Environmental issue |
Indicate which of dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities are covered by the process for this environmental issue |
Value chain stages covered |
Coverage |
Supplier tiers covered |
Mining projects covered [Metals & Mining ONLY] |
Type of assessment |
Frequency of assessment |
Time horizons covered |
Integration of risk management process |
Location-specificity used |
Tools and methods used |
Risk types and criteria considered |
Partners and stakeholders considered |
Has this process changed since the previous reporting year? |
Further details of process |
|
Climate change
|
Risks,
Dependencies,
Impacts,
Opportunities
|
Direct operations,
Downstream value chain [Does not apply to Financial Services],
Upstream value chain
|
Full
|
Tier 1 suppliers,
Tier 2 suppliers,
Tier 3 suppliers
|
No response provided
|
Qualitative and quantitative
|
More than once a year
|
Short-term,
Medium-term,
Long-term
|
Integrated into multi-disciplinary organization-wide risk management process
|
Site-specific,
Local,
National,
Sub-national
|
Commercially/publicly available tools - Other commercially/publicly available tools, please specify,
International methodologies and standards - IPCC Climate Change Projections ,
International methodologies and standards - ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard,
International methodologies and standards - Life Cycle Assessment ,
Databases - Nation-specific databases, tools, or standards,
Enterprise Risk Management - Internal company methods
|
Acute physical - Avalanche,
Acute physical - Cold wave/frost,
Acute physical - Cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons,
Acute physical - Drought,
Acute physical - Flood (coastal, fluvial, pluvial, ground water),
Acute physical - Glacial lake outburst,
Acute physical - Heat waves,
Acute physical - Heavy precipitation (rain, hail, snow/ice),
Acute physical - Landslide,
Acute physical - Storm (including blizzards, dust, and sandstorms),
Acute physical - Subsidence,
Acute physical - Tornado,
Acute physical - Wildfires,
Chronic physical - Change in land-use,
Chronic physical - Changing temperature (air, freshwater, marine water),
Chronic physical - Changing wind patterns [Climate only],
Chronic physical - Coastal erosion,
Chronic physical - Heat stress [Climate, Forests],
Chronic physical - Increased severity of extreme weather events,
Chronic physical - Ocean acidification,
Chronic physical - Permafrost thawing [Climate, Water],
Chronic physical - Poorly managed sanitation [Water only],
Chronic physical - Precipitation or hydrological variability,
Chronic physical - Reserves located in or adjacent to areas important for biodiversity [Mining-Biodiversity only],
Chronic physical - Rationing of municipal water supply [Water only],
Chronic physical - Scarcity of land resources [Forests only],
Chronic physical - Sea level rise,
Chronic physical - Seasonal supply variability/interannual variability [Forests, Water],
Chronic physical - Temperature variability,
Chronic physical - Threatened species in or near mining operation [Mining-Biodiversity only],
Liability - Non-compliance with regulations,
Liability - Exposure to litigation,
Technology - Unsuccessful investment in new technologies,
Technology - Transition to water intensive, low carbon energy sources [Climate, Water],
Technology - Transition to lower emissions technology and products [Climate only],
Technology - Data access/availability or monitoring systems,
Technology - Dependency on water-intensive energy sources [Climate, Water],
Reputation - Stigmatization of sector,
Reputation - Stakeholder conflicts concerning water resources at a basin/catchment level,
Reputation - Negative press coverage related to support of projects or activities with negative impacts on the environment (e.g. GHG emissions, deforestation & conversion, water stress),
Chronic physical - Water availability at a basin/catchment level,
Chronic physical - Water stress,
Chronic physical - Water quality at a basin/catchment level,
Policy - Carbon pricing mechanisms [Climate only],
Policy - Changes to international law and bilateral agreements,
Policy - Increased difficulty in obtaining operations permits,
Policy - Changes to national legislation,
Policy - Lack of mature certification and sustainability standards,
Policy - Poor coordination between regulatory bodies,
Policy - Poor enforcement of environmental regulation,
Market - Availability and/or increased cost of certified sustainable material,
Market - Availability and/or increased cost of raw materials,
Market - Changing customer behavior,
Reputation - Increased partner and stakeholder concern and partner and stakeholder negative feedback,
Reputation - Impact on human health,
Market - Uncertainty in the market signals,
Chronic physical - Changing precipitation patterns and types (rain, hail, snow/ice)
|
Customers,
Employees,
Local communities,
Indigenous peoples,
Investors,
NGOs,
Regulators,
Suppliers
|
Yes
|
