Global Recycling Day is traditionally celebrated on March 18 and on that occasion public attention has been drawn to the importance of caring for the environment and the efficient use of the raw materials we have at our disposal.

A1 Croatia has also made its contribution thru recycling programs that have helped to save natural resources and extend the lifespan of a large number of electronic devices. Circular economy is an essential part of A1 Croatia's sustainability strategy, which groups its sustainable activities under the motto Do the Right Thing and through which it's planning to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. With the help of projects that improve business sustainability, last year A1 Croatia managed to reduce carbon emissions by as much as 23% or 8656 tons compared to 2020.

Through the project of proper disposal and re-usage of electronic devices since 2015, A1 Croatia has so far extended the life of 310.045 devices, reduced CO2 emissions and saved numerous natural resources. Last year alone the number of recycled and refurbished devices amounted to almost 80.000. Users are welcome to bring their old electronic devices to the A1 offices, so that they can be properly disposed of regardless of their type - mobile phones, watches, tablets, batteries, laptops, chargers, etc. Also, since last year, the A1 offer includes state-of-the-art refurbished Zoot iPhone mobile devices that have been used and thoroughly inspected beforehand and provide users with a new device experience at extremely affordable prices and favorable impact on the environment.

The company always strives to contribute to the sustainability of the community with the help of its business solutions. These are smart city management solutions using the Internet of Things (IoT) technology and connectivity to the A1 NB IoT network to increase energy efficiency or enable the more efficient management of various systems in cities. One such example is the A1 smart waste containers, which, thanks to cloud communication, optimize the frequency of waste collection and reduce the carbon footprint of the waste disposal systems.

The A1 portfolio of IoT projects also includes other solutions that could improve the sustainability of cities such as automated stations for measuring air quality and systems for monitoring free parking spaces in public spaces. Also, users promote the transition to e-invoices instead of paper ones to preserve the forest and a large investment cycle of the company is underway within the LIFE 4 Green Broadband project worth 16.2 million HRK, which will equip 120 base stations with solar power plants and another 200 with efficient cooling systems. The company is also seeking to use its own infrastructure to produce energy from renewable sources and one good example is the solar power plant VIPnet Žitnjak Zagreb. Last year, with its transition to green energy, A1 moved closer to its strategic goal of sustainable business, according to which the entire A1 Telekom Austria Group must become carbon neutral by 2030.

Aside from sustainability, the company has also contributed to the positive development of society thru its educational programs. One of them being A1 Start, which aims to provide young people near the end of their studies with work experience on challenging and interesting projects in the area of data science and data analytics. A1 Croatia also educates the youngest age groups, which is why they joined the School of the Future project with the aim of connecting and teaching future skills and modern technologies to primary and secondary school students. The company is also conducting a series of trainings on digital skills acquisition and responsible behavior in the online world thru which 2900 people in the community were educated last year.