Colt Data Centre Services (Colt DCS), a global provider of enterprise and hyperscale data center solutions, has reported a 32% reduction in absolute greenhouse gas emissions across Scopes 1, 2, and 3 compared to its 2019 baseline. The disclosure comes as part of the company’s third annual sustainability report.
The latest sustainability report also reveals that Colt DCS sourced 90% of its electricity from renewable sources across its global operations in 2024 – an 8% increase over the previous year.
The UK-headquartered firm, which currently operates 13 data centers across Europe and Asia with 19 more under development, has continued its expansion into high-demand markets. Major projects in 2024 included new operational facilities in Osaka Keihanna, Japan, and Mumbai, India. The latter was driven by a significant joint venture with RMZ Infrastructure, which has strengthened Colt DCS’s footprint in one of the fastest-growing digital economies.
This rapid global growth was balanced by measurable progress on environmental sustainability. The company eliminated Scope 2 market-based emissions entirely by sourcing 100% renewable energy. Scope 3 emissions – largely stemming from supply chains and accounting for 98% of Colt DCS’s carbon footprint – were reduced by 26% against the 2019 benchmark.
Progress in Waste and Resource Efficiency
CEO Niclas Sanfridsson emphasized the dual focus on expansion and sustainability, noting the exponential growth in the hyperscale market.Colt DCS, a subsidiary of the Colt Group, has been recognized for its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance, retaining a Platinum score from EcoVadis for the third consecutive year. This places the company in the top 1% of evaluated businesses worldwide. The company also took home the ‘2024 Best Colocation Provider Sustainability Innovation of the Year’ award from the Data Center Solutions (DCS) Awards, reflecting its leadership in integrating sustainability into core service offerings.
Beyond carbon emissions, the company reported notable progress in waste and resource efficiency. At its London North data center, 95% of waste was diverted from landfill, and 91% of suppliers now have science-based climate targets in place. Colt DCS is also prioritizing heat recovery and the deployment of energy-efficient cooling systems in the design of all new facilities, aligning with its broader decarbonization strategy.
The company has committed to a long-term goal of reducing its Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions by 90% in absolute terms by 2045. Continued investment in renewable energy, sustainable construction practices, and embodied carbon reduction in new developments are key pillars of this commitment.
Human capital development also featured prominently in Colt DCS’s 2024 initiatives. Its proprietary AI-driven learning platform, MyLearningHub, along with the company’s Employee Value Proposition (EVP), aims to support career growth and continuous learning. These efforts appear to be resonating internally, with 87% of employees reporting Colt DCS as a great place to work, up from 83% in the previous year.
Security and risk management were another focal point. In response to heightened global threats to critical infrastructure, Colt DCS obtained ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certifications in 2024. The company also formalized a comprehensive sustainability risk management framework, integrating ESG-specific, operational, and country-level risk registers into a unified policy.
CEO Niclas Sanfridsson emphasized the dual focus on expansion and sustainability, noting the exponential growth in the hyperscale market. “When we began our hyperscale journey nine years ago, the cloud market was valued at $111 billion. Today, it’s over $760 billion and still rising, fueled by streaming, AI, and cloud services,” said Mr. Sanfridsson. “I’m especially proud that we stayed true to our core values – trust, respect, unite, sustain, and trailblaze – while helping our customers scale in a period of rapid transformation.”
Looking ahead, Colt DCS intends to continue refining its sustainability roadmap and Global Reference Design to align with evolving regulatory requirements and best practices. The company’s strategy underscores its ambition to be a net-zero leader in the data center industry while supporting the infrastructure demands of a digital-first global economy.
