Since going public in 2020, Vertiv has worked to develop a strategy for managing our environmental, social and governance (ESG) efforts that would echo its 75-year history of providing long-term value and leadership to our people, partners and customers.
Our inaugural ESG report is a modest, yet vital, first step in establishing transparency and accountability regarding how we intend to promote positive change across Vertiv and the industries we serve. This report offers a high-level view into how Vertiv is approaching a number of ESG activities, including those related to the environment; diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I); employee health and safety (EHS); and community outreach.
Accountability From Top to Bottom
Vertiv recognizes that decisions that lead to effective ESG performance must come from the top. That’s why we established an ESG Executive Steering Committee to drive a comprehensive evaluation of our ESG strategy, programs and policies. Led by Chief Strategy Officer Gary Niederpruem, the committee includes the following global leaders:
- Stephanie Gill, Chief Legal Counsel
- Jason Forcier, Chief Operations Officer and Executive VP, Infrastructure and Solutions
- Sheryl Haislet, Chief Information Officer
- Lynne Maxeiner, Vice President, Treasury and Investor Relations
- Jessica McGinnis, Vice President, Global Facilities and Security
- Stephen MacGuidwin, Global Compliance Officer
This committee meets quarterly and engages with our board to share the latest ESG progress and updates. These were the updates shared last year:
- Evaluating our scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas inventory
- Establishing internal plans to reduce our energy and waste footprint
- Implementing product safety systems and training resources
- Advancing DE&I
- Publishing our Anti-Human Trafficking Statement and Policy
- Hosting trainings on human rights compliance
In addition to the steering committee, we have furthered our commitment to taking more action on these objectives by establishing a cross-functional ESG Implementation Team. Led by me, this group includes more than 20 leaders and contributors across multiple workstreams.
Developing Future-Ready Solutions With a Customer-Focused Mentality
As leaders in the data center and telecommunications communities, we are well aware of the complicated relationship between the industry’s growing demand for more critical digital infrastructure and its environmental impact. To overcome these obstacles, we are striving to improve our internal operations and develop and deliver solutions that help contribute to our customers’ efficiency and emissions goals. We do this in part by relying on five key principles:
- High efficiency: Design energy- and water-efficient solutions for the market.
- High reliability: Build resilient and highly serviceable equipment that’s durable and long-lasting.
- Low impact: Strive to understand and limit manufacturing processes that may have adverse environmental impacts, and measure and increase our use of recycled materials in our products and product packaging.
- Low touch: Enable remote troubleshooting, optimization services, and more connected systems to improve and reduce environmental impact of maintenance practices.
- Circular economy: Reuse, refurbish, or recycle end-of-life equipment and materials.
To date, we have already made important inroads by introducing new and upgraded products with high energy- and water-efficiency attributes, with other products in the pipeline. As an example, we offer energy-efficient power solutions that consume less energy than older models. For instance, our Liebert® EXL S1 with Dynamic Online Mode can increase energy efficiency by up to 5% and reduce energy losses by up to 75% when compared to a legacy model. Across our portfolio, we offer ENERGY STAR-qualified UPS systems in eight product lines, covering more than 75 models.
To stay active in the industry’s environmental efforts, we participate in several partnerships aimed at addressing data center efficiency and emissions, including the EcoEdge PrimePower Project, the Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Alliance, the European Data Centre Association, and the RISE Partnership Program.
Prioritizing a Safer, Healthier Workplace
To make a difference in the outside world, we need to first ensure those working inside our walls feel safe. Whether inside one of our facilities or interacting with one of our products in the field, Vertiv prioritizes the health and safety of our global workforce. We have an effective EHS strategy that has helped us achieve a 12% year-over-year reduction in recordable injuries based on the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s total reportable injury rate (TRIR).
More Voices for a Stronger Vertiv
In the report, we recognize the importance of representation at the leadership level and are making progress in changing this landscape by expanding the diversity of candidate pools and introducing training opportunities to support the organization’s global focus on DE&I.
Publishing the Vertiv ESG report is an important start in raising the bar for our organization’s accountability and responsibility to our stakeholders, as well as our planet. However, it is just a start, and the real work will be in continuously evaluating and striving to improve our ESG efforts.
