CyrusOne Highlights 2024 Sustainability Report and Awards

Data centers are the digital backbone of our modern world, and as AI and other digital technologies accelerate, the demand for data center infrastructure is also increasing rapidly. We recognize that with great power comes great responsibility. As we release our 5th Sustainability Report, we reaffirm our commitment to transparency and sustainability, showcasing the significant progress we’ve made in the past year.

This year’s report covers corporate governance, environmental impact, and social responsibility topics. You’ll find extensive reporting, charts, graphics, statistics, numbers, methodology, and highlight stories covering the 2023 calendar year that confirm our successes and reveal areas where we plan to improve.

2023 was a year of progress for CyrusOne and we’re happy that others agreed. Below are just some of the awards our programs and teammates received this year!

  • For the second year in a row, EcoVadis ranked CyrusOne’s sustainability efforts at the “Gold Level” which placed us in the top 5% of more than 85,000 rated companies
  • Received the Platform Congress ESG Innovator Award for sustainability initiatives and progress toward climate neutral
  • Recognized by Environment+Energy Leader with the Top Product of the Year Award for holistic (“Big Four”) sustainability efforts at our Dallas (DFW3) data center
  • The Business Intelligence Group awarded Dan Moore, Senior Director of Operations their Sustainability Champion of the Year
  • Infrastructure Masons named Stuart Gray, Senior Director, Engineering Services, Europe to their IM100 list
  • Our new Customer Sustainability Reports were recognized with both the SEAL Environmental Initiatives Award and the Business Intelligence Group Sustainable Service Award for their industry-leading transparency in delivering per-customer, per-facility sustainability data to customers.

We couldn’t have accomplished what we did this year without the support from our own teammates. We also recognize our customers and partners who inspire and support our progress.

Read the full report to discover our progress toward achieving our Climate Neutral goal, our water restoration initiatives, and much more!

Summary

  • Environmental Performance: Despite significant business growth, CyrusOne has managed to decouple business expansion from environmental impact.
  • The company's scope 1 & 2 carbon emissions decreased slightly from 637k metric tons in 2018 to 607k metric tons in 2023, even while their energy usage more than doubled.
  • This was achieved primarily through increased procurement of carbon-free electricity, which now accounts for 61.6% of their total electricity consumption.
  • Water Conservation Progress: The company made significant strides in water conservation, with 83% of new data centers built in 2023 using water-free cooling systems.
  • They have also achieved "net positive water" status at 39% of their facilities in high water stress regions by restoring more water to watersheds than they consume through partnerships with environmental organizations.
  • Supply Chain Diversity Achievement: CyrusOne met and exceeded their 2024 supplier diversity target a year early, with 21% of their Tier 1 & 2 US spending going to diverse suppliers (businesses owned by disadvantaged, women, veteran, minority, or disabled owners).
  • This represents meaningful progress in their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout their supply chain.