Taking Action to Create a Sustainable Future for All
Sheila Rohra
Chief Executive Officer
April 22, 2024
While it isn’t an officially recognized federal holiday, Earth Day is a day worth recognizing. What a great opportunity to encourage people across the globe to connect and take action to ensure a better future for all.
Even though there is still plenty of work to be done, this global-scale celebration has come a long way since it started in 1970. It’s estimated that more than 1 billion people in 192 countries will take part in some fashion.
As CEO of a company deeply dedicated to the principles and advancement of environmental, social and governance topics (ESG), I am even more proud to be able to share progress on our commitments to these areas today, on Earth Day.
Doubling Down on the Environment
Being committed to doing what’s right for the world is nothing new for Hitachi Vantara. As a global leader in energy-efficient data infrastructure, we know that sustainability is foundational to our business. And because we are part of Hitachi, Ltd., our commitment to driving innovation for the benefit of people and planet goes back well over a century.
What’s new is the publication of our first-ever (FY2023) Hitachi Vantara Sustainability Report – Creating a Sustainable Future for All. We’ve put the details of our progress and plans for the future in writing for all to see. By being transparent and communicative about our sustainability journey, we hope to invite similarly ambitious companies to join us to make an even bigger impact.
Eco-Friendly Infrastructure is Just the Start
Fostering a culture of innovation has always played a role in our ability to help customers achieve their sustainability objectives, via continuous improvements to our AI-driven hybrid cloud data storage products. Employing cutting edge CO2, energy and data reduction solutions and technologies, we’ve been able to deliver customer use cases with data center energy and carbon emission reductions up to 96%.
With power-hungry, AI-driven workloads putting unprecedented pressure on data centers – and the IT teams tasked with managing them – these are the kinds of ambitious environmental ROI targets businesses will need to reach. While results may vary (variables include industry, geography, legacy infrastructure, etc.), significant gains are virtually within any company’s reach.
The report charts a story even more ambitious than that. You’ll find intelligent data lifecycle management to optimize sustainable customer outcomes and decarbonization efforts across our global operations and supply chain. See also a broadscale commitment to responsible business practices, to the organizations and companies we work for and with, and to the people who work for us. Plus, very importantly, we’ve documented our goal of achieving a 30% ratio of female people leaders by FY2030.
The Timing Couldn’t Be More Critical
Among the most insightful aspects of the report are the results of our materiality assessment, which delves into our priorities for ongoing ESG impact. These include continued commitments to greenhouse gas (GHG) management and mitigation, data privacy, business continuity, diversity and inclusivity, and more.
The efforts couldn’t come at a better time, with the critical importance of green data infrastructure coming into even sharper focus. Our own global State of Data Infrastructure Sustainability Report highlights sustainability as a major concern for businesses worldwide. Yet 67% said their CO2 footprint hadn’t changed in two years, and 40% said they lacked a strategy to change that.
Sustainability is NOT a Buzzword
I frequently hear from our customers and partners that sustainability is increasingly important to how they do business. For them, it is much more than a trend, it is a business priority.
I couldn’t agree more. I’ll add that sustainability isn’t a buzzword. It is something that has been a part of our business for many years and will continue to be going forward.
With that, I wish you and your friends, families, and colleagues a meaningful Earth Day 2024. I’m proud to share this report with you today and set an example for what we believe responsible business looks like.
Sheila Rohra
CEO, Hitachi Vantara
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Sheila Rohra
Sheila Rohra is Chief Executive Officer at Hitachi Vantara. Read her bio.
