Company’s third environmental, social and governance report spotlights progress on carbon emissions reduction programs, DE&I initiatives, industry-leading safety record and adoption of international reporting frameworks
Vantage Data Centers, a leading global provider of hyperscale data center campuses, today published its third annual Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report showcasing continued progress toward its wide range of ESG initiatives amid rapid global growth. Themed “Growth that Preserves,” the 2023 report reinforces the company’s commitment to increase and track its sustainability progress across an expanding portfolio of 34 global campuses.
“2023 was a year of remarkable growth in an era of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud adoption,” said Sureel Choksi, president and CEO of Vantage Data Centers. “While we are incredibly excited about the expanded opportunity afforded by the global demand for digital infrastructure, we remain focused on growing responsibly in alignment with the priorities of our investors and our customers. This year’s theme, ‘Growth that Preserves,’ is a testament to our long-standing commitment to minimize our environmental footprint while increasing the positive impact we make on our team members and the communities we call home.”
Every two years, Vantage conducts a comprehensive materiality assessment supported by a consulting firm. In 2023, the assessment was expanded to align with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). Customers, investors, suppliers, community representatives and employees were surveyed on a variety of ESG-related topics, and the results provided Vantage with an understanding of stakeholder priorities, establishing the foundation of the initiatives outlined in this report.
Below are key highlights from Vantage’s 2023 ESG report:
Environmental Stewardship
- Driving emissions reductions to net zero by 2030: Vantage is committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions for scopes 1 and 2 by 2030. This past year, the company continued deploying generator run-time reduction programs and using hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) in more back-up generators as a cleaner fuel source than diesel, in addition to implementing operational performance reporting of key sustainability metrics.
- Investments in renewable energy: Expanding its multi-pronged approach to securing and using renewable energy, Vantage now has 10 locations across North America and EMEA powered in part by renewables, from hydro to tidal and wind.
- Continued attention on water and waste: 2023 also brought a continued focus on minimizing the use of water and waste. The company continues to leverage a highly efficient closed-loop chilled water system generated through air-cooled chillers for cooling, yielding a Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) ratio near zero. Additionally, minimizing waste during construction and operations has become a standard procedure at every campus, from using green concrete and steel at multiple sites to achieving Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Solutions Zero Waste Certification for the construction phase of a project in Quebec City, Canada.
Social Responsibility
- Deepening commitment to employee affinity groups and well-being: Welcoming 317 new employees, Vantage’s workforce grew by 31% in 2023. Alongside that growth, the company increased its focus on global affinity groups, including the Black Employee Network, the Mental Health and Well-Being Network, the Muslim Employee Group, the Women’s Leadership Network and Vantage Veterans, ensuring each is rooted in action and empowerment. Vantage also increased programs around mental health and well-being to provide employees with access to resources and education to create a positive work environment for its high-performing team.
- Continuous learning: A number of professional development and training programs were launched last year, from Learning Labs, designed to help employees expand their soft skills, to Manager Essentials, designed to help managers lead their teams effectively, and Leadership Unlocked, a program focused on upskilling high-potential leaders through a “leader as coach” curriculum.
- Community engagement: Vantage remains committed to giving back to its communities and recently created a framework to provide guidance on organizing and optimizing philanthropic initiatives throughout the lifecycle of a data center development, from site selection to construction and operations. In addition, the company launched a new benefit that provides employees paid time off for volunteering.
Ethical Governance
- Center of Excellence: A new governing body, an ESG Center of Excellence (COE), was formed to lead the continued development of the company’s ESG strategy and implementation. The COE reviews and updates policies and approaches to align with emerging best practices, changing regulations and stakeholder expectations.
- Standardizing reporting: Two international frameworks for reporting – the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) were adopted by Vantage in 2023. As global regulators and stakeholders advocate for increased disclosures, voluntarily embracing these frameworks contributes to a systemization of global reporting standards.
- Vision Zero: Vantage’s strategic approach to preventing safety-related issues, Vision Zero remained a critical component of the company’s environmental health and safety program (EH&S). Despite logging a 31% increase in construction hours worked compared to 2022, Vantage achieved a Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) of .36, well below the industry average.
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