The Global Director of Sustainability and ESG Officer leads the team responsible for sustainability. To ensure a comprehensive approach, we consult with subject matter experts from various departments across Akamai. These efforts across the company include but are not limited to our network architects, data center partners, and hardware and software engineering teams. We conduct periodic reviews of our global network footprint to understand better the potential effects of acute climate impacts, such as superstorms, flooding, or other catastrophic events. Additionally, we prepare for the effects of climate changes, such as rising temperatures and sea levels. This proactive approach allows us to anticipate and mitigate potential risks to our operations, ensuring that we remain resilient and sustainable in changing environmental factors. : The sustainability team is actively assessing various geographical regions, target capacity values, and the potential impact of simultaneous events by utilizing a highly complex climate network impact (CNI) model. This model considers a wide range of inputs, including geographical data such as the 100-year floodplain, network data, and numerous other factors, to provide a comprehensive overview of the possible consequences of a significant climate-related event or series of events. For instance, if a catastrophic super flood were to strike Virginia, the CNI model could provide detailed insights into the potential implications for network capacity, the associated costs that could be incurred, and the time required to recover lost operations. By leveraging this model, the sustainability team work : Based on what could happen from the analysis in the CNI model, we place a great deal of trust in our network's agile and self-reliant nature. In deploying our operations across our global locations, we are mindful of the potential risks associated with climate-related events. Our geographic locations are a risk management strategy because of how our network is set up using our proprietary algorithms. Our deployments have been developed to maintain a certain degree of excess capacity, or more commonly slack, in the event of a data center outage. Because our facilities rely heavily on power and ancillary systems like cooling, we can tolerate the loss of power to individual server locations in the wake of a climate disaster. In the event of significant disruptions to our power supply or facilities, the impact could have far-reaching and long-lasting consequences on a global level for our business operations.Akamai's process for identifying, assessing, and managing climate-related issues is integrated into our multi-disciplinary, organization-wide risk management process. The core of this process is our ISO 14001-compliant Environmental Management System (EMS), which provides a structured framework to systematically identify, assess, manage, and monitor dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities across our full value chain. Identification The process is led by the Global Director of Corporate Sustainability and ESG Officer, in consultation with the corporate sustainability team and subject matter experts from across the company, including network architecture, data center operations, and engineering teams. Through periodic reviews of our global footprint, we identify our environmental interactions. Assessment To assess the potential consequences of identified issues, we utilize a highly complex and proprietary climate network impact (CNI) model. This quantitative and qualitative assessment tool is informed by data from IPCC Climate Change Projections, including a range of Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios from RCP 2.6 to high-emission projections like RCP 8.5. The CNI model considers numerous inputs, including geographical data on climate vulnerabilities, to provide a comprehensive overview of potential consequences to network capacity, associated costs, and recovery time. Dependencies Through this process, we have identified that the continuity of our global operations is fundamentally dependent on a stable and continuous supply of electricity to power our servers and access to sufficient cooling resources (air and water) to maintain the operational integrity of our data centers. Impacts Our most significant environmental impact is the generation of Scope 2 and Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the substantial electricity consumption required to power the Akamai Connected Cloud and our global network. Risks The primary climate-related risks to our operations are physical. Our assessment identifies both acute physical risks, such as operational disruptions from increased storm intensity and flooding impacting power supply, and chronic physical risks, like rising average temperatures and sea-level rise that could affect data center viability and cooling efficiency. Opportunities The primary opportunity identified is leveraging our unique network architecture for enhanced climate resilience, which provides a significant competitive advantage. The inherent design of Akamai Cloud—globally distributed, agile, and self-healing with proprietary algorithms—is our primary response to physical risks. The network's built-in redundancy and designed-in "slack" allow us to absorb shocks from climate-related outages by automatically rerouting traffic. This resilience is an opportunity we realize through strategic capital allocation and investments in climate-ready infrastructure, ensuring service continuity for our customers.
