Integrated
annual report
2021
group
Proximus Group I
Integrated annual report 2021
I
2
Table
of
content
1
4
Proximus at a glance
5 Foreword from our CEO and our Chairman
8 Who we are and the value we create for society
17 Key figures and highlights
2
22
#inspire2022
26 Build the best gigabit network for Belgium
36 Operate like a digital native company
44 Grow profitably through partners and ecosystems
57 Act for a green and digital society
74 Getting our people and organization ready for the future
81
Manage for impact,
manage responsibly
82
Governance and compliance
83
Corporate governance statement
106 Diversity and inclusion statement
110 Remuneration report
127 Regulatory framework
133 The Proximus share
139
Non-financial statements
140
Materiality and stakeholder dialogue
147 Social statement
158 Environmental statement
169 EU Taxonomy
171 Table of TCFD
173 GRI content index
178 Consolidated financial statements
292 Consolidated management report
292 Management discussion and analysis of financial results
325 Risk management report
341 Internal control system
346 Expertise of the Audit & Compliance Committee members
346 Evolution in research and development activities
351 Other information
352
Auditor’s reports
3
4
Proximus Group I
Integrated annual report 2021
I
3
Integrated reporting approach 2021
Since 2020, Proximus has been adopting an integrated reporting
approach. This 2021 report follows the International Integrated
Reporting Council (IIRC) framework, explaining how we create value
for our stakeholders and society, and in relation to our ambitions,
sense of purpose and goals.
Our stakeholders include all the individuals and organizations
affected by our operations or with whom we have a relationship.
They include but are not limited to enterprise and residential
customers, investors, employees, political and regulatory
stakeholders, suppliers, partners, journalists and opinion leaders.
The scope of the information in this report covers the Proximus
Group, unless stated otherwise. Proximus Group comprises
Proximus SA, its subsidiaries, as well as the Group’s interest in
associates and joint ventures accounted for under the equity
method and joint operations. We refer to Note 8 for the list of
subsidiaries, associates, joint ventures and joint operations.
Proximus SA is a “Limited Liability Company of Public Law”
registered in Belgium.
The purpose of this report is to inform our stakeholders about our
role in society. We outline our corporate strategy and the progress
we have made in achieving our goals, linking with our updated
material topics. The third chapter, “Manage for impact, manage
responsibly”, presents the company’s results with regards to its
financial and non-financial performance. Detailed performance
data is provided throughout the report.
The report has been prepared in accordance with the EU Directive on
disclosure of non-financial and diversity information, the GRI
(Global Reporting Initiative) Standards: core option, and SASB
(Sustainability Accounting Standards Board). A full GRI content
index can be found here:
From this reporting year onwards, Proximus will also integrate the
recommendations of the TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related
Financial Disclosure) to emphasize its efforts in identifying and
mitigating climate-related risks and opportunities. We see this as
the first step of an important journey. More efforts will be allocated
to the further integration of TCFD recommendations in the coming
years.
Proximus intends to align with the EU taxonomy and therefore this
year already discloses the eligibility of its economic activities, these
are activities of Proximus that could be assessed on their
sustainability under the EU taxonomy regulation. This year, the EU
taxonomy criteria only define activities that best contribute to
fighting climate change.
Proximus completes several questionnaires from ESG rating
agencies such as CDP, Sustainalytics, Ecovadis, S&P, FTSE4Good
and MSCI. Our ambition is to continuously improve our
performance in our sector.
Dive deeper into our stories
You will notice special icons throughout this annual
report. Here is what they mean:
Read more
External link
Direct download
Proximus Group I
Integrated annual report 2021
I
4
Proximus
at a
glance
5
Foreword from our CEO
and our Chairman
8
Who we are and the value
we create for society
17
Key figures and highlights
Proximus Group I
Integrated annual report 2021
I
5
Together towards a more sustainable digital life
Dear reader,
The year 2021 was once again marked by Covid. The fight
against this unprecedented pandemic has had an impact on us
all, both in our personal and professional lives. Proximus,
clearly, is no exception and our employees and teams have
shown tremendous resilience in their efforts to keep up the
level of service our customers expect from us.
Although the Covid crisis certainly confronts us with challenges
we had never imagined, it also offers us a unique opportunity to
reinvent ourselves and rethink the world around us. Let’s take an
example that Proximus knows well, the digital world. We are
convinced that the traditional, global, deregulated digital platform
models will gradually be challenged, or at least face competition
from innovative and more local initiatives. Today, people aspire to
lead a digital life that is based on models close to their concerns and
in which they can have confidence. This tells us how important it is
for future digital services, whether in education,
health or e-commerce for example, to also be developed in Europe
and Belgium by local players and ecosystems. Asking ourselves
which platforms we want to support to shape the world of
tomorrow is also about how we want to live as a society.
Getting everyone connected
We cannot talk about a digital society without talking about
future-proof connectivity. This will be a combination of fiber, 5G
and technologies such as cloud and edge computing. They are
what we call the networks of the future: they are the operating
system of our economy and digital life, with infinite potential.
We want them to be open to us all and benefit us all. That is why
we invest more than one billion euro each year in our networks to
roll out fiber and 5G throughout Belgium, while guaranteeing our
customers a very high level of security. Our ultimate ambition is to
reach 99% 5G coverage by the end of 2024 and 100% gigabit
coverage in Belgium.
