Seagate outlines roadmap towards sustainable datasphere & renewable energy

Seagate Technology has outlined its substantial progress towards a sustainable data future in its annual report, "Sustainable Datasphere: FY2023 ESG Performance Report." The document sets out its significant steps towards achieving 100% renewable energy for its manufacturing and Research and Development (R&D) facilities and its advances towards carbon neutrality. It also goes into detail on Seagate's overarching strategy to create an ethical and inclusive datasphere.

The Global mass-capacity storage leader has set a target of operating its manufacturing and R&D facilities in Northern Ireland, China, and Thailand on 100% renewable energy by 2030. Last fiscal year, over 50% of the company's energy consumption came from renewable sources, establishing it among the sector's sustainability forerunners. The firm has also pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040.

Elaborating on the role of sustainable innovation in data storage and expanding on the firm's circular economy ambitions, Seagate's chief executive officer, Dave Mosley, stated, "By collaborating with industry peers, customers, partners, and governments, we can collectively enable circularity and drive positive change." The company's commitment to climate change mitigation extends beyond its own practices, with a broader aim to contribute positively to the wider tech industry.

Beyond its renewable energy goals, Seagate also highlighted a successful circularity programme within its operations. In FY2023, the company extended the life of approximately 1.19 million hard drives and solid-state drives (SSDs) by refurbishing and redeploying them. This process subsequently prevented more than 553 metric tons of electronic waste from entering landfill sites.

The report additionally outlined significant conservation of resources; approximately 33,600 megawatt-hours of energy being preserved through improved operational efficiencies, and around 3,700 megaliters of water being recycled. This efficiency in energy and water usage is contributing to a substantial reduction in the company's environmental footprint.

In terms of corporate social responsibility, the company continues to foster an inclusive work environment, as demonstrated by consecutive awards for its focus on diversity and inclusion. Employee growth is also a priority, with over 2.5 million learning hours completed by staff in FY2023, further embedding a culture of innovation. Alongside this, Seagate has greatly exceeded industry standards for workplace safety, with an FY2023 Total Recordable Incident Rate of 14% of the industry average.