|
|
Climate change
|
Risks,
Dependencies,
Impacts,
Opportunities
|
Direct operations,
Upstream value chain,
Downstream value chain [Does not apply to FS]
|
Full
|
Tier 1 suppliers,
Tier 2 suppliers,
Tier 3 suppliers
|
No response provided
|
Qualitative and quantitative
|
More than once a year
|
Short-term,
Medium-term,
Long-term
|
Integrated into multi-disciplinary organization-wide risk management process
|
Site-specific,
Sub-national,
Local,
National
|
International methodologies and standards - ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard,
Databases - Nation-specific databases, tools, or standards,
International methodologies and standards - IPCC Climate Change Projections ,
Other - Internal company methods,
International methodologies and standards - Life Cycle Assessment ,
Commercially/publicly available tools - Other commercially/publicly available tools, please specify - Specify: Ecovadis + WRI Aqueduct
|
Acute physical - Drought,
Acute physical - Flood (coastal, fluvial, pluvial, ground water),
Acute physical - Heat waves,
Acute physical - Heavy precipitation (rain, hail, snow/ice),
Acute physical - Tornado,
Acute physical - Avalanche,
Acute physical - Cold wave/frost,
Acute physical - Glacial lake outburst,
Acute physical - Landslide,
Acute physical - Rupture of tailings dams and toxic spills,
Acute physical - Storm (including blizzards, dust, and sandstorms,
Acute physical - Subsidence,
Acute physical - Toxic spills,
Acute physical - Wildfires,
Chronic physical - Acid rock drainage and metal leaching,
Chronic physical - Change in land-use,
Chronic physical - Changing precipitation patterns and types (rain, hail, snow/ice),
Chronic physical - Changing wind patterns,
Chronic physical - Changing temperature (air, freshwater, marine water),
Chronic physical - Coastal erosion,
Chronic physical - Declining ecosystem services,
Chronic physical - Declining water quality,
Chronic physical - Groundwater depletion,
Chronic physical - Increased ecosystem vulnerability,
Chronic physical - Heat stress,
Chronic physical - Increased levels of environmental pollutants in freshwater bodies,
Chronic physical - Increased levels of macro or microplastic leakage to air, soil, freshwater and/or marine bodies,
Chronic physical - Increased severity of extreme weather events,
Chronic physical - Land loss to desertification,
Chronic physical - Limited area for disposing solid waste,
Chronic physical - Operations in or adjacent to areas important for biodiversity,
Chronic physical - Ocean acidification,
Chronic physical - Permafrost thawing,
Chronic physical - Precipitation or hydrological variability,
Chronic physical - Sea level rise,
Chronic physical - Temperature variability,
Chronic physical - Water availability at a basin/catchment level,
Chronic physical - Water stress,
Chronic physical - Water quality at a basin/catchment level,
Policy - Changes to international law and bilateral agreements,
Liability - Non-compliance with regulations,
Liability - Moratoria and voluntary agreement,
Liability - Exposure to litigation,
Technology - Unsuccessful investment in new technologies,
Technology - Transition to water intensive, low carbon energy sources,
Technology - Transition to water efficient and low water intensity technologies and products,
Technology - Transition to lower emissions technology and products,
Technology - Transition to increasing recycled content,
Technology - Transition to increasing renewable content,
Technology - Transition to reusable products,
Technology - Transition to bio-based chemicals,
Policy - Carbon pricing mechanisms,
Policy - Changes to national legislation,
Policy - Increased difficulty in obtaining operations permits,
Policy - Increased pricing of water,
Policy - Introduction of regulatory standards for previously unregulated contaminants,
Policy - Lack of mature certification and sustainability standards,
Policy - Limited or lack of river basin management,
Policy - Lack of globally accepted and harmonized definitions,
Policy - Limited or lack of transboundary water management,
Policy - Mandatory water efficiency, conservation, recycling, or process standards,
Policy - Poor coordination between regulatory bodies,
Policy - Poor enforcement of environmental regulation,
Policy - Protected area designation,
Policy - Regulation of discharge quality/volumes,
Policy - Statutory water withdrawal limits/changes to water allocation,
Policy - Uncertainty and/or conflicts involving land tenure rights and water rights,
Market - Availability and/or increased cost of certified sustainable material,
Market - Availability and/or increased cost of raw materials,
Market - Availability and/or increased cost of recycled or renewable content,
Market - Changing customer behavior,
Market - Contraction of insurance markets, leaving clients exposed and changing the risk parameters of the credit,
Market - Inability to attract co-financiers and/or investors due to uncertain risks related to the environment,
Market - Inadequate access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services (WASH),
Market - Limited visibility of embedded commodities,
Market - Leakage markets,
Market - Loss of clients due to a fund’s poor environmental performance outcomes (e.g. if a fund has suffered climate-related write-downs),
Market - Uncertainty about commodity origin and/or legality,
Market - Uncertainty in the market signals,
Reputation - Exclusion of vulnerable and marginalized stakeholders (e.g., informal workers),
Reputation - Impact on human health,
Reputation - Increased partner and stakeholder concern and partner and stakeholder negative feedback,
Reputation - Insurance underwriting that could create or contribute to systemic risk for the economy,
Reputation - Investing that could create or contribute to systemic risk for the economy,
