Our ecological impact in 2025

1. Our CO₂ impact: emissions and reduction plans

Since 2016, we have systematically calculated our carbon footprint in order to gain insight into our CO₂ impact and develop targeted emission reduction plans. Below, you will find an overview of our emissions, the measures we took in 2025 to reduce our impact and the reduction targets we have set for ourselves.

1.1. Climate risks and climate strategy

As an operator of digital infrastructure, DNS Belgium has limited exposure to physical climate risks compared with organisations that operate production facilities or extensive logistics chains. As part of our double materiality assessment conducted in 2024, we did not identify any climate-related issues that are financially material to DNS Belgium. We therefore do not expect climate-related risks to have a material impact on our financial performance or business operations in the short, medium or long term.

This does not mean that climate change is not an important societal challenge. On the contrary, we have identified the CO₂ impact of our own activities as a material impact topic within our sustainability strategy. Through our 2024-2030 Climate Plan, we commit to further reducing our emissions in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

1.2. Climate Plan 2024-2030

DNS Belgium has been actively working to reduce its climate impact since 2016. Our first Climate Plan ran from 2016 to 2023 and led to a number of important initiatives, including the switch to renewable electricity, the further electrification of our vehicle fleet and several sustainable mobility measures.

In 2024, we developed a new Climate Plan covering the period 2024-2030. During its development, we took into account climate science insights regarding the emission reductions needed to limit global warming in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Based on these insights, we established our reduction targets for the coming years.

The Climate Plan includes reduction targets covering our entire carbon footprint:

• 42% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2030
• 25% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2030

Combined, this corresponds to a 32.1% reduction in our total emissions between 2023 and 2030.

In 2025, the carbon footprints for 2023 and 2024 were recalculated using updated data, revised emission factors and a more comprehensive inventory of our infrastructure. As 2023 serves as the baseline year for our Climate Plan, our absolute reduction pathways were also recalculated.

The revised targets for 2030 are:

• 26.22 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent for Scope 1 and Scope 2 combined (compared with 49.31 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2023);
• 80.07 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent for Scope 3 (compared with 106.87 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2023);
• 106.29 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent for our total carbon footprint (compared with 156.15 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2023).

The ambition of the Climate Plan remained unchanged: only the absolute emission reduction targets were adjusted based on the recalculated carbon footprint. The percentage reduction targets for 2030 remain exactly the same.

1.3. Our emissions in 2025

Our total energy consumption amounts to 143.77 MWh, of which 97.12 MWh is electricity (45.74 MWh of renewable electricity and 51.39 MWh of non-renewable electricity) and 46.65 MWh is non-renewable fuels.

The figure below shows how DNS Belgium's energy consumption in 2025 was distributed across different activities and energy sources.

DNS Belgium's total energy consumption decreased from 225.44 MWh in 2024 to 143.77 MWh in 2025 (-36%). 2025 was a transition year during which DNS Belgium relocated from Ubicenter to Engels Plein. Energy consumption related to teleworking is estimated based on the number of teleworking days, the number of FTEs and the average energy consumption of a Belgian household. From 2026 onwards, energy consumption will relate entirely to the new location, making the impact of the relocation on our energy consumption and energy mix more visible.

For 2025, we calculated our total carbon footprint at 160.09 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (CO₂eq). Our emissions are divided into three scopes:

• Scope 1: Direct emissions, amounting to 10.43 tonnes CO₂eq, representing 6.5% of our total carbon footprint.
• Scope 2: Indirect emissions from purchased energy, amounting to 7.56 tonnes CO₂eq, representing 4.7% of the total.
• Scope 3: Other indirect emissions, amounting to 142.10 tonnes CO₂eq, representing 88.8% of total emissions.

CO₂ impact in perspective

These absolute figures illustrate our overall impact. To better understand them, we also analyse them in relation to the scale of our organisation, our level of activity and our revenue.

The total calculated emissions of 160.09 tonnes CO₂ equivalent correspond to 4.22 tonnes CO₂eq per full-time equivalent (FTE) and 0.093 kilograms CO₂eq per registered domain name (.be, .vlaanderen and .brussels).

Greenhouse gas intensity measures our CO₂ emissions relative to our revenue. With total emissions of 160.09 tonnes CO₂eq and revenue of €8,814,225 in 2025, our greenhouse gas intensity amounts to 1.81638E-05 (≈0.00001816), which corresponds to approximately 18.16 grams of CO₂eq per euro of revenue.

For the calculation of this emissions intensity, we include our entire carbon footprint, including Scope 3 emissions. For Scope 2 emissions, we apply market-based emission figures, in line with the calculation methodology we have used since 2016.

