By Oystein Bergmann, Bureau Chief, Scandinavia

Nokia today announced its 2023 sustainability report outlining its performance relating to the company’s sustainability strategy. The strategy consists of five focus areas: Environment, Industrial Digitalization, Security and Privacy, Bridging the Digital Divide, and Responsible Business. Nokia’s sustainability approach aims to maximize impact in the areas most material to the company and its stakeholders and is integral to the technology and business decisions it takes.

VP, Global Head of Sustainability at Nokia, Subho Mukherjee said: “We believe that digitalization, powered by enhanced connectivity, will play an increasingly significant role in helping industries and economies decarbonize while enabling a more inclusive society. Nokia’s role in maximizing the handprint of our technology to connect the underserved, secure critical networks and decarbonize industries, while minimizing our footprint through product energy efficiency, circularity, de-risking technology misuse as well as building a sustainable supply chain are detailed in the People & Planet report 2023. The progress, including learnings from challenges, provide a solid foundation as Nokia continues to develop ESG into a competitive advantage with its customers and stakeholders.”

Nokia’s sustainability achievements in 2023 included:

Environment                                                                     

Reduced total greenhouse gas emissions across Scope 1,2 and 3 by 11 per cent from 2022.

Achieved 2023 AirScale 5G massive MIMO BTS target with a 50 per cent reduction in power consumption compared to 2019. This is enabled by continuous improvements in software functionalities, and new 5G products based on the latest generation of Nokia ReefShark SoCs.

Achieved 2023 renewable energy target with 75 per cent of purchased electricity across Nokia’s global facilities coming from renewable sources.

Achieved a 54% decrease in logistics emissions compared to 2019. Nokia continues to work with innovative solutions such as sustainable aviation fuel.

Industrial digitalization

Recognized as the market leader in private wireless–which helps industrials accelerate their own digital transformation–with over 710 customers globally.

Secured more than 120 new customers in 2023, helping industrials accelerate their digital transformation to create more efficient processes and empower workers for high-quality output.

Security and privacy

Conducted security training program which included annual mandatory training, quarterly awareness campaigns, monthly phishing simulations, and expanded initiatives to safeguard key data such as Nokia’s Zero-Trust and Critical Information Protection Programme and Nokia’s dedicated Application Security Program.

Developed and maintained an actionable Cyber Resilience service which includes investments in Nokia’s Cyber Defense Center and its Computer Emergency Response team.

Bridging the digital divide

Reached 691 534 direct beneficiaries, including 130 832 added in 2023 through social digitalization projects, building digital skills, connecting the unconnected or underserved, and improving inclusion, equity and diversity.

First telecommunications equipment vendor to announce the fiberoptic broadband network electronic products and optical modules in the US for use in the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) programme.

Supported digital centers in 350 villages across India. Nokia’s multi-year Smartpur digital village ecosystem program empowers local entrepreneurs by providing them with facilities to make digital services accessible in rural villages. The number of direct beneficiaries reached in 2023 is estimated to be 119 795.

Responsible business

Recognized for the eighth time by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies®.

Completed second independent assessment for the Global Network Initiative. The assessors highlighted Nokia’s strong human rights culture, and robust Human Rights Due Diligence process.

Achieved a ranking of A- from CDP for work on climate change and recognized as a supplier engagement leader by CDP’s Supplier Engagement Rating program.

Announced Sustainable Finance Framework. This framework reinforces Nokia’s commitment to sustainable growth by ensuring its financing strategy supports the company’s ESG strategy.

In early 2024, Nokia committed to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain (scopes 1, 2 and 3) by 2040. Nokia also committed to accelerate its existing interim 2030 target to reduce GHG emissions across its own operations (scopes 1 and 2), reaching an 83% reduction by 2030 from a 2019 baseline. To ensure the targets are aligned with climate science, Nokia submitted its net-zero letter of commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in February 2024.

Nokia’s People and Planet sustainability report is published annually. The scope of the 2023 sustainability report covers Nokia Group. The report is prepared in accordance with the GRI Standards. As part of its reporting, Nokia also recognizes other sustainability-reporting frameworks, such as SASB Standards and the UN Global Compact. The selected key sustainability indicators have been assured by Nokia’s independent auditor, Deloitte.