networks. This ensures that their already low electricity consumption is covered in the most climate-friendly way possible.
Occupational safety and environmental protection
Training employees in occupational safety and environmental protection promotes and ensures active accident prevention and a sustainable mindset.
Fibre optic – a greener Internet solution
Fibre optic is not only the leading Internet technology in terms of speed, security and reliability, but also provides the most energy-efficient and environmentally responsible digital infrastructure. Pure FTTH fibre optic networks also require significantly less energy in operation than copper-based technologies and are designed for a very long service life.
Lower
energy consumption
Fibre optic networks use less energy in operation than copper-based networks.
No heavy metals
Fibre optic infrastructure replaces copper- and coaxial-based technologies.
Lower greenhouse gas emissions
Fibre optic networks contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions.
Low energy consumption in network operation
In operation, an FTTH fibre optic network consumes up to twelve times less energy than a copper network because data is transmitted using light signals. By contrast, copper and coaxial networks generate significantly more heat when transmitting data electrically. As a result, much more powerful air-conditioning systems are required, consuming considerable energy to protect the central office from overheating.
At the same time, Swiss4net uses renewable energy to operate its fibre optic networks, further reducing the carbon footprint of the digital infrastructure.
This is why energy efficiency is a key element of sustainable fibre optic infrastructure for Swiss4net.
Conserving resources by avoiding heavy metals
Copper and coaxial networks use copper-based cables for data transmission. Copper mining also places a burden on the environment and produces hazardous chemicals and toxic by-products. In addition, the manufacture and disposal of copper and coaxial cables have significant negative environmental impacts and have an environmental impact more than 10,000 times greater than that of manufacturing and disposing of pure optical fibres.
By comparison, optical fibres are made from quartz, a raw material that occurs naturally in sand and rock. The expansion of pure FTTH fibre optic networks therefore reduces the need for copper-based infrastructure and supports a more resource-efficient digital infrastructure.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Pure FTTH fibre optic networks require significantly less electricity in both operation and manufacture than conventional copper-based networks and therefore make a substantial contribution to reducing CO₂ emissions. Swiss4net also uses renewable energy for network operations.
The widespread deployment of fibre optic networks in Switzerland, as promoted by Swiss4net through point-to-point FTTH fibre optic networks, will gradually lead to a reduction of more than three million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
High-performance fibre optic networks also support modern ways of working such as working from home, video conferencing, AI and cloud services. This allows digital communication to take place more independently of location, helping to reduce commuting and avoid additional CO₂ emissions.