Stefaan De Clerck
| Chairman
Guillaume Boutin
| CEO
Proximus Group I
Integrated annual report 2021
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Encouraging the emergence of local ecosystems
There is no getting away from digital, so being able to put our
digital life and our data in the hands of actors we trust is a crucial
concern. As we see it, our digital life needs to reflect our own life,
our own needs. A life that is more local, more secure and more
responsible, in which major Belgian brands, visionary entrepreneurs
and strong local companies will build ecosystems to drive the next
wave of innovation.
Of course, Proximus intends to be up there on the crest of this
wave. More than ever, we set out to partner up with Belgians in
their digital day-to-day lives. With the launch of Doktr and Banx
this year, we are very much on the right path. We also steer our
business customers through their digital transformation by
innovating with them, making the most of our new 5G
innovation platform.
A player with a human face
The human face of Proximus is first and foremost the thousands of
colleagues who give their best throughout the year, whether in our
stores, in our contact centers, in the field or in the office. And we
know what a difference this human touch can make in the digital
world. Not only does it contribute to a better customer experience
on a daily basis. More importantly, however, our presence has also
been essential in the unusual circumstances we have experienced
this year.
We want our networks to
be accessible to everyone,
ensuring that no one is left
by the wayside.
Our teams have continued to make outstanding efforts in the fight
against Covid. In record time, they equipped vaccination centers
with connectivity and IT solutions.
During the terrible floods in the summer of 2021, our technicians
worked hard for long days and nights to restore our infrastructure in
the stricken areas. This enabled those affected to reconnect with
their loved ones and businesses to resume their activities.
Responding to social issues
At Proximus, we want the new high-performance networks we
are deploying to be accessible to everyone, ensuring that no one
is left by the wayside. To follow through on our promises, in
September 2021, together with public authorities, companies
and social organizations, we signed the Digital Inclusion Charter,
demonstrating our joint commitment to reducing the digital
divide in our country.
Responding to social issues also means systematically taking
account of our impact on the climate. It is our responsibility as
leaders to set a good example by integrating sustainability into all
our actions. We are also very proud that Proximus has joined the
European Green Digital Coalition, which is aimed at achieving zero
net carbon emissions by 2040, 10 years ahead of the target set in
the Paris Agreement.
Making Proximus the reference digital employer
As the
war for talent will only intensify in the coming years, it is
essential that a group like Proximus offers its employees a
stimulating and inspiring work environment that values
diversity, inclusion, collaboration and responsibility.
This is our way of promoting continuous development of our
employees, especially as to technologies of the future, and
offering attractive opportunities for digital talent.
Proximus Group I
Integrated annual report 2021
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It is our responsibility to
integrate sustainability
into all our actions.
To accelerate our transformation into a truly customer-centric digital
company, we have decided to embrace agile working methods. This
approach allows us to focus more on what matters to customers
and deliver innovative solutions faster.
In the coming years, we will also be adapting our workspaces
- both in Brussels and in our regional offices - towards a 'campus'
style, which is more conducive to human contact and collaboration.
Transforming Proximus for the future
As you will discover by reading this annual report, the year 2021
has been particularly rich in terms of realizations for Proximus.
Driven by the #inspire2022 strategy, our teams have
accomplished remarkable work, despite the complicated context
linked to Covid.
Looking in the rearview mirror, it is impressive how far we have come
in the past twelve months. We have dramatically accelerated the
pace of fiber roll-out to become one of the world's most
successful operators in this field. We have continued to transform
and modernize our internal IT tools to make Proximus a truly digital,
customer-centric company. We are gradually returning to growth in
our Consumer and Enterprise segments, thanks to our convergent
brands and offers, our strategic partnerships and our capacity for
constant innovation. We have held up well in the business market
while continuing to transform at a steady pace. The issue of our first
green bond was a huge success.
In addition to our performance in the domestic market, we also
ramped up Proximus’ international position. We acquired all the
shares in our subsidiary BICS, giving us the flexibility to implement
the growth plans of BICS and TeleSign. What’s more, at the end of
December, TeleSign announced its intention to go public in 2022.
Tomorrow’s world will inevitably be more digital. Thanks to our
#inspire2022 strategy, it will also be more human, more local,
safer and more sustainable.
This is our commitment to you all! #thinkpossible
Guillaume Boutin, Stefaan De Clerck,
CEO Chairman of the Board of Directors
Proximus Group I
Integrated annual report 2021
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Who we are and the value
we create for society
Proximus is a provider of digital services, communication and ICT solutions
operating in the Belgian and international markets. Our purpose is to open
up a world of digital opportunities, so people live better and work
smarter. We do this by building the best open gigabit network, offering
products and services tailored
to the needs of every customer, by being the trusted partner of
companies and Belgian society in their digital evolution and by
contributing to a green and digital society.
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Thanks to our fixed and mobile networks, our customers access a
wide range of digital services, data and multimedia content,
anywhere, anytime. We are laying the foundation for sustainable
growth by investing in the gigabit network of the future, with a
truly digital mindset and a spirit of openness towards partnerships.
As a major economic player in Belgium, we want to create a
positive impact on the world around us. We support the
development of new digital ecosystems and innovative solutions
for the benefit of the Belgian economy. On a societal level, we fully
commit to bridging the digital divide, providing opportunities for
digital talents, and accelerating the transition to a green society.
