We aim to enable society to participate in digitalization, and to ensure that this is done safely

As digitalization gathers speed, so our responsibility grows to ensure it happens in a way that is safe and accessible for everyone. As an internet group, we build bridges to a digital future and have a particular duty to ensure customer data and information are optimally protected. This is why our sustainability strategy has a clear focus on Corporate Digital Responsibility.

  • We take digital participation extremely seriously. United Internet wants to help ensure nobody is left behind on the road to digitalization, and to give them the space and opportunity to roam the internet safely and confidently. Our wide range of fixed network and mobile products already reaches over 15 million customers in Germany today. To these must be added the users of the more than 40 million freemail accounts provided by our GMX and WEB.DE brands and another almost 9 million-plus customers in our hosting and cloud business segment. Our attractive and reasonably priced internet services reach more and more people every year.

  • Our services represent “Internet made in Germany”. As the digital transformation process gathers speed, the volume and complexity of information and the digital footprints we leave online automatically increase. Protecting client data is a number one priority for United Internet – which is why our products and services comply with the strict German and European data protection standards.

  • We give our users maximum control over their data. One way we do this is via netID – the European login standard developed by United Internet, media group RTL Deutschland, and ProSiebenSat.1 – which ensures our customers retain control over their data while also enhancing user friendliness. In addition, we are an active partner in GAIA-X – a German government initiative that aims to establish a hybrid cloud that complies with European security and data protection standards.

  • Part of our responsibility as an internet company is also to promote digital skills. Our “Digital Guide –  Ihr Ratgeber rund um Erfolg im Internet”, which we first published in April 2016, provides freely accessible, internally developed content on websites, hosting, online marketing, IT, and how to be successful on the internet. In addition, our Social Media Safety program educates children and young people about how to use social networks safely and responsibly.

Online ESG Report 2022