New Delhi, April 24, 2024: Hitachi Vantara, the data storage, infrastructure, and hybrid cloud management subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd, has unveiled its inaugural Sustainability Report, showcasing the company’s commitment to making sustainability a key foundation of its market-leading data infrastructure portfolio and demonstrating its ongoing dedication to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles.
The report outlines the company’s past and present initiatives, as well as the steps it is taking towards future sustainability innovation and operational excellence, underscoring Hitachi Vantara’s commitment to driving positive change.
In line with emerging and global ESG trends, the Sustainability Report encompasses Hitachi Vantara’s sustainability efforts, covering initiatives undertaken prior to the reorganisation in fiscal year 2023 and providing insights into current practices and objectives.
The report also reflects the collective effort of Hitachi Vantara’s global workforce, emphasizing collaboration and cross-functionality in advancing sustainable business practices, and aligns with internationally recognized accounting standards and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Importantly, the report highlights the sustainability innovation, including CO2 reduction technology, that has been built into Hitachi Vantara’s storage infrastructure portfolio for years.
The company has also set ambitious time-bound goals to enhance its ESG performance, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to sustainability leadership. These goals include working towards a decarbonized society through reduced greenhouse gas emissions by becoming Carbon Neutral in Scope 1 (direct emissions) and 2 (indirect emissions) by FY2030; achieving a 30% ratio of female people leaders by FY2030 to increase Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at leadership levels; and maturing the company’s Cybersecurity Framework, Controls, and Assurance Management by FY2025 to strengthen security practices and the protection of customer information.
Sheila Rohra, CEO of Hitachi Vantara, emphasized, “Sustainability is not just a buzzword at Hitachi Vantara. We’re committed to environmental responsibility across our operations and products. This includes our eco-friendly storage products, which incorporate cutting edge CO2 reduction technology. We’re also expanding our decarbonization efforts across our global operations and supply chain, as well as using intelligent data lifecycle management to optimize sustainable outcomes for our customers. Our inaugural Sustainability Report provides insight into these initiatives, highlighting the company’s unwavering dedication to being a responsible and socially innovative business.”
The report from Hitachi Vantara underscores its dedication to sustainability and social responsibility through various initiatives.
Hitachi Vantara focuses on sustainable product design and end-of-life management, adhering to circular economy principles. Their Virtual Storage Platform One data platform products, ENERGY STAR certified, feature an automated switching process reducing power consumption by 30-40% from model to model. This commitment not only reflects environmental responsibility but also translates into significant energy savings for consumers and businesses.
In managing carbon emissions, the company employs a comprehensive approach across its global sites. For instance, in the Netherlands, its distribution center utilizes on-site solar panels to generate a substantial portion of its electricity consumption. Additionally, the company sources renewable energy through verified Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs), further reducing its carbon footprint.
Hitachi Vantara extends its impact beyond environmental efforts, actively engaging in social initiatives. Through its Global Learning team, it partners with schools in South Africa to bridge the digital divide and support students' educational aspirations. Similarly, in India, the company collaborates with The Akshaya Patra Foundation, contributing to the eradication of classroom hunger and making a positive difference in underserved communities.
Hitachi Vantara has already been working with customers around the world to help them improve the efficiency and sustainability of their products, services, and operations. For example, the company delivered a seamless storage migration for BMW Group, which led to a 70% smaller footprint and requires 80% less power, making it much more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
Gijima, a South African Information and Communications Technology company, deployed Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform systems to consolidate their physical infrastructure, which led to a 66% reduction in power consumption and reduction in CO2 emissions.
Türk Telekom, a Turkish information and communications technology company, implemented a new data architecture that is more environmentally sustainable, reducing their total footprint from 23 cabinets to 9 and decreasing power and cooling requirements by approximately 60%.
Mehmet Fatih Bekin, data center and cloud services director at Türk Telekom, said, “We need to be sure that our storage systems won’t start causing bottlenecks that could impact performance and reliability for our end-users. And just as importantly, the energy efficiency of our new VSP arrays is not just better for the environment, it also reduces our operational expenditure.”