We acknowledge and appreciate the passion and expertise of
our employees. They are our most valuable assets in pursuing
our ambitions. In turn, we offer our employees a challenging and
inspiring work environment. An environment where everybody gets
the chance to grow in an atmosphere of diversity and
collaboration, innovation and responsibility. At Proximus, our
employees get the freedom to positively affect the lives of our
customers. They also work on their own future, by continuously
educating themselves and developing their skills.
We open up a world
of digital opportunities
so people live better
and work smarter.
Proximus Group I
Integrated annual report 2021
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Our brands
We operate in the
Benelux
and on a
global
level.
Through our leading and well-established brands, we meet the
demands of a wide range of customers in the residential and
business segments, as well as the public sector.
Belgium
Proximus
is our major brand, which we are building into the
reference brand that “empowers everybody to thrive in a digital
world, so we can improve our shared well-being”. Our brand
promise
“Think possible”
captures that mission. We are
convinced that new digital solutions make our lives easier, allow us
to work together in smarter ways and make our world a better
place. That is why we are always looking for the best partnerships
and why we continue to invest in sustainable technology.
Scarlet
has established itself as a “no frills” brand for customers
who are looking for the best prices or for ways to consume more
consciously.
Mobile Vikings
is a brand that has a strong digital native customer
base and that stands for the “smart choice” offer for both prepaid
and postpaid customers. Its offer appeals to young people who
make intensive use of mobile data. In June 2021, Proximus
received approval, without conditions, from the Belgian Competition
Authority for the acquisition of Mobile Vikings, which also includes
the Jim Mobile brand.
Luxembourg
The Proximus Group operates in Luxembourg as
Proximus
Luxembourg SA
, under the brand names Tango and Telindus
Luxembourg.
Tango
offers fixed and mobile telephony, internet and television
services to residential customers and small businesses with fewer
than 10 employees.
Telindus
provides telecommunication services, ICT infrastructure,
multi-cloud, digital finance solutions, cybersecurity, business
applications, managed services and training services to medium-
sized and large companies, as well as public administrations.
The Netherlands
In the Netherlands we operate through
Telindus Netherlands
. As
strategic IT partner, we support organizations in being future proof
and innovative, by offering IT infrastructure solutions and services to
create flexible organizations.
Telindus provides managed- and platform services, integrating
networking, cloud, cybersecurity and data & AI. The resulting IT
services allows companies and public institutions to adapt to the
ever-evolving markets and customer needs, while securing
business continuity and optimizing user experiences.
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Worldwide
We operate internationally through
BICS
and
TeleSign
.
In February 2021, Proximus acquired 100% ownership of BICS,
securing the flexibility to execute the development and growth paths
of both BICS and TeleSign.
BICS
is a leading international communications enabler, one of the
key global voice carriers and the leading provider of mobile data
services worldwide. Its aim is to make it possible for every person,
application and thing to connect, wherever they are.
BICS provides high-quality, secure communication solutions to the
world’s largest mobile operators, virtual network operators, service
providers, enterprise software vendors and enterprises in Africa, Asia,
Europe, the Middle East and the US.
In recent years, BICS has transformed from a traditional international
wholesale carrier into a communications platform company. Its
integrated software-based solutions services help companies to
accelerate their digital transformation.
To successfully implement its strategy, BICS set up dedicated
business units that serve the telecom and enterprise markets
respectively. Through the creation of product portfolio groups, BICS
builds synergies between products and technology. Their solutions
are essential for supporting today’s modern, digital lifestyle and the
need for global mobile connectivity and seamless customer
experiences.
TeleSign
is a fast-growing leader in digital identity and
engagement solutions. Through its easy-to-integrate APIs, it
provides solutions for security, authentication, fraud detection,
compliance, reputation scoring, and secure communications.
With the accelerating growth of digital transactions worldwide, it
is more than ever crucial for businesses and customers to know
who they are trading with. Combining digital identity with global
communications capabilities, TeleSign helps enterprises
connect, protect and engage with their customers, while assisting those
customers in securely engaging with their preferred digital platforms
These integrated digital identity solutions not only strengthen the
trust between consumer and company, but also improve the
overall experience throughout the customer journey.
Today, TeleSign is a trusted partner to global enterprises across
more than 195 countries as well as 8 of the 10 world’s largest
digital enterprises. The company already has a strong foothold in
the North American market and a growing customer base across
Europe, Asia and Latin America.
TeleSign aims to accelerate its investment to further reinforce its
position as a digital identity provider as well as build out its
international organization. Beyond that, TeleSign intends to target
new customer segments, including mid-market and SMEs, and
develop new use cases to expand its identity offering.
In December 2021, TeleSign announced its intention to go public at
an enterprise value of $1.3 billion via a business combination
transaction with North Atlantic Acquisition Corporation.
Connectivity services
•
Cloud communications
•
IoT (Internet of Things)
Digital identity services
•
Security
•
Authentication
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A unique ICT environment
Through
our ICT affiliates,
Proximus Enterprise and strategic
partnerships, we help to speed up the digital transformation of our
enterprise customers.
Together with our affiliates Telindus, Umbrio, Codit, Be-Mobile,
ClearMedia, Davinsi Labs and Proximus SpearIT, we form a broad
ecosystem of digital thinkers and doers. These companies are all
experts in their fields – from app developers to providers
of integrated ICT solutions, and from data privacy and security
specialists to designers of smart mobility solutions.
We want to shape the digital world of today and tomorrow. We do
this by offering customers a one-stop shop, integrated and
converged 360° ICT offer that is unique in Belgium. As some of our
partners also operate abroad, we are even able to venture outside
Belgium.
