On January 11th, with the theme of “Working together for a Sustainable Future”, GDS ESG Day was held in Pujiang Data Center Campus. Representatives from Lingang Group, strategic clients, ESG consulting firms, partners, suppliers, prestigious universities, and public welfare organizations gathered to share their achievements and experiences in sustainable development and discuss the way of ESG ecological development.

Reviewing the situation: Seizing new global ESG opportunities

At a time when the global climate issue is becoming more and more significant, ESG topic has been highly concerned, and investing in ESG has also become the strategic direction of more enterprises.

Huang Wei, Chairman and CEO of GDS，said, “ESG is an important indicator to comprehensively measure the sustainable development ability of enterprises, and it has more and more important impacts on the development of enterprises, expanding business overseas, and even the globalization deployment. GDS is firmly committed to the goal of achieving carbon neutrality and 100% renewable energy by 2030 and is committed to integrating sustainability into all business practices. We look forward to working with more partners to shape ESG as one of our core competencies.”

Jamie Khoo, COO of GDS, shared the results since the company released its ESG report for three consecutive years: “Through the comprehensive implementation of the established ESG strategy, GDS has made breakthroughs of different degrees in energy saving and carbon reduction, social responsibility, and corporate governance every year. By the end of 2023, GDS's renewable energy usage reached 38%, and the optimal average annual PUE of its self-built data centers reached 1.15. We use technological innovations to continuously optimize the customer experience, and actively join hands with public welfare organizations to create positive value, while promoting long-term stable development with strict corporate governance.”

During the speech session, Zhang Bin, Partner of Ernst & Young Climate Change and Sustainability Services (CCaSS); Vincent Ghim, Vice President of SK ecoplant; Hua Weiwei, Analyst of Envision Group Zero Carbon Expert Center; Xiong Yi, Senior Vice President of Strategy Department of Schneider Electric China; Du Zhimin, Associate Professor and Doctoral Supervisor of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, shared their views on the trends of the global ESG guideline, the experience of corporate sustainable practices, and the application of AI industry through the integration of industry and education.

Encourage Diligence: Cooperate to Create Excellent Supply Chain

Throughout GDS's 23 years of establishment, construction of more than 100 data centers, and service to more than 850 customers, the strong professional ability of GDS is indispensable, as well as the perfect supply chain formed by many excellent suppliers.

In order to express our appreciation to the outstanding suppliers, GDS presented the ESG Supplier of the Year Award to the outstanding suppliers on the spot, considering the seven aspects of Sustainability, Delivery, Collaboration, Quality, Practice, Innovation and Service. GDS is looking forward to cooperating with more like-minded enterprises in the future to build a more perfect and excellent supply chain system.

Green Signing: Sustainable Cooperation Bears More Fruits

At the scene, Liang Yan, Co-President of GDS China, and Wang Chaoyang, General Manager of Alibaba Cloud's Intelligent IDC Division, signed the GDS-Alibaba Cloud Intelligent Data Center Energy Saving and Emission Reduction Memorandum on behalf of the two parties. In the future, both parties will carry out a series of in-depth cooperation around green emission reduction, energy saving and carbon reduction.

Dialogue: Promoting Carbon Reduction and Multiculturalism

In the roundtable dialog with the theme of “Collaborative Carbon Reduction in the IDC Industry Chain”, Zhang Fangmeng, Director of Sustainable Development of GDS; Lu Jinjian, Senior Vice President of EPC; Mao Hongju, Director of the Energy and Carbon Management Team of the Intelligent IDC Division of Alibaba Cloud; Benjamin Ng, Managing Director of SK ecoplant, and Mr. Zhang Bin, Partner of Climate Change and Sustainability Services (CCaSS) of Ernst & Young analyzed the main challenges and their own experiences from the perspectives of different participants in the industry chain. Zhang Bin, Partner of CCaSS, from the perspective of different participants of the industry chain, analyzed the main challenges of carbon reduction and their own experiences, and reached a consensus on promoting efficient and high-quality carbon reduction through synergistic cooperation.

In the roundtable dialog with the theme of “Tong Xin GDS, Hai Na Bai Chuan”, five employee representatives from GDS domestic and overseas regions shared their experiences of workplace life with the participants, and showed the equal, diversified and inclusive working environment of GDS from different perspectives.

Sowing ESG Hope, Planning for a Sustainable Future Together

At the meeting, Huang Wei, Chairman and CEO of GDS; Liang Yan, Co-President of GDS China; Shi Juebing, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pujiang Science & Technology City Company of Lingang Group;  Wang Chaoyang, General Manager of the Intelligent IDC Division of Alibaba Cloud, and Mr. Du Zhimin, Associate Professor and Doctoral Supervisor of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, sowed green saplings, which symbolize hope and rebirth, demonstrating that GDS is determined to adhere to the principles of green and low-carbon development, creation of a diversified and inclusive culture, and strict corporate governance, and to promote the realization of ESG goals.

To the Kindness: Actively Creating Positive Social Value

In December 2023, GDS launched an internal donation activity, aiming at helping more children in need and contributing love and warmth to the society, which was positively responded by employees. At the event, together with the love of all employees, the company donated RMB 200,000 at one time to help more children.

Li Simo, Deputy Secretary General from Beijing Chunhui Boai Charity Foundation, shared the latest progress of the charity program with GDS. In 2022, the two parties jointly launched a charity program focusing on the physical and mental health of autistic children. GDS has donated RMB 1 million on two separate occasions and encouraged more than 4,100 caring online users to donate an additional RMB 130,000 yuan.

Adhering to the ESG vision and commitment, GDS will take green sustainability as its original intention in the future, and actively join hands with more partners to create positive value for the industry, society and ecology, and work together for a sustainable future!