CyrusOne News and Blog

Aligning Data Centres with Sustainable Development Goals

July 21, 2022

CyrusOne is a trusted partner to the world’s leading companies, enabling their computing needs with our network of over 50 data centres worldwide. However, with this, we recognise that being a leader in this industry is also about embracing an ambitious ESG programme and sustainability plan, because if we don’t work towards building a sustainable future, we won’t have one to sustain at all.

CyrusOne is committed to improving its resilience to disruption and minimizing the effects of climate change. In our recently updated 2022 Sustainability Report, which is now assured by ISOS Group, we were proud to share that as of June 2021, we began operating at 100% renewable electricity across our European Portfolio, and that 2022 will be the first full year we have met our commitment to carbon reduction stipulated by the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact (CNDCP), achieving this goal eight years ahead of the 2030 target. We also highlighted how, among other achievements, we expanded enterprise risk management and joined the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion Pledge. But there is so much more we want to accomplish.

In the same report, we detailed how we align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how we specify the SDG Indicator each of our targets will quantitatively affect to ensure our aims are directly related:

Water

CyrusOne Target A: Net positive water in high-stress regions; 100% water-free cooling in new data centers.

  • UN SDG Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity
    • UN SDG Indicator 6.4.1: Change in water use-efficiency over time
    • UN SDG Indicator 6.4.2: Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources

It is no secret that traditionally, data centres have required high volumes of water to operate effectively. At CyrusOne we are working hard to develop smart solutions, such as sites that use water-free cooling and restore water to local ecosystems. In Chandler, Arizona, a highly water-stressed area, we created a data centre that cools using very small amounts of water and even made it our first net positive water facility.

Energy

CyrusOne Target A: All facilities with renewable electricity option

  • UN SDG Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
    • UN SDG Indicator 7.2.1: Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption

CyrusOne Target B: Energy Efficiency Activities

  • UN SDG Target 7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency
    • UN SDG Indicator 7.3.1: Energy intensity measured in terms of primary energy and GDP

As data centres require large amounts of power, we are making a conscious effort to drive energy efficiency and certify our sites for green building and operations. We are excited that one of our new facilities in Madrid will be the first in Spain to be built under the BREEAM Data Centres International accreditation.

Climate Impact

CyrusOne Target A: Net zero carbon

  • UN SDG Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities
    • UN SDG Indicator 9.4.1: CO2 emission per unit of value added

CyrusOne Target B: All facilities with renewable electricity option

  • UN SDG Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities
    • UN SDG Indicator 9.4.1: CO2 emission per unit of value added

Our Net zero carbon goals are ambitious, but they are vital to reducing climate impact. Through our transitional risk: cost to operate analysis and carbon pricing assessment, we learned our highest risk from carbon price increases comes from higher costs for carbon-intensive electricity. This informs our drive for energy efficiency and sourcing renewable energy for all our data centres.

Transparency

CyrusOne Target A: Publish CyrusOne’s annual Sustainability Reports to create transparency on its progress

  • UN SDG Target 12.6: Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle
    • UN SDG Indicator 12.6.1: Number of companies publishing sustainability reports

While we have already made good strides in sustainability, such as expanding our Net Positive Water Commitment and pushing the boundaries of water disclosure, there is so much more we can achieve, and we will continue to report on our progress across ESG and hold ourselves accountable. As we need to come together as a collective if we are to tackle climate change in the most effective way possible, we will also keep collaborating with our partners, for example via the Infrastructure Masons Climate Accord coalition, to encourage industry-wide change.

Biodiversity

CyrusOne Target A: Improve habitats at each facility and Assess Protected Areas

  • UN SDG Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species
    • UN SDG Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index

Data centres can also require large plots of land, so it is important we invest in creating biodiverse environments that allow nature to thrive. Where possible, we select new sites pre-identified for industrial development and work with local organizations to landscape spaces with native species. At our data centre in Grange Castle, Dublin we planted over 1,400 trees, 11,000 saplings and 2,500 square metres of wildflowering meadow to encourage the populations of bees and pollinators.

Our ESG plan is bold, and there are many challenges ahead. However, united by our motto: One company, one team, one purpose, and having grounded our targets in the UN SDGs, we are vehemently determined to build our resilience for a more sustainable future.

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