•
Be-Mobile
offers a wide array of smart mobility solutions to
help public authorities, road operators, car manufacturers,
individual drivers and private companies improve daily
mobility for travelers.
•
ClearMedia
provides cloud, cybersecurity and digital
workplace solutions, services and products tailored to the
(S)ME market through an indirect channel of local IT partners.
•
Codit
supports customers in realizing their ambitions with
tailored Microsoft Azure cloud solutions. Codit guides them
through their data journeys, with a focus on automating
business processes, building data platforms, app innovation
and providing IoT, AI and machine learning solutions. Codit is
active in the Benelux, UK, France, Malta, Portugal and
Switzerland.
•
Davinsi Labs
offers security and service intelligence
solutions. Focusing on data and meaningful insights, these
solutions allow businesses to provide their customers
with digital services with the highest standards of security, availability,
and performance.
•
Proximus SpearIT
is the ICT integrator for mid-sized
companies.
•
Telindus Luxembourg
and
Telindus Netherlands
are
specialists in smart and secure IT platforms.
•
Umbrio
offers strategic, security and service intelligence
services, translating data into actionable insights.
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Our value creation model
Our #inspire2022 strategy and our company culture empower us to make Proximus the reference operator in Europe. Our
objective is to make a positive contribution to society and create shared value with and for our stakeholders, while optimizing
the way we use our resources.
Resources we use
How we create value
Our sense of purpose
Opening up a world of digital opportunities so people live better and work smarter.
Human capital
•
11,532 employees
•
57 nationalities
•
32% women
Our ambition
Make Proximus the reference operator in Europe.
Our company strategy
#inspire
2022
Financial capital
•
1,203 Mio investments
1
•
2,978 Mio shareholders’ equity
•
2,740 Mio adjusted net debt
Build the best
gigabit
network
for Belgium
Operate like a
digital native
company
Grow profitably
through
partners and ecosystems
Act for a
green
and digital society
Our company culture
Natural resources
•
9 Mio liters fossil fuel
•
328 GWh electricity
•
24 GWh natural gas
•
1,077,545 m
building footprint
Good
to Gold
culture
Growth
mindset
Our
values
Collaboration
Agility
Accountability
Customer centricity
We
Make
a difference
Our leading brands meet the demands of a wide
range of customers
1 Excl. spectrum and football rights
Proximus Group I
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The value we create for our stakeholders
Contributing
to the SDGs
Customers
Creating relevant end-to-end solutions
to fully harvest the potential of
technology
•
1.7 Mio active users on MyProximus
•
19,000 active users on MyProximus
for Enterprises
•
1.2 Mio active users on Pickx
•
18,700 registered users on Doktr
Employees
Offering a challenging and inspiring
work environment with specific
focus on diversity, collaboration and
empowerment
•
32.34 Mio in employee re-/up-skilling
•
41.3 training hours/employee on
average
•
Good work-life balance for 73% of
employees
Partners
Creating new innovative business models
relevant for our customers and society
•
3.3 Mio IoT connections enabling smart
solutions
•
20use cases on 5G innovation platform
Suppliers
Building sustainable relationships to
improve social and environmental
standards across our supply chain
•
445 suppliers, representing 41% of
our external spend, were assessed by
EcoVadis on their ESG-compliance:
71% received a positive scoring
•
All suppliers signed our Code of
Conduct
Shareholders
Committing to an attractive return and
transforming into a sustainable company
•
1,772 Mio Group underlying EBITDA
•
376 Mio Free Cash Flow (adjusted)
•
1.2 dividend/share
•
ESG as part of Management incentive
plans
Belgian society
Bringing essential connectivity while
contributing to an inclusive digital society
•
813,000 homes & businesses
connectable to fiber
•
5G available in 70 cities & municipalities
•
1,145 job seekers supported by our
initiatives
•
55% of tested devices accessible for at
least five disabilities
•
Supporting Belgium during COVID-19
and floods
Planet
Becoming net zero by 2040 and truly
circular by 2030
•
4.4 ktons CO
2
•
89% waste recycled, reused or
composted
•
80,000 old mobile phones collected
•
845,000 refurbished devices
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Contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by the
United Nations Member States in 2015 and are to be reached by
2030. Our strategy currently addresses 8 of the 17 SDGs.
This year, we embedded sustainability in our financing
instruments. We have launched a Sustainable Finance Framework
and a Green Bond that are aligned to the SDGs – more
information on these can be found here:
link
We believe that sustainable financial instruments are an effective
tool for channelling investments to projects that have
demonstrated their ecological and social benefits and that
contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.
In 2022, we will devote time to further map the SDGs to all aspects
of our business (such as operations and facilities), with the goal of
creating more focus and clarity.
Bring health and well-being to people of all generations
The health and safety of our employees, our customers and the general public are a priority for Proximus. We
are aware of the concerns and challenges regarding 5G, radiation and health. We have committed to providing
clear and useful information about these issues, as well as taking precautionary measures. And as users
devote increasingly more time to their screens, we are taking steps to encourage digital health, and
consequently, to improve overall health and well-being. We take up a role to provide access to quality essential
healthcare services through our new Doktr app and the services we offered the healthcare sector during the
pandemic.
