According to the United Nations, the IT sector contributes 2% to 3% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As we increasingly depend on technology for work and our personal lives, the tech sector will require more energy, leading to a higher carbon footprint.
The good news is that the industry recognises its role in achieving a net-zero carbon future. In light of the upcoming Earth Day, tech leaders share how they are investing in our planet to improve our environment for a better and safer future.
Jon Curry, vice president of operations for Apac at Digital Realty
As the world’s largest data centre platform, environmental, social and governance (ESG) is a critical priority for Digital Realty. We take a pragmatic approach, focusing on proven, innovative solutions to realise real-world sustainability gains for the betterment of the communities where we operate.
We were the first data centre operator to reach 1GW IT capacity in sustainable building certifications. We are transitioning to renewable energy sources at all our Australia multi-tenant sites and have implemented solar energy projects at two sites in Singapore.
We look to take advantage of new renewable energy sources as they become available to continue to progress on our global carbon emissions targets. We have also contributed funding and technical knowledge to support the development of new cooling solutions, including that with CoolestDC and the Singapore Tropical Data Centre initiative. These are just a few ways Digital Realty invests in our planet to build a green and sustainable future for all.
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Yee May Leong, managing director for South Asia at Equinix
This year’s Earth Day theme, “Invest in Our Planet”, aligns with our Future First strategy. Equinix recognises our unique position to drive sustainability at scale as demand for digital infrastructure continues to grow.
Stakeholder engagement has been critical to our sustainability efforts. We work closely with various industry bodies and tertiary institutions in Singapore to support the greening of the nation’s digital economy and gain valuable insights into nascent challenges that need to be resolved. Our customers also have the opportunity to green their digital supply chains by leveraging our sustainable digital platform.
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Internally, we engage our employees with ESG-focused surveys and targeted training, creating a better-informed workforce that understands the importance of greener business practices and ensuring that decision-making remains sustainability-driven.
Travis Hensley, global sustainability manager at HID
HID is optimising our global footprint, focusing on “sustainability by design” to promote employee wellness in our working environments. We are continuing our deployment of Green Teams to build a culture of environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
In Asia Pacific, Green Teams in Malaysia and Australia perform various local activities to encourage and engage their employees in environmentally sound decision-making and community events, including volunteering for a local clean-up and planting trees in their communities.
Through monetary donations, our Malaysia facility engages in local reforestation projects, promotes sustainable practices such as waste-to-landfill diversion, and educates its diverse employees on responsible consumption.
Green circle certification of HID’s Signo family of readers — contributing to improved building performance and green building certifications like Energy Star — helps support our customers’ sustainability agenda.
Fiona Lee, managing director of HP Singapore
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At HP, our goal is to become the most just and sustainable technology company by 2030. Building a successful ecosystem requires the collaboration of our partners, community, and customers. We have invested in programmes to broaden our sustainability impact.
HP’s Planet Partners Program encourages customers to return and recycle print supplies and hardware easily. This programme collects computers, laptops, monitors, and printing equipment in Singapore. Since 2020, Asia has seen a 7% increase in the collection rate of hardware and a return rate of 17% for toner supplies.
For partners, we launched HP Amplify Impact in 2021, offering a first-of-its-kind partner assessment, resource, and training programme that provides over 10,000 partners with the opportunity to join us in generating meaningful impact on climate action, human rights and digital equity.
Chen Kok Sing, corporate vice president and Singapore country manager of Micron Technology
Micron integrates sustainability into every aspect of our operations, including investments in innovation, new machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that improve manufacturing and production efficiencies.
Being the first semiconductor wafer fab designated as the Advanced Fourth Industrial Revolution Lighthouse and Sustainability Lighthouse by the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network, Micron Singapore leads the Fourth Industrial Revolution by incorporating smart manufacturing technologies that are good for the business, its people and the planet.
We have also announced ambitious commitments to achieve net-zero GHG emissions from our global operations and purchased energy by 2050, coupled with the 2030 goal to reduce GHG emissions by 42% from operations compared to the 2020 baseline. Our commitment to sustainable business practices and our communities will make lasting progress in preserving the planet we live on.
Alex Teo, vice president and managing director of Southeast Asia at Siemens Digital Industries Software
To achieve our vision of enabling the transformation of sustainable industries, Siemens believes all companies and partners are responsible for becoming more efficient in using resources to create a low-carbon future.
Earth Day is a great opportunity to discover how technology can improve a company’s ability to develop sustainable solutions. For example, we’ve helped Singapore Aquaculture Technologies implement an end-to-end digital solution for their fish farm with automation and AI and optimise energy supply using solar panels and generators. This enables the farm to achieve a productive, scalable and environmentally friendly operation while reducing its carbon footprint, supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Driving positive action for our planet requires effort on every front. We encourage everyone to explore how technology can offer new opportunities to create more sustainable and resilient businesses and build a world that is both prosperous and environmentally responsible.
Chong Yang Chan, managing director for Asean and Greater China at Qlik
This year’s Earth Day focuses on igniting an education revolution and cultivating climate literacy among students. At Qlik, we see climate literacy as a skill everyone should have, from school learners to seasoned professionals. Becoming climate literate, which describes the ability to understand complex relationships in the climate system, often requires individuals to become data literate.
Employees can use data and technology to build sustainability into their operations by knowing how to read and work with data. This way, organisations can quickly analyse environment-related data from various sources and make data-informed decisions that balance ESG practices and business profitability.
For example, we help the Australian National University analyse its buildings’ energy consumption, helping the university reach its goal of becoming carbon negative by 2030. To take a forward-looking approach to ESG, we encourage organisations to take advantage of their data and make better, informed decisions to reach their sustainability goals.
