STACK: A Community Commitment to Data Centre Progress
Digital infrastructure partner, STACK Infrastructure (STACK), recently launched its inaugural Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report.
Such a report marks a significant milestone for the company as it seeks to commit to corporate transparency in its mission to scale its services responsibly. As rapid digitisation sweeps across the data centre sector, customer priorities continue to shift for companies like STACK, who understands that sustainability has fast-become a business imperative.
STACK’s mission
STACK is a partner for some of the world’s most innovative companies and is a leading global developer and operator of data centres. It boasted a record-breaking year in 2023 which saw the company continue expanding its capacity across the Americas, Asia-Pacific and EMEA regions.
The company’s mission is to set standards for cloud providers and innovators to remain flexible. In a pledge to be more sustainable, March 2024 saw STACK issue US$240m in green securitised notes, as part of efforts to better empower its clients to address challenges.
“Publishing our inaugural ESG report marks a pivotal moment for STACK, as it conveys our unwavering commitment to sustainability and social responsibility,” comments John Eland, CEO at STACK EMEA and STACK’s Global Executive ESG sponsor.
“Through strategic partnerships, we are deepening our commitment to resource efficiency, education, diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and philanthropy. This report not only highlights the progress we’ve made but also reaffirms our dedication to building a better digital future for our communities, our planet, and our stakeholders.”
Key report findings
The report highlights how STACK continues to embed ESG principles across its global portfolio.
Already, the company offers scalable space and power to some of the most well-known hyperscalers around the world. Its data centres are focused on running 100% sustainably with renewable energy and have been since 2021.
The organisation has also secured billion-dollar green financing for its data centre ventures for active developments. These projects are designed to minimise environmental impact through water conservation, the use of responsible resources and maximise energy efficiency.
- Implementing waste heat reuse systems in some European facilities to heat nearby homes and businesses.
- Utilising reclaimed water systems where available, which aims to save an estimated 34.3 million gallons of potable water annually in San Jose, California alone.
In addition, the report highlights how new data centre sites are developed in consultation with local governing authorities.
“Every community is unique, which means it is important for us as the developer to work with representatives of the community to identify the right place to locate a new data centre,” the report notes. “The site must meet the needs of the developer, the local government, the community and broader business interests.”
Data centre locations are fast-becoming a crucial topic of discussion, as public anxieties often circulate around rising energy bills, increased noise and environmental pollution and a disruption to local water supply.
Working with local communities from the start encourages a more collaborative approach to innovation and also inspires greater sustainable practice.
Sustainable strategies support communities
STACK hopes these findings will set a precedent for measuring future success of its ESG initiatives.
Scaling its data centre operations responsibly means partnering with communities throughout the entire process of site selection, development and facility operation. These processes, according to STACK, will enable the company to reduce overall environmental footprint and greenhouse gas emissions, water and energy usage and waste.
Our global ESG strategy informs our path forward, yet how we apply that strategy is informed by our communities and their needs. When we decide to build a data centre, we become a part of the community for decades to come.
As the data centre sector continues to swell, STACK’s report is eager to highlight that working with people creates better opportunities for all, therefore supporting future workforces and enabling digital infrastructure to have a more sustainable future.
“As the global demand for digital infrastructure increases, STACK will continue to innovate for the dynamic market. In the process, we will further enhance our communities, support our employees, and foster a healthy environment,” Brian Cox, CEO of STACK Americas, highlights in the report.
“The digital infrastructure we design, build, and operate will keep connecting people around the globe, creating unlimited possibilities for generations to come.”
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