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for
all
The re-skilling of the Belgian workforce, and ensuring everyone has the skills needed for the digital economy
and society of tomorrow, are challenges for all of us. Internally, we enable our existing and future employees to
take ownership of their careers by providing re-skilling and up-skilling in key domains, and ensuring they remain
relevant in their current and future jobs. For the Belgian workforce, we support
up-skilling and re-skilling initiatives by partnering with organizations such as MolenGeek, School 19 and
Technobel. We also support Bednet and ClassContact, two associations that allow children living with long-
term illnesses to continue their education at home or in hospital. We contribute to closing the digital divide
through, for example, DigitAll, the Alliance for Digital Inclusion in Belgium.
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent
work for all
We are a major employer and as such, we contribute to the Belgian economic ecosystem. We create direct and
indirect sustainable employment through, amongst others, the deployment and maintenance of our gigabit
networks of the future. We support the development of new digital ecosystems and innovative solutions for
the benefit of the Belgian economy.
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster
innovation
We build future-proof digital infrastructure and invest in the newest technologies, innovative platforms and
solutions. Those are critical enablers of a digital economy and society, in which Belgium is still lagging. In
addition, we support ecosystems to foster Belgium companies and innovation.
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Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
By building the best open gigabit network for Belgium, we support local communities to become more
inclusive and sustainable. With our smart solutions we address major societal challenges in densely
populated cities, such as mobility, safety and crowd management. Proximus also offers smart building
solutions to help customers make smarter use of energy.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
We have a clear ambition to become truly circular by 2030. To do so, we have set ourselves strict goals.
When designing products, we take the full impact of their whole lifecycle into account. We minimize their
adverse impacts on human health and the environment and maximize waste reduction and material
recycling. We also impose strict standards throughout our supply chain. We enable our customers to reduce
their environmental impact through, for example, our refurbished phone range and our Banx and
MyFootprint applications that give customers insight into their ecological footprints.
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all Take urgent
action to combat climate change and its impacts
We acknowledge that Proximus has an impact in this area, especially through the CO
2
activities. For this reason, we want to be a leading company in addressing climate change and are committed
to further reducing our environmental impact. To that end, we joined the European Green Digital Coalition in
2021, strengthening our ambitions. To keep the electrical energy consumption flat despite growing demand,
we will keep implementing network energy-saving initiatives. After reaching 100% renewable electricity, we
want to achieve 100% renewable energy, thus becoming carbon neutral without compensations by 2030.
We will work with more local electricity sources and take up our role in changing the Belgian energy mix. As
the biggest remaining carbon footprint resides across our value chain, we will continue to work closely with our
suppliers to achieve our ambition to be net zero by 2040.
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Key figures
and highlights
Proximus Group I
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Key figures
Number of employees
11,532
Total CO
2
2
459 Kton
Avoided CO
2
by customers
502 Kton
Board
36% women
Executive Committee
22% women
Refurbished devices
845,000
1
Excl. spectrum & football rights
2
Scope 1, 2 and 3
Group underlying revenue
5,578 Mio
Capex
1,203 Mio
Group underlying EBITDA
1,772 Mio
Free Cash Flow
(adjusted)
376 Mio
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Key highlights
Proximus
We provided
COVID vaccination centers
with connectivity, IT
support, as well as advanced IoT solutions to monitor the
temperature of the vaccines.
After the devasting
floods in Wallonia
we restored our
network infrastructure as rapidly as possible.
The
Digital Inclusion Charter
was signed by the members
of DigitAll, the Belgian ecosystem for digital inclusion.
Two
joint ventures
were launched t
o
accelerate our fiber
roll-out.
Launch of the
5G innovation platform
for businesses to test
their 5G solutions.
With more than
3.3 million connected objects
in our
network we strengthened our position as market leader in
Internet of Things
Acquisition of
Mobile Vikings
,
reinforcing Proximus’ multi-brand
strategy in the residential market.
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Banx
, the digital app for sustainable banking, entered the
Belgian market.
Innovation in the field of eHealth with
the teleconsultation app
Doktr.
Launch of the
platform
aug•e
offering solutions in
the field of smart
buildings with
partners BESIX
and i.Leco.
Successful issuing of first € 750 million
Green Bond.
Acquisition of full ownership of
BICS
,
securing the flexibility to
execute the development and
growth path of
BICS
and
TeleSign
.
Progressing towards an
agile operating model
and
embracing the
hybrid way of working.
New members of the Executive Committee:
Antonietta
Mastroianni
, Chief Digital & IT Officer and
Mark Reid
, Chief
Financial Officer.
The exhibition "
Art with a
View: 25 years Proximus Art
Collection".
18.09—
Proximus Towers
Avenue Roi Albert 27
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Key highlights
BICS
Secured
partnerships
with key digital players such as
Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud, adding to those already
in place with Amazon Web Services and other Tier 1 digital
disruptors in the APAC region.
Launch of
voice APIs
, an important step in the provision of
communications as service, enabling enterprises with
secure and flexible software-based communications.
World’s 1st
5G Standalone roaming trial
with Proximus
successfully concluded, showing roaming interoperability
between different 5G providers.
Recognized in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for
Managed IoT Connectivity Services Worldwide.
Investments in 5G and private mobile network
connectivity enablement through its
SIM for Things
solution allowing companies to easily deploy and
manage connected applications for IoT transformation.
Key highlights
TeleSign
TeleSign announced its
intent to go public
at an
Enterprise Value of $1.3 Billion via a business
combination transaction with North Atlantic Acquisition
Corporation.
