RIPE NCC
STRATEGY
2022 - 2026

Draft RIPE NCC Strategy 2022 - 2026

RIPE NCC Communications Department

Introduction
In 1990, the RIPE community established the RIPE NCC, its task to support all those activities that could
not be effectively performed by volunteers from the organisations participating in RIPE. Our main task
is to act as the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for Europe, the Middle East and parts of Central Asia.
As such, we are an important part of the global Internet ecosystem, ensuring accurate registration ofInternet number resources within our service region. As the Secretariat for the RIPE community, we
help to ensure the administrative and technical coordination necessary to maintain and develop theInternet. The community also develops policies that determine how we carry out our registry function.
It is from the RIPE community that we receive our mandate to carry out work on behalf of the Internetcommunity.
We are set up as a membership association in the Netherlands since 1997. The members pay thecontributions that sustain us. In return, members can request, allocate and assign Internet number
resources and access further services such as training courses. The members elect our Executive Boardand vote to approve our Charging Scheme, our Annual Report and decide on other important issues atannual general meetings. In this way, it is the membership that determines the governance of theRIPE NCC.
We also carry out a range of activities that are funded by the membership but that are available foreveryone to access. These functions provide value to the entire Internet community and include:
maintaining the RIPE Database (whois); operating one of the roots of the Internet (K-root); providing
DNS services; RPKI; developing tools that allow measurement and analysis of the Internet; runningonline and physical events where the community and members can meet; providing platforms andcommunication tools that allow the community and members to coordinate and share research andideas; and representing the interests of the membership in the Internet governance arena and withgovernments, law enforcement and regulators.
We are committed to engaging with both the community and the membership on our activities andother issues that can have impact on their work and on the functioning of the Internet within ourmandate. This draft five-year strategy is one such matter. We believe that having a strategy that will
inform our work and that will make clear to our members and community the direction that the RIPE
NCC will take in the coming years is essential if we are to strengthen our position within the Internet
ecosystem and provide the services and activities our members and community depend on for theirown operations and for the overall well-being of the Internet.
Our strategic focus until 2022 was to deliver world-class services while engaging to connect people tomaintain the resiliency and stability of the Internet. We called this our True North, which helped guide
us to this strategy that provides much more strategic depth and allows us to be even more focused on
the objectives that will help the RIPE NCC to achieve its mission.

RIPE NCC Strategy 2022 - 2026

Terms Used in this Strategy Document
VisionOur vision statement is both an aspiration and depicts a journey we should constantly
travel on with our members and community.

MissionOur mission statement sets out our purpose and what we are constantly striving foras an organisation.

ValuesStrategicObjectives
StrategicGoals

Our values statement defines who we are, guides us in our actions, and it informs
our decision-making.

Our strategic focus was to deliver world-class services while engaging to connect
people to maintain the resiliency and stability of the Internet. This strategy builds onthat statement, provides much more strategic depth and allows us to be even more
focused on the objectives that will help the RIPE NCC to achieve its mission.
Directly connected to our objectives, we have developed goals that we need to pursue
to hold true to our mission and meet our objectives.

Strategy ImplementationRIPE NCC Strategy 2022 - 2026
Objectives and high-level strategy

Input from members and community
at Autumn RIPE Meeting

RIPE NCC Activity Plans 2022 - 2026
Specific activities and initiatives based on strategy

Input from members and community
at Autumn RIPE Meeting

Annual Reports 2022 - 2026
Reporting progress on strategy

RIPE NCC Strategy 2022 - 2026

Input from members and community
at Spring RIPE Meeting

Vision, Mission and Values

VisionTogether, let’s shape the future of the Internet.

As an authority on unique Internet number resources, we enable people to operateand develop the Internet.

MissionAs the Secretariat for the RIPE community, we are a trusted steward of the open,inclusive, collaborative Internet model, engaging and connecting people andcommunities.
As a neutral source of information and knowledge, we actively contribute to thestability and evolution of the Internet.

ValuesWe are trustworthy

We are open

We are inclusive

We are caring

We build trust andconfidence through ourcompetence, reliability,integrity and empathy.

We work in an open
and transparent way.
We communicate ourplans, actions andresults in a clear anddirect way. We give
feedback honestly andconstructively.

We value diversity
in our people andcommunity and treat
them fairly, respectfullyand equally. We seekout and respectdifferences and variety
in ideas and opinions.

We care about eachother, we care about
our members andcommunity, and we
care about doing agood job.

