Data centers: an already responsible sector, with further levers to activate

Although often criticized, the development of digital technology and its infrastructure continues to progress. Equipment manufacturers and data center operators share a responsibility: to build a sustainable sector. This applies equally to users, who must prioritize the reasoned use of digital services.

In terms of CSR, the data center sector has now reached a certain maturity, and the vast majority of data centers today adopt a responsible approach:

• Energy optimization "by design" based on the control and reduction of PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness).
• Sustainable construction site management, including consideration for pollution prevention and, above all, nuisances for biodiversity or local residents.
• Data center operations, conducted in accordance with ISO 50001 and ISO 14001 standards, as part of a continuous improvement process for environmental and energy performance.
• Application of circular economy principles, notably through the use, where possible, of refurbished equipment, whether IT or technical equipment, such as UPS units for example.

The positive momentum of the sector goes far beyond the environmental dimension alone. While the sector is certainly a pillar of the digital economy, it also generates a significant diversity of jobs—from engineering to construction and maintenance—and contributes directly to digital sovereignty issues.

The environmental dimension, the primary historical concern of sector players, remains a major focus on which they continue to strengthen their commitments.

Regarding greenhouse gases (GHG), data centers are following ambitious "low-carbon" trajectories, aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and the European Climate Neutral Data Center Pact. The systematic implementation of carbon footprints and life cycle assessments is becoming a standard, driven by demanding certifications such as BREEAM and LEED, toward which sector players are increasingly converging.

The preservation of water resources is another priority area: players limit, or even eliminate, water consumption for cooling by using alternative solutions, such as free cooling for example. However, a certain latency persists due to the relatively long lifespan (several decades) of data centers, which does not always allow for the immediate deployment of the latest technological innovations, particularly in cooling.

As for the recovery of waste heat, while studying its potential is often mandatory, particularly for facilities classified for environmental protection (ICPE) or during permit applications, its implementation depends on technical and economic feasibility. This is why proximity to an existing heating network is now one of the selection criteria for a future data center site, to enable the heating of local infrastructure such as housing, public facilities, or municipal swimming pools.

The sector offers a wide diversity of professions, from engineering to operations, including maintenance, construction, and support functions. The number of jobs continues to grow, driven by the rise of the digital economy and the local anchoring of infrastructure. In this context, nearly 20,000 jobs are expected to be created in France by 2030, stimulated by the development of artificial intelligence and growing data sovereignty issues.

However, training and professional integration represent a major challenge shared by all players, who are developing initiatives to attract, train, and retain talent. Innovative initiatives are strengthening the sector's attractiveness: in France, the "Les Plombiers du Numérique" reintegration program, supported by France Datacenter, offers, for example, training dedicated to young people in professional integration to enable them to quickly join data center professions.

Data center players are strengthening their commitments to ethics and governance through the adoption of practices based on transparency, regulatory compliance (including GDPR), anti-corruption measures, and risk management. Responsible purchasing policies and increased vigilance across the supply chain complete these measures. These requirements meet both customer expectations for security, quality of service, and trust, and the growing role of data centers as essential infrastructure for guaranteeing digital access. Finally, the sector integrates digital sovereignty issues by ensuring data protection and the maintenance of strategic infrastructure within the territory.

Faced with the often numerous questions from local populations during site projects, the sector must anticipate harmonious integration that respects local residents and biodiversity. This involves in-depth impact studies, the implementation of mitigation measures, and early dialogue with stakeholders, particularly local authorities.

The sector must also demonstrate educational outreach to establish transparency and trust. This involves demystifying these infrastructures for the general public by explaining their essential role in the proper functioning of our daily digital services.

With this in mind, France Datacenter provides the public with several key resources, such as the EUDCA (European Data Center Overview), which outlines the sector's challenges and the concrete responses of European players, or "Questions, affirmations et réalités sur les datacenters," designed to deconstruct misconceptions and better inform the general public.

While the commitments already made demonstrate a clear desire by the sector to embrace sustainability, this process must continue.

• Anticipating the impacts of climate change. Increased heatwaves, droughts, amplified risks (floods, storms...): how to manage service continuity in uncertain contexts, with data centers whose lifespan can reach 30 to 40 years? An in-depth analysis of long-term risks, particularly concerning the reliability of power grids and the implementation of reinforced solutions to cope with extreme weather events.

• Innovating while remaining competitive and guaranteeing business continuity. Designing more sustainable data centers often involves implementing technologies or solutions that are not yet fully proven, which introduces a certain level of risk for both operators and customers. Hence the need to conduct POCs (Proof of Concept) to validate the reliability, performance, and integration of these innovations before any large-scale deployment. While these approaches may generate higher initial costs, they also accelerate the adoption of virtuous solutions, provided that all stakeholders, including insurers, are brought on board to evolve business models and insurance coverage.

• Maintaining and evolving existing data centers. Due to their lifespan, data centers cannot always immediately integrate the latest technological innovations, particularly in cooling. This structural latency creates a gap between the sector's pace of innovation and the actual capacity of infrastructure to adopt it. In this context, engaging in a retrofit process (renovation, optimization, and modernization), whenever possible and relevant, is a strategy to be prioritized. This approach not only reduces the environmental impact of existing facilities but also enhances the value of the real estate assets already present in the regions.

• Strengthening skills development and the representation of women in the sector. This involves working to introduce the sector and its many professions to younger generations, starting from primary school. It also means gaining public support by highlighting the inseparable link between infrastructure and daily digital uses, as well as the sector's early commitment to CSR.

Data centers ensure the service continuity of digital services. As such, and faced with tomorrow's challenges, it is necessary to mobilize the entire ecosystem (operators, equipment manufacturers, customers, regions, schools) to move forward in a partnership logic and find solutions collectively.