Launch of
Messaging API
which allows for multiple
messaging channels to be consumed by our customers with
only one API integration.
WhatsApp for Business and Viber messaging support
added to Messaging API.
Launch of an updated
anti-fraud model of the Score
product
increasing accuracy of flagging fraud while reducing
false positives.
New executive leadership team and experienced
regional leads
in EMEA and APAC to fuel future growth
and geo expans
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26
Build the best gigabit network for Belgium
36
Operate like a digital native company
44
Grow profitably through partners
and ecosystems
57
Act for a green and digital society
74
Getting our people and organization
ready for the future
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Since March 2020, Proximus has been executing out its three-
year strategy, #inspire2022, with the ambition to
make Proximus
the reference operator in Europe
.
The plan was launched in a volatile and uncertain
context, as COVID-19 began to impact Europe.
Today, that uncertainty persists and we have also been
exposed to dramatic climatic events and the
consequences of those.
Despite that context, the telecommunications sector is
pursuing its transformation at an unprecedented pace, while
addressing the new challenges that are rising.
Next-generation networks are being built to further support
the digitization of the economy and the increasing need for
data. A new, digital, data-fueled platform economy is
emerging, which raises concerns about data security and
privacy. New forms of
competition are prompting us to diversify our range of products
and services and pave the way for new kinds of partnerships.
The digitization of society highlights our social responsibilities
as a telecom provider. It’s our duty to foster diversity and digital
inclusion and to facilitate the transition towards a circular
economy.
Our strategy is designed to accelerate the
transformation journey of our company so we can
return to profitable growth and address the
competitive and societal challenges ahead. Embracing change,
we have deliberately chosen to take the
lead and anticipate the future to the benefit of our employees,
our customers and society at large.
Our #inspire2022 strategy is built on four
strategic pillars:
We will
build the best
open
gigabit network
for Belgium
, through a
We will
operate like
a
digital native
company
, becoming
leaner, legacy-free
and truly fit for a digital
world.
of
partnerships and
ecosystems
.
and digital society
and
embed this ambition in
everything we do.
We
fulfill these ambitions
thanks to agile working and the passion and expertise of
our employees.
Overview of #inspire2022
Build the best
gigabit network
for Belgium
#inspire2022 ambitions Baseline 2020 Status 2021
4.2 million
gigabit homes and
businesses enabled by 2028
Undisputed mobile
leadership with
5G
Dec'20: 460,000 homes and businesses
enabled with fiber
•
First operator to launch public 5G in Belgium
•
Dec'20: 5G available at 138 sites in 69 cities
and municipalities
Dec'21: 813,000 homes and businesses enabled
with fiber
•
20 use cases from enterprise customers on the
5G innovation platform
•
Dec'21: 5G available at 137 sites in 70 cities and
municipalities
Open networks to grow
wholesale
revenues
•
8 new fiber wholesale partners in 2020
•
5G network open to wholesale customers
as from launch
•
8 new fiber wholesale partners in 2021
•
9 MVNO partners have access to 5G
Material topic: Support digital infrastructure for Belgian society
Operate like a
digital native
company
#inspire2022 ambitions Baseline 2020 Status 2021
Top 1 or 2 Telco
NPS
for
convergent customers,
driven by superior user
experience, by 2022
•
First operator to make commercial gestures
following the COVID-19 outbreak: > 95%
customers appreciated the initiatives
•
MyProximus and Pickx app ratings in Google
Play and App Store: 4/5
•
Satisfaction with our internet, TV and mobile
products: > 90%
•
NPS of our residential internet+TV+postpaid
customers increased in 2021
•
NPS of our biggest enterprise customers
increased in 2021
•
NPS of our Small & Medium-sized enterprise
customers decreased in 2021
-40% in IT costs
by 2025 with
legacy-free IT
•
Implementing a new simplified address
management system
•
One single datasource for all billing aspects,
improving data quality and user experience
•
Continuous integration, development and
automation in IT operations to reduce time
to market
•
Simplifying technology infrastructure
•
Implementing an engineering-oriented culture
•
Increasing automation in the software delivery
process
•
Simplifying business processes and products
•
Exerting clear control over demands on IT
Train and selectively attract the
best
digital talents
in Belgium
•
> 200 employees recruited in domains of the
future
•
Average of 39.5 hours of training per employee
•
34.45 million invested in employee re-skilling
and up-skilling
•
172 employees recruited in domains of the
future
•
Average of 41.3 hours of training per employee
•
32.34 million invested in employee re- and
up-skilling
Material topic: Digital access
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Grow profitably
through partners and ecosystems
#inspire2022 ambitions Baseline 2020 Status 2021
>
3 million
unique Proximus
active monthly
apps users
by
2022
•
Dec'20: 1.6 million active users on MyProximus
•
Dec'20: 1.1 million active users on Pickx
•
Dec'21: 1.7 million active users on MyProximus
•
Dec'21: 1.2 million active users on Pickx
>
2.1 million internet
connections
(consumer
segment) by 2022
>
100 million additional
revenue
from new non-telco
domains by 2022
•
Dec'20: 1,965,000 internet connections
(consumer segment)
•
Long-term commercial partnership with Belfius
•
Addressable TV: > 150 targeted campaigns
•
Dec'21: 2,004,000 internet connections
(consumer segment)
•
Financial services: Launch of Banx and Beats
with Belfius
•
eHealth: Launch of Doktr
•
Smart building: Launch of aug•e platform with
BESIX and i.Leco
•
Addressable TV: > 400 targeted campaigns
