Environmental statement 2025

In addition to existing objectives and targets, ECDC established a new set of specific targets to achieve over 2025 and 2026. These targets focus on reducing CO₂ emissions, minimising single-use items for catering, further lowering paper consumption, and increasing the use of green-label products. The goal is to continue to reduce ECDC’s overall environmental impact and provide clearer direction to management on the steps required to meet these objectives.

Various campaigns in 2025 aimed to raise awareness among ECDC staff, such as the EMAS Fika, Bin of the Week, ECDC Clean-Up Day, and Swap Week, promoting good practice and sustainability awareness. As a member of the EU Agencies Network (EUAN) and the Greening Network of EU Agencies, ECDC participated in more external meetings than in 2024 demonstrating a commitment to becoming a more sustainable agency. 

In 2025, ECDC recorded a slight decline in full-time equivalent (FTE) staffing compared with 2024. Electricity consumption decreased by 18.38% relative to the previous year, and cooling usage in the data centre was also reduced by 5.83% compared to 2024. 

Heating consumption decreased significantly, by 28.28% from 2024 and cooling consumption saw a reduction of 11.67%. Overall, the combined consumption of heating and cooling has decreased, thanks to system improvements and measures to avoid energy waste, such as setting internal temperatures to 21 - 25°C in summer and 20–24°C in winter and turning off heating and cooling during weekends and holidays. 

In 2025, 85.71% of the office supplies purchased were certified with a recognised green label, demonstrating our continued commitment to sustainable procurement practices. A small number of items did not carry an available environmental label, but these exceptions were limited to products for which no certified alternative existed at the time. 

In 2025, catering services reached a remarkable milestone in reducing single use products. It is worth highlighting that even the use of paper packages, traditionally considered a more sustainable and disposable option, was successfully reduced. Overall, we achieved a 65.04% decrease in single use products compared with 2024.

This positive shift was driven primarily by a significant increase in the adoption of reusable porcelain packages, signalling a clear and decisive transition toward more sustainable, long lasting solutions. 

This achievement not only demonstrates the effective reduction of single use items but also confirms that ECDC met and surpassed the target of a 2% reduction. The move toward reusable alternatives reflects strong environmental responsibility and shows the high level of engagement across the organisation in embracing more sustainable practices. 

In 2025, paper consumption measured in sheets printed decreased by 2.86%. This reduction demonstrates the effectiveness of the measures implemented across the organisation to promote more responsible printing practices. 

Through initiatives such as default double sided printing settings and the continued digitalisation of operational processes, the target to reduce printed sheets by 2% was not only achieved but exceeded. These efforts highlight the commitment to reducing resource use and supporting more sustainable office practices. 

Water consumption in 2025 decreased by 16.12% compared with 2024, marking a significant improvement in resource efficiency across our operations. This reduction reflects the impact of several targeted initiatives, including the practice of collecting morning water for watering plants and cleaning, and the installation of automated taps to minimise unnecessary water use which demonstrate the commitment to sustainable water management and effective implementation of practical, everyday measures that support long term environmental responsibility. 

Waste production. Despite a reduction in total FTEs during the reporting year, it is noteworthy that the total amount of recycled waste reached 18,645.00 kg, corresponding to 45.70 kg per FTE. This outcome highlights the continued effectiveness of ECDC’s waste management practices. The Agency remains committed to prioritising reuse and recycling as the preferred waste disposal options, in full alignment with its environmental objectives. In this context, the number of reused items increased by 16.97 % compared to 2024, further demonstrating sustained progress in resource efficiency. 

In 2025, CO₂ emissions from corporate travel increased by 4.46% compared to 2024, reflecting a higher number of meetings and missions requiring physical presence. This increase is mainly linked to the expanded mandate under Regulation (EU) 2022/2370, which broadened ECDC’s scientific and operational responsibilities. Many of these activities require on‑site engagement and cannot be fully replaced by virtual formats, resulting in a sustained need for essential missions.

In parallel, ECDC expanded the scope of its environmental aspects by formally recognising IT services and cloud‑based digital platforms- e.g. Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, ServiceNow, OneDrive, Azure‑based tools. 

In procurement, sustainability is an increasingly important consideration, and ECDC’s Procurement team actively supports sustainable purchasing through
its participation in the Network of Agencies Procurement Officers (NAPO). This engagement enables the exchange of best practices, access to collective expertise, and ongoing alignment with evolving EU policies, tools, and methodologies related to sustainable procurement.

To strengthen environmental performance at the source, sustainability has been embedded directly into procurement procedures. Green selection and award criteria are systematically integrated into templates used for calls for tender, ensuring that environmental considerations are addressed consistently from the outset.

Biodiversity at ECDC remains a challenge due to its urban location and rented building with limited open spaces. However, there are green areas within the building, featuring a wide range of indoor plants, and a rooftop terrace garden.