1.4. Evolution since the 2023 baseline year

Together with our partner Ecolife, we update the calculation of our carbon footprint annually based on the latest available data, emission factors and insights into our value chain. In 2025, several historical emission figures were recalculated to enable a consistent comparison over time.

All historical figures presented in this chapter are based on this updated methodology. As a result, they may differ from figures published in previous sustainability or climate reports.

To assess the progress of our Climate Plan correctly, we evaluate our results both with and without the exceptional emissions associated with the relocation to Engels Plein.

When these exceptional emissions are excluded, our total carbon footprint decreased from 156.15 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2023 to 155.52 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2024 and 137.75 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2025.

This represents a reduction of 11.43% compared with 2024 and 11.78% compared with the recalculated 2023 baseline year.

The strongest progress was achieved within Scope 1 and Scope 2, thanks in part to the continued electrification of our vehicle fleet and the relocation to Engels Plein. Scope 3 remains the largest source of emissions and, at the same time, the biggest challenge for the years ahead.

The 2025 results demonstrate that DNS Belgium continues to make progress in implementing its Climate Plan. Despite the ongoing challenges associated with Scope 3 emissions, our carbon footprint remains on track with the reduction pathway towards 2030.

Below, we provide a more detailed explanation of the results for each scope. In doing so, we examine not only how emissions evolved compared with 2023 and 2024, but also how these results relate to our climate targets for 2030.

For more background information on these figures and our calculation methodology, we refer to the full 2025 Carbon Footprint Report.

1.5. Scope 1: direct emissions

Results and progress

Scope 1 emissions amounted to 10.43 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2025, representing a 63.3% reduction compared with 2024. Compared with the recalculated 2023 baseline year, emissions were reduced by more than 73%.

Measures implemented

In 2025, we continued to implement the measures included in our Climate Plan, including:

• the further electrification of our vehicle fleet;

• the phase-out of the last company car running on fossil fuels;

• alternative mobility solutions such as bicycle leasing and the mobility budget;

• the relocation to an office that is no longer heated with natural gas.

The phase-out of the last fossil-fuel company car marked an important milestone in the implementation of our Climate Plan.

2030 targets and next steps

Through our Climate Plan 2024–2030, we aim to achieve a 42% reduction in combined Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2030, compared with the recalculated 2023 baseline year.

The continued electrification of our vehicle fleet and the reduction of emissions related to heating remain the main levers for achieving this target. From 2026 onwards, our entire company fleet will be electric. Emissions from heating will also continue to decrease thanks to our relocation to an office building that is heated entirely by electricity. As a result, we expect to further reduce our Scope 1 emissions in the coming years.

1.6. Scope 2: purchased energy

2025 results and progress

Scope 2 emissions amounted to 7.56 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2025, accounting for 4.7% of our total carbon footprint.

Compared with the recalculated emissions for 2024, emissions decreased by 35.1%, from 11.65 to 7.56 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. As a result, our Scope 2 emissions are also well below the level of the recalculated 2023 baseline year (10.18 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent).

These emissions mainly originate from electricity consumption in our buildings, the use of charging stations and electricity consumption associated with working from home. For the reporting of our Scope 2 emissions, we apply the market-based method. Thanks to our renewable electricity contract, a significant share of our electricity consumption is considered emission-free under the market-based approach.

The continued electrification of our vehicle fleet does, however, shift part of our climate impact between emission scopes. Whereas vehicles with internal combustion engines generate direct emissions (Scope 1), part of the impact of electric vehicles shifts to electricity consumption (Scope 2) and to the production of vehicles and batteries (Scope 3). Over their entire life cycle, however, electric vehicles remain more climate-friendly than vehicles with internal combustion engines.

Measures implemented

In 2025, we relocated to our new office at Engels Plein.

This relocation had a positive impact on our Scope 2 emissions. At our previous office, emissions were still associated with the electricity consumption of the building’s common areas and charging infrastructure. Following the move, emissions related to the common areas were eliminated, while the charging infrastructure now operates entirely on renewable electricity. As a result, emissions associated with our electricity consumption decreased significantly.

2030 targets and next steps

Through our Climate Plan 2024–2030, we aim to achieve a 42% reduction in combined Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2030, compared with the recalculated 2023 baseline year.

From 2026 onwards, we will be reporting for the first time on a full year of operations at our new office at Engels Plein. We therefore expect the positive impact of the relocation on our Scope 2 emissions to become even more visible. At the same time, we will continue to focus on energy efficiency and the use of renewable electricity.

1.7. Scope 3: value chain

2025 results and progress

The largest share of our carbon footprint in 2025 stems from Scope 3 emissions.