Material topics: Support small & medium business development - Delivering customer promises - Customer value for money
Act for a
green
and
digital society
#inspire2022 ambitions Baseline 2020 Status 2021
Sustainability
and
circularity
embedded in everything we do
Net zero
by 2040 &
truly
circular
by 2030
Support
digital re-skilling
of
1,000+ Belgian job seekers
yearly
120 ongoing projects related to circularity and
carbon emissions at the end of 2020
•
Own emissions: -26% (vs 2019)
•
Indirect emissions: -16% (vs 2014 baseline)
•
88% waste recycled
•
409,000 modems & decoders refurbished
•
65,000 mobile phones collected
•
1,158 job seekers supported by our initiatives
in Belgium
•
73% of tested devices accessible for at least
5 disabilities
>
150 ongoing projects related to circularity and
carbon emissions at the end of 2021
•
Own emissions: -3% (vs 2020)
•
Indirect emissions: -44% (vs 2014 baseline)
•
89% waste recycled
•
845,000 devices refurbished
(incl. 493,000 modems & decoders)
•
80,000 mobile phones collected
•
1,145 job seekers supported by our initiatives in
Belgium
•
55% of tested devices accessible for at least 5
disabilities
Material topics: Human rights - Responsible supply chain - Sustainable infrastructure - Circular economy - Energy and CO
2
access - Privacy & data security
Getting
our people
and organization ready for the future
#inspire2022 ambitions Baseline 2020 Status 2021
Internal
moves
• 2,146 employees changed function • 782 employees changed function
Good physical and mental
well-being
•
55% of employees giving a "good" score in the
Speak-Up Survey (score of 4 and 5 on a 1-5 scale)
•
56% of employees giving a "good" score in the
Speak-Up Survey (score of 4 and 5 on a 1-5 scale)
Material topics: Workplace wellness - Employee up-skilling, re-skilling & employability
Build the best
gigabit network
for Belgium
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Build the best
gigabit network
for Belgium
Being connected is integral to our daily lives. At home, at work
and on the go. As society becomes increasingly digitized, data
traffic will continue to grow. To anticipate the evolving needs
of all Belgian users, our ambition is to build the best open
gigabit network for Belgium by rolling out fiber and 5G at an
accelerated pace and by opening our networks to our
wholesale partners.
We are working to provide flawless connectivity,
available for all. Consumers, businesses of all sizes, public
services and cities. Wherever they are
.
We are committed to
bringing the benefits
of our next-generation
networks to as many
Belgians as possible.
This improved connectivity opens up new opportunities in
many sectors, such as healthcare, manufacturing, autonomous
transport, logistics and agriculture. Our gigabit network will be
a catalyst for the local economy, for innovation, and it will
boost sustainable economic growth. The network will allow
technological evolution and the creation of new digital
consumer applications, such as connected homes, working
from home, e-education and next-generation video and cloud-
based gaming.
In 2021, we made significant progress in the deployment of
our fixed and mobile gigabit networks, reaching 813,000
homes or businesses connectable to fiber at the end of the year
and offering 5G in 70 cities and municipalities in Belgium.
What’s more, our gigabit network is a fully open- access
platform on which all other service providers are welcome to
offer their own specific services to their end-customers.
As the leading telecom operator in Belgium, we have a
responsibility to develop and enhance the digital
infrastructure in Belgium. We firmly believe that our efforts
have an intrinsic value for society, contributing to building an
inclusive and sustainable world. We are committed to
bringing the benefits of our next- generation networks to as
many Belgians as possible and to making our networks as
environmentally friendly as we possibly can.
Material topic addressed in this strategic pillar:
•
Support digital infrastructure for Belgian society
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The accelerated roll-out of our fiber network
The COVID-19 crisis has proven that
fast and reliable networks
are vital
to our society. Schoolchildren and students saw their
classes moved online. Hundreds of thousands of employees
became used to working from home. And with lockdowns
and social distancing measures in place, we relied on virtual
communication to keep in touch with family and friends and to stay
entertained through digital entertainment services.
These shifting behaviors, along with business deploying digital
transformation and launching innovative digital services, caused
the demand for bandwidth to continue its strong growth profile. It
has confirmed the importance of
investing in fiber as the fixed
network technology of the future
.
Proximus is moving up a gear. Our objective:
by 2028, we will
have connected at least 4.2 million homes and businesses to
fiber
, covering at least 70% of homes and businesses in Belgium.
Our partners will complement us in achieving this ambitious plan,
and even accelerate the roll-out of fiber.
Everyone benefits from fiber
Fiber offers an answer to the continued growth in data
consumption of both residential and business customers.
Fiber-users enjoy
download speeds
of up to 1 Gbps and upload
speeds of up to 200 Mbps. In addition to download speeds, fiber
offers other advantages from
higher upload speeds
essential for
home working,
low latency
for applications such as gaming,
environmentally it is
more energy efficient
and economically it
has far lower costs to operate.
Accelerated roll-out with partners
As part of our plan to cover at least 4.2 million homes and
businesses by 2028 we entered in two
partnerships
: with
EQT
Infrastructure
in Flanders and
Eurofiber
in Wallonia. By doing
so, Proximus will significantly expand its fiber network and
accelerate the fiber roll-out
in the coming years.
Flanders Wallonia Brussels
•
We set up
Fiberklaar
, a joint venture with
EQT Infrastructure, in March 2021.
