Colt releases latest sustainability report tracking progress against targets

Colt Technology Services, the digital infrastructure company, has published its third Sustainability Report. The report tracks progress for Colt Group - comprising Colt Technology Services and Colt Data Centre Services - against targets set for the 12 months ending 31st December 2023 in the areas of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), and against longer-term targets to net zero. The past 12 months have seen Colt launch an ambitious new ESG strategy; secure the highest EcoVadis rating for the second consecutive year; and achieve ‘A-‘ and ‘A’ CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) ratings for sustainability and supplier engagement.

These and other achievements are highlighted in the report as Colt welcomes 1000 new employees and integrates new technologies and geographies following its acquisition of Lumen EMEA in November 2023– a strategic move to provide customers with global scale and technology innovation, and to generate sustained growth for Colt.

Keri Gilder, CEO, Colt Technology Services said, “Colt is a company that cares deeply, which is why we focus on sustainability by design. `We can change the world’ is one of our values and it informs, shapes and inspires everything we do. Nowhere is this better reflected than in our latest Sustainability Report. The passion and tremendous energy we have as a business to do better for our planet, our people and our customers can be seen on every page, in every metric and in every stride towards our goal to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. I’m incredibly proud of the progress we’re making to build a better world.”

Key progress to reach net zero highlighted in the report includes:

34% reduction in CO2e emissions against the 2019 baseline, 6% against the previous year

71.5% reduction in Colt Group's Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions compared to the 2019 base year; a reduction 22.5% year-over-year

6% reduction in Scope 3 emissions compared to 2022

78% of the Scope 2 electricity procured for Colt’s global sites is renewable; a 4% improvement since 2022

30% of Colt’s fleet is now fully electric and a further 38% are Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles

89% of suppliers have signed Colt’s Code of Business Conduct

40% of Colt’s Scope 3 emissions are with suppliers that have already set a Science Based Target

Colt is now a participant in the UN Global Compact, a voluntary initiative, based on CEO commitments, to implement universal sustainability principles and to take steps to support the UN Goals.

Colt has been involved in a Scope 3 emissions workstream through the Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative (GeSI), the leading cross-industry sustainability initiative to create digital solutions for society’s most pressing challenges. In conjunction with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and GSMA, GeSI and its members have developed new guidance specifically for the telecommunications sector on reporting Scope 3 emissions produced by the suppliers. The Scope 3 guidance for telecommunication operators provides an extensive understanding of categories for Scope 3 evaluation and establishes guiding principles for telecommunications operators to allocate, calculate and report the emissions in their supply chain

Further highlights from around the Colt business outlined in the 2023 report include:

The launch of a Global Social Impact Strategy that aims to empower Colt’s communities through digital education and inclusion

A 24% year-over-year increase in employee volunteering days; 867 days given by employees to volunteer at external charities and initiatives in 2023

Flexible First, Connection Days and Culture Buddy programme as positive contributors to inclusive company culture

Programmes and plans including

o Gender Action Plan to improve gender balance throughout the business

o RISE – programme for emerging talent from underrepresented backgrounds

o Allyship in Action programme aimed at bringing allyship to life

o Optimising Accessibility – five-year accessibility improvement plan

o Neurodiversity research and awareness

o Menopause Reframed - menopause awareness campaign

o Pride cross-company collaboration, supporting LGBTQ+ colleagues in tech

o Participation in TC4RE - the technology community for Racial Equality

In 2023, Colt was awarded the ISO27701 certification for its privacy information management system, which is an extension of ISO27001. This Global standard provides the framework for organisations looking to put in a system to support the compliance with the EU GDPR and other Data Privacy Requirements.

Colt received the highest level of certification under Spain’s Esquema Nacional de Seguridad (ENS), the National Security Scheme. This achievement reflects Colt's commitment to the protection of information and our customers’ security

Colt has joined Stop Scams UK, an industry-led collaboration of responsible businesses from across the banking, telecoms and technology sectors who have come together to ‘help stop scams at source’