Scope 3 emissions amounted to a total of 142.10 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2025. Of this total, 22.34 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent were attributable to exceptional relocation activities (demolition works, site clean-up and an exceptional waste container). Excluding these one-off relocation emissions, Scope 3 emissions amounted to 119.76 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. Scope 3 therefore represented approximately 87% of DNS Belgium’s carbon footprint, also excluding exceptional relocation emissions.

Compared with the recalculated 2024 emissions, Scope 3 emissions increased by 3.7%, from 115.46 to 119.76 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. Compared with the recalculated 2023 baseline year, the increase amounted to 12.1%.

The main emission sources within Scope 3 (excluding exceptional relocation emissions) are:

• capital goods: 74.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent;
• purchased goods and services: 16.61 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent;
• employee commuting: 10.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent;
• leased assets (as a tenant): 9.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent;
• business travel: 4.53 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.

The category purchased goods and services also included 22.27 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent related to exceptional relocation activities. Including these emissions, emissions within this category amounted to 38.88 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.

The increase in Scope 3 emissions should, however, be viewed in context. Even when the exceptional relocation emissions are excluded from the trend analysis, emissions from capital goods remain high due to investments in electric company cars and the new office. While these investments contribute to Scope 3 emissions, they simultaneously support a further reduction in our direct emissions.

Whereas our direct emissions (Scope 1) decreased by more than 63% between 2024 and 2025, part of our climate impact has shifted to the value chain. As a result, Scope 3 is becoming increasingly significant in determining our overall carbon footprint.

Measures implemented

In 2025, we focused on:

• sustainable mobility through bicycle leasing and the mobility budget;
• encouraging cycling and public transport for commuting;
• reducing business travel wherever possible;
• further refining the inventory of our server infrastructure;
• limiting the impact of the relocation to Engels Plein through the reuse of furniture and materials.

Employee commuting remains a significant source of Scope 3 emissions, accounting for 10.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. We therefore continue to promote alternatives to individual car use. In 2025, employees travelled a combined 21,051 kilometres by bicycle for commuting purposes, compared with 17,330 kilometres in 2024. This represents an increase of 21.5%.

Greater insight into the climate impact of our server infrastructure

As the operator of the .be, .vlaanderen and .brussels domain names, our services rely on various server environments and digital infrastructure.

In 2025, we further refined our reporting on the climate impact of this infrastructure. The emissions associated with our registration platform hosted on AWS and the servers that were previously located in our offices at Ubicenter were already included in our carbon footprint. In 2025, the inventory was expanded to include additional servers that had not previously been reported, allowing us to obtain a more complete picture of the emissions associated with our digital services.

In total, we reported the following emissions in 2025:

• 6.99 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent for our externally hosted name servers and anycast servers;
• 1.55 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent for test servers managed in an external data centre since May 2025;
• 12.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent for third-party servers, consisting of:
  • 7.10 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent for external name servers;
  • 5.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent for the AWS registration platform.

Together, these categories represent 21.01 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions.

By further refining the inventory of our server infrastructure, we now have a more accurate view of the climate impact of our digital services. This helps us monitor these emissions more effectively and make better-informed decisions regarding infrastructure, hosting and suppliers in the future.

The relocation to Engels Plein: temporary impact, structural benefits

The relocation to our new office at Engels Plein had a noticeable impact on our carbon footprint in 2025. Emissions associated with demolition works, site cleaning and relocation activities resulted in exceptional, one-off emissions.

To ensure that the evolution of our climate performance can be compared accurately with previous years, these exceptional relocation emissions are excluded from the trend analysis of our Climate Plan. Emissions related to investments in the new office, such as capital goods, remain included in our carbon footprint.

Without these exceptional relocation emissions, DNS Belgium’s carbon footprint amounted to 137.75 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2025, compared with 155.52 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2024. This corresponds to a decrease of 11.4%.

During the relocation, we consciously sought to minimise the environmental impact wherever possible. Existing furniture and materials were reused whenever feasible. Materials that could no longer be used internally were given a second life through initiatives such as the Leuven Materials Bank.

Moreover, the relocation should not only be viewed in terms of the temporary emissions it generated. Emissions linked to the common areas of the former building have been eliminated, charging stations now operate on renewable electricity, and no company-owned servers are located at the office site anymore. These changes already contributed to the decrease in our Scope 2 emissions in 2025. As 2025 was a transition year, we expect the full impact of these changes to become visible from 2026 onwards.

2030 targets and next steps

Through our Climate Plan 2024–2030, we aim to achieve a 25% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2030. Based on the recalculated 2023 baseline year, this means reducing emissions from 106.87 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent to 80.07 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.

The 2025 results show that the greatest climate challenge for DNS Belgium today lies within our value chain. Although our total carbon footprint, excluding the exceptional relocation emissions, decreased compared with 2024, further attention remains necessary for the more structural sources of emissions within Scope 3.