RIPE NCC Strategy 2022 - 2026

Factors Driving the RIPE NCC Strategy
The strategy that we will pursue in the next five years cannot be created in a vacuum. There are a wide
range of issues that will affect us and our members and community, and any strategy must consider
those issues if it is to be effective. The issues listed below are ones that we see our strategy needing toaccommodate to a lesser or greater extent in the coming years.
•Political issues including conflict among countries within and outside our service region. This has thepotential to affect us in the following areas: Sanctions; Our ability to engage effectively; Impact on our due
diligence efforts; Financial impact due to impact on banks.
•Legislative and regulatory issues at the EU level and within other countries in our service region
can impact how the RIPE NCC is run and how our members operate.
•
The effect of consolidation in the market on membership growth and income.
•The development of the market for Internet number resources•
Our ability to hire and retain talented people from across our service region•
Lack of ability to meet face-to-face, making coordination more difficult to achieve•
Economic uncertainty in the post-COVID economy•
Potential regulation regarding digital taxation•
The impact of providing services to members outside our service region•Divergence and conflicting interests of various groups in membership and community•
Efforts to destabilise the RIPE NCC or the RIR system•
Ability to balance due diligence requirements with the need to provide excellent services andmember experience•
The need to ensure diversity in the community and participation from the next generation•
Ensuring the PDP serves the interests of the community and matches the governance of the RIPE NCC•
The need to find a good balance between community expectations and our need to provide
technical services in an effective way•
Security of our technical environment and security of member resources•
The growing importance of IPv6 and RPKI requiring new mindsets and working practices

RIPE NCC Strengths
As we move into the period that this five-year strategy will cover, it is worthwhile to look at thestrengths that we currently have that give us confidence that we can meet our strategic goals.
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•
•
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Unique services, activities and expertise underpinned by our unique position as an RIR
Experienced staff with industry/community experience and understanding of what we do and whyPosition as a neutral party that allows people to come together and coordinate freely
Diverse network encompassing people and organisations from across the entire industry
Healthy financial position
Community and member events that allow members and community to come together
Strong reputation within the industry

RIPE NCC Strategy 2022 - 2026

Strategic Objectives

1

Support an open, inclusive and engaged RIPE community

2

Operate a trusted, efficient, accurate and resilient Registry3

Enable our members and community to operate one secure,stable and resilient global Internet

4

Maintain a stable organisation with a robust governance structure

5Attract engaged, competent and diverse staff

1

Support an open, inclusive and engaged RIPE community
The well-being of the RIPE community is essential to ensure the development of the Internet in our service region
and beyond. It is from the community that we receive our mandate and it must thrive, evolve and function
adequately. We are committed to supporting the RIPE community.

Strategic Goals
1.1

Support the community in being recognised as inclusive and diverse and one that sees participationfrom all relevant groups

1.2

Create and foster environments and dialogues throughout the service region to maintain a highly
engaged community

1.3

Support the RIPE community’s open, bottom-up process of consensus-based decision-making.

1.4

Maintain excellent relationships with technical, governmental and standards bodies

1.5

Increase community knowledge through learning and development activities.

RIPE NCC Strategy 2022 - 2026

2Operate a trusted, efficient, accurate and resilient Registry
The Registry is our key function. As a Regional Internet Registry, we allocate and register Internet number
resources to Internet service providers (ISPs) and other organisations in our geographical service region.
These Internet number resources are mainly in the form of IPv4 and IPv6 address space and Autonomous
System Numbers (ASNs).

Strategic Goals
2.1

Ensure that the Registry and RIPE Database have the appropriate levels of accuracy, compliance,resiliency, and security

2.2

Allow updates to the Registry to be done by automated processes with legally accepted digital means

2.3

Improve Registry processes, service delivery and interfaces that allow members to carry out theiroperations with us quickly and effectively

3Enable our members and community to operate one secure, stable and resilient
global Internet
Our role in helping to shape the Internet is to ensure that the technologies, systems and protocols we have
responsibility for are professionally maintained and promoted in our community.

Strategic Goals
3.1

Secure internet number resources by developing and operating a resilient, externally auditable, andsecure resource certification Trust Anchor

3.2

Support the global naming system by operating K-root and DNS services

3.3

Support the growth of the Internet through promoting the use of best practices for Internet Resources
and standards such as IPv6 and RPKI

3.4

Be a centre of excellence for data, measurements and tools that provide insight on the Internet and its
operations.

3.5

Support the innovation and evolution of the Internet through contributing to initiatives meant for thegood of the Internet

RIPE NCC Strategy 2022 - 2026

4

Maintain a stable organisation with a robust governance structure
Ensuring a governance structure that is robust in accommodating external factors as well as those fromwithin the membership will be important if the RIPE NCC is to be successful.

Strategic Goals
4.1

Ensure the organisation’s stability and financial strength

4.2

Be resilient in the face of political, legislative and regulatory changes that have the potential to affectour operations

4.3

Protect the Joint Internet Number Registry as developed by the Internet community.

4.4

Maintain necessary levels of security and compliance with best practices and applicable regulations

5

Employ engaged, competent and diverse staff
Experienced and engaged staff who have an understanding of the role we play are essential if we are to meet
our objectives. Our organisation must be stable and provide the right environment for staff to carry out theirwork.

Strategic Goals
5.1

Attract, develop and retain talented people from across the service region

5.2

Maintain a healthy organisational culture with engaged staff aligned with the organisational values.

5.3

Offer working mobility within the service region to support staff and our vision, mission, and strategic
objectives

RIPE NCC Strategy 2022 - 2026

Thank you