•
Fiberklaar to connect at least 1.5 million
homes and businesses in Flanders by 2028.
•
We set up
Unifiber
, a joint venture with
Eurofiber, in July 2021.
•
Unifiber to connect at least 500,000
homes and businesses in Wallonia by 2028.
•
We will continue to accelerate our
own fiber
roll-out
.
•
Proximus to cover the entire Brussels
Capital Region by the end of 2026.
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These two joint ventures will take Proximus closer to its ultimate
objective of connecting Belgium through an open, future-proof
network that brings
high or very high-speed connectivity
to every home and business
, including those in less densely
populated areas.
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Fiber achievements in 2021
The roll-out of fiber is ongoing in 45 Belgian cities and
municipalities, 29 of which are new. We have connected
353,000
homes and businesses
, totalling 813,000 end 2021. With our
partner Signpost, we have provided 44 schools with a fiber
connection.
Our footprint is
close to 14%
of total Belgian premises.
In 2021, the
pace of new connections has nearly doubled
compared
to 2020. In 2021 we connected one home or business every 18 seconds
(vs every 34 seconds in 2020).
In 2021 we onboarded
8 new fiber wholesale partners
, bringing
the total number of partners to 36.
Speeding into the future
On the coming period, we will increase our stand-alone roll-out of
fiber and actively support our joint ventures in the efficient roll-
out of fiber. These joint ventures started deploying fiber in the
fourth quarter of 2021 but have a lot of crucial work ahead
of them in 2022. As soon as we are at cruising speed, as from
2023, Proximus will
deploy fiber to a rate of close to 10% of the
country per year
, to cover at least 70% of the Belgian population
by 2028.
World’s fastest fiber speed deployed
Proximus is the
first operator to add 25G capabilities to its commercial
network
in Belgium. Together with
Nokia
, we have deployed the first live
25 Gigabit PON is the latest generation,
boosting both download and upload
speeds
on fiber networks to unprecedented levels around 200 times faster than
the most advanced broadband networks of ten years ago. This technological
breakthrough shows the virtually
unlimited capacity of fiber
. In fact, the
innovation makes our network the fastest in the world, earning Proximus the
global award for
Fiber Operator of the Year
, an acknowledgement issued by the
Broadband World Forum (BBWF). This is encouraging us to pursue our fiber
strategy based on highly ambitious acceleration plan, innovative partnerships and
open network model and confirms the potential of our fiber network
to become a key driver of the digital economy and the society we stand
for.
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Phasing out our existing copper network
We notify our customers once fiber is active in their city. We migrate
them to fiber step-by-step by offering alternative products, allowing
us to switch off our copper network. This in turn leads to, among
other things,
operational savings and simpler management of
infrastructure
. In keeping with our commitment to sustainability, all
material is recycled or reused for other
purposes. In 2021, we recovered a total of
859 tons of copper
cable
, from which 811 tons directly from the network.
We plan to deactivate the existing copper network in a specific
zone within five years of fiber installation works have started
there.
Boosting VDSL infrastructure
The fiber roll-out is our number one priority. Still, not all
consumers will have direct access to fiber. It is important that they
too can benefit from high-speed internet. That is why we are also
improving our existing infrastructure
for broadband access using
copper.
By developing and implementing its 2MX6 or
ultra-vectoring
technology on the copper network
, engineers at
Nokia
and
Proximus launched
a global first
in May 2021. This innovation
allows twice as many customers to be serviced using a single
street cabinet, while doubling the speed of broadband internet
and reducing energy consumption.
TITAN:
Voice, data and TV traffic
migration finalized in 2021
In August 2018, Proximus announced its three-year TITAN
project. The program’s goal was to
increase the capacity
than before.
Since its inception, TITAN has addressed the growing use of
bandwidth and the rise in data traffic. It was key to proactively
strengthening our data transportation network, which carries
almost all the fixed and mobile voice, data and TV traffic of
our residential and professional customers. This upgraded
backbone facilitates the development of services using
augmented reality, virtual reality and IoT, as well as
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Staying ahead of the game with 5G, the
mobile network of the future
In the future, we will all increasingly use mobile data, through more
intensive use of services such as high-definition video streaming,
innovative industry solutions and remote working. The need for
super-fast, large-capacity networks like 5G is growing.
We are
committed to remaining the leader for 5G in Belgium
– with a future-proof, reliable and more energy-efficient open
mobile network.
5G: so much more than a faster network
New applications continue to draw on the capacity of the
networks. Although our existing 3G/4G network provides one of
the best quality levels available in the world today,
5G opens new
perspectives
, and will allow for the creation of new, exciting
services.
5G is a 100% stable, secure and wireless connection that is up to
10 times faster than 4G
. Thanks to the
enormous bandwidth
and
the reliable,
ultra-low-latency
data transfer, 5G is able to make
an infinite number of connections. This offers companies and
organizations opportunities to make their processes more
efficient, more secure and more mobile. The faster speeds
of 5G enable new applications and ways of working, such as
decentralized clouds and the Internet of Things (IoT). Ultra-low latency
allows hyper-realistic rendering in virtual reality images.
5G improves the efficiency of mobile data transmission:
less
energy
is required for the same amount of data. 5G networks
use little power when traffic is low, further reducing the power
consumption of the antennas.
5G also forms the foundation of tomorrow's
digital economy
and will
help
address societal challenges
.
