Wind power from Northern Ostrobothnia, more secure subscriptions and Digital Skills Playing Cards reached 60,000 young people – This is what DNA’s sustainability work looked like in 2025

“2025 marked a significant milestone in our sustainability work. In climate action, we are already well advanced in reducing emissions from our own operations, while at the same time successfully accelerating demand for our circular economy solutions. We also developed new ways to promote digital skills and secure data use for our customers,” says Samu Malmelin, Sustainability Manager at DNA.

1/5: Humane and one-of-a-kind workplace

In 2025, DNA continued to strengthen its humane and one-of-a-kind workplace culture, built on freedom, trust and responsibility. DNA invested in workplace culture development through a broader equality survey, internal themed months and events fostering a sense of community, as well as talks focusing on sustainable working life and self-leadership skills.

“We want every DNA employee to be able to follow their own path in a safe, diverse and straightforward work community. We believe that the most satisfied employees enable the best customer experience,” Malmelin says.

The employee survey conducted in 2025 confirmed that these cultural cornerstones are reflected in everyday work:

• 88% of DNA employees felt that DNA is a place where they can advance their careers regardless of their background
• 92% felt they can come to work just as they are
• 92% felt they can flexibly balance work and everyday life

2/5: Moving Data within Planetary Boundaries

DNA has science-based climate targets aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and the Paris Agreement. Compared to the 2019 baseline, DNA aims to:

• Reduce emissions from its own operations (Scope 1 and 2) by at least 95% by 2030
• Ensure that 66% of its largest suppliers have set SBTi-validated climate targets by 2025
• Achieve net zero by minimizing value-chain emissions (Scopes 1, 2 and 3) by at least 90% by 2040

By the end of 2025, 60% of DNA’s suppliers had set SBTi climate targets, close to the company’s 66% goal. DNA continues its supplier collaboration and Scope 3 emissions reduction efforts towards its net-zero target.

“The majority of our emissions are generated within our value chain, making supplier engagement towards ambitious, Paris Agreement–aligned emission reduction targets and actions a key part of our climate work,” Malmelin says.

As part of its pathway towards net zero, DNA is targeting a 40% reduction in value chain Scope 3 emissions by 2030, compared to the 2019 baseline.

In 2025, greenhouse gas emissions from DNA’s own operations (Scopes 1 and 2, market-based) were already 98.4% lower than in the reference year 2019. This progress has been driven by improved energy efficiency in network technologies and the transition to renewable energy.

DNA made a significant investment in renewable energy by signing a 10-year wind power purchase agreement. All electricity purchased by DNA is renewable, and under the new agreement, over 80% comes from a new wind farm in Ii, Northern Ostrobothnia, launched in spring 2025.

“Energy management is central to climate action in our industry as data volumes continue to grow. It is crucial that energy is as clean as possible and that we continuously improve the energy efficiency of our networks. The wind power investment in Ii is a concrete example of how we put our climate targets into practice – and at the same time a significant investment in Finnish renewable energy production,” Malmelin explains.

Increased take-back rate of mobile devices

The circular economy is a core element of DNA’s climate and environmental work. DNA promotes circularity through, for example, the DNA Vaihtokapula online store for used phones and the DNA Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) model for corporate customers.

In 2025, the recycling rate of mobile devices increased to 14%, up from 7.2% the previous year. The percentage is calculated relative to the number of new mobile devices sold during the year. DNA is seeking further scalability for its circular economy business and, at the beginning of the year, integrated the previously separate Vaihtokapula online store more closely into the DNA brand.

3/5: A digitally equal and well-being Finland 

As part of its sustainability work, DNA aims to ensure that no one is excluded from digitalization due to lack of devices or skills. At the same time, DNA recognizes its responsibility to highlight the downsides of smart devices. In 2025, DNA and its partners trained a total of 90,000 people in digital skills, significantly exceeding the target of 35,000.

One of the most visible initiatives of the year was the launch of Digital Skills Cards together with Plan International Finland. The cards help practice digital well-being, online rules, basic digital skills and cybersecurity. They were distributed free of charge to education professionals and reached over 60,000 children and young people in schools across Finland during the year.

“We want to ensure that children and young people, in particular, know how to use devices safely and wisely and understand how screen time affects their well-being. Based on feedback from teachers, the Digital Skills Cards have been a very welcome tool for addressing these topics in schools,” Malmelin says.

In 2025, DNA continued this work together with long-term partners such as Hope ry, Protect Children, SOS Children’s Villages Finland and The Central Union for the Welfare of the Aged. DNA also continued its Digital Life and Schoolchildren studies on digital behaviour and organized its fourth annual Disconnect Day, promoting balance between digital device use and everyday life.

4/5: Ensuring secure data use and cybersecurity-focused services

Under this theme, DNA invested in both technical cybersecurity and people’s competence in 2025. DNA recognizes its critical role in safeguarding Finland’s telecommunications infrastructure – secure data use is fundamental to customer trust and the functioning of society.

DNA strengthened its internal cybersecurity culture by providing mandatory information security and data protection training for employees, and at the same time enhanced cybersecurity awareness among its customers through dedicated communications and customer events. For customers, DNA launched DNA Huoleton mobile and broadband subscriptions and Varma business subscriptions that support cybersecurity. These offerings have attracted strong interest. Secure browsing included in the subscriptions prevents access to harmful websites, and between May and October 2025 alone, 7.6 million scam attempts were blocked for users.

5/5: A straightforward and sustainable partner

As part of the straightforward and sustainable partner theme, DNA promoted responsible business in 2025 through training on the Code of Conduct, human rights, anti-corruption, cybersecurity and fire safety, as well as through supplier risk assessments and engagement on sustainable business practices.

In response to accessibility legislation, DNA ensured that its digital services and channels meet regulatory requirements – while also further improving equal access for all customers.

“We want our services to be genuinely accessible to everyone – not only because the law requires it, but because it is the right and sustainable way to build digital services. At DNA, accessibility is seen as part of broader customer experience development and as a key element of our work on digital equality and well-being,” Malmelin concludes.

For further information, media:

Samu Malmelin, Sustainability Manager, DNA, Tel. +358 44 044 9030 samu.malmelin@dna.fiDNA Communications, Tel. +358 44 044 8000, viestinta@dna.fi