In the coming years, we will therefore continue to implement the measures outlined in our Climate Plan. Particular attention will be given to emissions associated with commuting, purchased goods and services, and our digital infrastructure. We also intend to place greater emphasis on sustainability in our discussions with suppliers and partners.

The 2025 results confirm that DNS Belgium continues to make progress towards the objectives of its Climate Plan. At the same time, they make it clear that additional efforts to reduce emissions across our value chain remain necessary in order to achieve our 2030 targets.

1.8. CO₂ offsetting as a complement to reduction measures

Our priority remains to avoid and reduce emissions wherever possible. For emissions that cannot yet be avoided, we provide additional carbon offsetting. To this end, we work together with Ecolife on a dynamic compensation model based on three complementary pillars:

1. PAS 2060 offsets, which certify that our CO₂ emissions are being offset;

and additional compensation through:

2. high-impact donations via Doneer Effectief;

3. local impact donations.

Under this third pillar of local impact donations, DNS Belgium provides financial support to Leuven 2030 in its efforts to develop Leuven into a climate-resilient city by 2030. In doing so, we reaffirm our role as an ambassador for sustainability within local initiatives.

2. Circular economy: promoting the reuse of electronic business waste (B7)

Electronic business waste such as laptops and IT assets contains a wealth of valuable raw materials, including rare metals and high-quality components. By encouraging reuse and proper recycling, not only within our own organisation but also among other companies, we contribute to a circular economy.

In 2019, DNS Belgium and Close the Gap founded Digital for Youth, an initiative that collects laptops and other IT assets from companies and refurbishes them for reuse by digitally vulnerable children and young people. Through Digital for Youth, 40,923 IT assets were collected in 2025, including 19,461 laptops. According to its impact report, these IT donations helped avoid 7,614 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions, in addition to reducing toxic materials, e-waste, impact minerals and land use.

Of these laptops, 3,696 were distributed to organisations working with young people. These organisations are also asked how many new laptops they would have purchased had they not received laptops from Digital for Youth. In total, the purchase of 849 laptops was avoided, representing a reduction of 139 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.

Following our office relocation in 2025, we also donated laptops and other IT equipment that could no longer be used within our organisation. In total, 28 laptops were donated, of which 25 devices were suitable for reuse.

3. Promoting sustainability among registrars and registrants

DNS Belgium aims to play a leading role in sustainability and corporate social responsibility within our sector. While striving to minimise our own environmental impact, we also seek to create a positive impact on society. One of the ways we do this is by inspiring organisations within our industry.

To support this ambition, we introduced .be Sustainable in 2024.

With .be Sustainable, our primary objective is to encourage registrars to set their own sustainability goals, embrace corporate social responsibility and make their operations, processes and policies more sustainable.

In 2025, we examined the sustainability communications of all publicly visible .be registrars. As part of this study, we analysed 226 registrars and assessed the extent to which they communicate publicly about sustainability. The results showed that 80% do not communicate any sustainability efforts, 7% communicate only limited standalone initiatives, and 13% actively communicate about ESG topics or have a clear sustainability strategy in place.

These results show that there is still considerable room for growth within the sector, while at the same time highlighting several inspiring examples.

To help registrars take their first steps towards sustainable entrepreneurship, we also published practical tips on how to get started with sustainability. In addition, we continue to showcase inspiring examples from our registrar community and promote knowledge sharing on sustainability throughout our ecosystem.

Other environmental impact indicators

Our double materiality assessment did not identify pollution, biodiversity or water as material topics for DNS Belgium. As a result, we have not defined specific strategic objectives for these topics. In line with the VSME standard, we nevertheless report the relevant key indicators.

Air, water and soil pollution: for the air conditioning system in our former office at Ubicenter, a potential leakage of 0.49 kg of refrigerant (R410A) was estimated based on an assumed leakage rate of 5%. For the new installation at Engels Plein, no leakage was taken into account in 2025.

Biodiversity: DNS Belgium does not operate any sites located in or near biodiversity-sensitive areas. Our land use is limited to sealed surfaces. In 2025, we moved from office premises of 909 m² at Ubicenter to office premises of 840 m² at Engels Plein. In addition, since 2017, DNS Belgium has planted or helped restore more than 16,000 m² of forest in Belgium in cooperation with Planteenbos.

Water: our water consumption amounted to 125.8 m³. We are not located in a water-stressed area and do not discharge any process water.

Waste: In 2025, a total of 951.3 kg of waste was collected. Of this amount, 593.3 kg was recycled or reused, while 357.9 kg was processed as residual waste. The largest waste streams were paper and cardboard (307.8 kg), PMD (151.3 kg), organic waste (113.2 kg) and glass (21 kg).