In the decade since the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development were signed, the tech industry has evolved dramatically. With innovations in 5G, artificial intelligence, data centers, and satellite communications, the digital world has reshaped industries and societies alike. But rapid growth has also brought growing environmental challenges — prompting companies to act.

One notable leader taking sustainability seriously is Thales, already renowned for its digital security expertise. Over the past decade, the company has been actively aligning its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals with its tech advancements. Now, Thales has taken a significant step forward by having its 2030 environmental targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)—reinforcing its commitment to climate responsibility.

Independent Validation of Environmental Impact

As part of its eco-design strategy, Thales is prioritizing transparency by subjecting its Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) to third-party review. These LCAs measure the full environmental footprint of a product—from energy and water use to emissions and waste — over its entire lifespan.

In 2024, Thales engaged Bureau Veritas, a global leader in certification and testing, to independently review the LCAs for two of its flagship offerings: the EcoSIM card and the Thales eSIM Management platform.

“We are proud to support Thales in its ESG journey,” said Marie-Elisabeth d’Ornano, Global Certification Director at Bureau Veritas. “Verifying compliance with international standards reinforces Thales’s commitment to transparency and leadership in sustainable innovation.”

The result? Bureau Veritas confirmed that Thales’s LCA methodology meets international benchmarks and delivers measurable environmental impact reductions — with SIM card emissions cut by over 40%.

Leading with LCAs Since 2010

Thales isn’t new to environmental assessments. The company began applying LCAs to its SIM cards as early as 2010 and expanded the approach to digital services in 2023. “We pride ourselves on being ahead of the curve,” said Eva Rudin, VP of Mobile Connectivity Solutions at Thales.

Thales follows ISO 14040-44:2006 and 14067:2018 standards to evaluate environmental criteria, including CO₂ emissions, acidification, ozone depletion, and abiotic resource depletion.

Rudin explained:

“LCAs help us identify key areas for improvement across the life cycle — from design and manufacturing to usage and disposal. This ‘cradle to grave’ view gives us a clear path to reduce our environmental footprint.”

Eco-Design Meets Digital Transformation

Digital services, including the Thales eSIM Management platform, also face scrutiny. Thales assesses the environmental impact of mobile phones, the data networks they use, and the cloud infrastructure behind them.

“Our biggest breakthroughs come from redesigning our digital architecture and moving to public cloud environments,” Rudin noted. “This has cut our Scope 2 and 3 emissions by a factor of three to five.”

Building a Greener Mobile Ecosystem

Beyond internal efforts, Thales is actively partnering across the industry to scale sustainable practices. As a member of GSMA and a contributor to the EU-funded EECONE project, Thales supports innovations like repurposing old smartphones into home routers — helping curb electronic waste and extend device lifespans.

A standout collaboration is with SHIFT, a German company pioneering sustainable smartphone manufacturing. By integrating Thales’s eSIMs — made from 100% recycled materials — SHIFT phones will further reduce reliance on plastic and unnecessary SIM cards.

SHIFT’s CEO, Carsten Waldeck, stated:

“Our partnership with Thales brings us closer to fully ethical and environmentally conscious smartphone production. eSIMs are a big part of that.”

Global Vision, Global Responsibility

As climate change knows no borders, Thales emphasizes the need for collaboration with global stakeholders — from suppliers and customers to regulators and standards bodies.

“Technology and sustainability are not at odds — they must evolve together,” said Rudin. “We’re committed to delivering both innovation and accountability. With independent validation and a clear eco-design roadmap, we’re showing that it’s possible to lead on both fronts.”

As the mobile and tech sectors face increasing pressure to go green, Thales is setting an example — not just by cutting emissions, but by reshaping how digital services and products are designed from the ground up.

Conclusion: Eco-Credentials Are Becoming Competitive Differentiators

Thales’s proactive approach to life cycle assessments and third-party verification is not merely an exercise in ESG compliance — it’s a strategic move that reflects the shifting dynamics of the technology and mobile connectivity sectors. Today, environmental transparency is no longer a bonus; it’s a market expectation.

In fact, sustainability is fast becoming a competitive differentiator across industries, not unlike cybersecurity certifications in the early 2010s. Back then, companies that could prove digital trustworthiness gained market share, regulatory goodwill, and investor confidence. The same pattern is now unfolding with eco-design and environmental impact: vendors that can quantify and verify their green claims are earning preferred status among regulators, enterprise customers, and increasingly, end consumers.

Take cloud providers, for instance. The hyperscale shift has brought scrutiny over data center emissions, pushing players like AWS, Microsoft, and Google to showcase renewable sourcing and carbon transparency. Similarly, smartphone OEMs — from Apple to Fairphone — are touting circular economy metrics as headline features. In this context, Thales’s validated LCAs for both physical SIM cards and digital services position the company not just as an ESG frontrunner but as a supplier of choice in a low-carbon economy.

The message is clear: eco-design is no longer just about compliance or brand image — it’s about long-term resilience, procurement relevance, and market leadership. Companies that want to stay in the lead, especially in telecom, IoT, or digital infrastructure, will increasingly need to back their sustainability claims with data, third-party validation, and cross-sector collaboration — just as Thales is doing.

This alignment of technological innovation with verifiable environmental responsibility could very well define the next decade of competitive advantage.