Reputation - Negative press coverage related to support of projects or activities with negative impacts on the environment (e.g. GHG emissions, deforestation & conversion, water stress),
Reputation - Stigmatization of sector,
Technology - Dependency on water-intensive energy sources,
Technology - Transition to recyclable plastic products,
Technology - Data access/availability or monitoring systems,
Technology - Inability to increase yield of existing production areas,
Reputation - Stakeholder conflicts concerning water resources at a basin/catchment level
|
Customers,
Employees,
Investors,
Local communities,
Indigenous peoples,
NGOs,
Regulators,
Suppliers
|
Yes
|
Ensuring our data centers remain operational is crucial. However, it's essential to acknowledge that this task involves more than just a reliable power supply. We must also rely on manufacturers of precious metals and minerals, chip manufacturers, hardware manufacturers, logistics companies, real estate, space providers, and e Akamai ensures that our suppliers are
We have established a network of second-tier suppliers that can be called upon if our first-tier suppliers are affected by climate change. Additionally, we conduct ongoing assessments to understand our climate-related risks comprehensively. Akamai's process for managing climate-related risks and opportunities within our hardware value chain is governed by our ISO 14001-compliant Environmental Management System (EMS) and integrated into our organization-wide Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework. This process addresses the full hardware lifecycle, from raw material extraction and manufacturing to operational use and end-of-life management. Identification Our process identifies climate-related issues across the full lifecycle of our network hardware, from design and procurement to decommissioning. Assessment We assess these hardware-specific risks through our Responsible Supply Chain Program (RSCP), which evaluates key hardware suppliers on their environmental performance, climate resilience, and transparency regarding resource management and sustainable practices. A core component of our assessment is our Embodied Emissions Program, where we conduct lifecycle analyses and work to calculate the embodied carbon emissions of our purchased capital goods (Scope 3, Category 2). This provides critical insight into our upstream environmental footprint and helps us identify high-impact areas for engagement. Dependencies Through this process, we have identified that our hardware value chain is fundamentally dependent on the consistent availability of natural resources, including precious metals and minerals, as well as the significant energy and water required for component manufacturing and assembly. These dependencies, which are linked to stable ecosystems in sourcing regions, are increasingly vulnerable to climate-driven disruption. Impacts Our primary environmental impacts from our hardware value chain include the generation of upstream Scope 3 GHG emissions (embodied carbon) from manufacturing; the creation of electronic waste at the hardware's end-of-life, which poses a risk of pollution and habitat degradation if not managed correctly; and indirect impacts on biodiversity and land use from the extraction of raw materials by our suppliers. Risks The primary climate-related risks identified for our hardware value chain are: Physical Risks: Disruptions to our upstream supply chain, including the manufacturing of components like chips and precious metals, due to extreme weather events impacting production facilities or logistics routes. Transition Risks: Increasing stakeholder, customer, and regulatory focus on the embodied carbon within IT hardware, as well as reputational risks associated with unsustainable material sourcing or improper end-of-life e-waste management. Opportunities This process identifies the significant opportunity to mitigate supply chain risks and reduce capital expenditures through a robust circularity program. Our response strategy, centered on our "Circularity" goal, prioritizes the reuse and redeployment of functional components and entire servers through our Lifecycle Management System (LMS). This extends asset life, reduces demand for new manufacturing, and directly lowers future CAPEX. By recycling 100% of our remaining e-waste to the rigorous e-Stewards standard, we enhance our brand reputation, build a more resilient supply chain, and minimize our end-of-life environmental impact.
|
|
Climate change
|
Risks,
Dependencies,
Opportunities,
Impacts
|
Direct operations,
Upstream value chain,
Downstream value chain [Does not apply to FS]
|
Full
|
Tier 1 suppliers,
Tier 2 suppliers,
Tier 3 suppliers
|
No response provided
|
Qualitative and quantitative
|
More than once a year
|
Short-term,
Medium-term,
Long-term
|
Integrated into multi-disciplinary organization-wide risk management process
|
Site-specific,
Local,
National,
Sub-national
|
International methodologies and standards - ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard,
International methodologies and standards - IPCC Climate Change Projections ,
Commercially/publicly available tools - EcoVadis,
International methodologies and standards - Life Cycle Assessment ,
Databases - Nation-specific databases, tools, or standards,
Other - Internal company methods
|
Acute physical - Drought,
Acute physical - Cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons,
Acute physical - Flood (coastal, fluvial, pluvial, ground water),
Acute physical - Heat waves,
Acute physical - Heavy precipitation (rain, hail, snow/ice),
Acute physical - Tornado,
Acute physical - Avalanche,
Acute physical - Cold wave/frost,
Acute physical - Glacial lake outburst,
Acute physical - Landslide,
Acute physical - Storm (including blizzards, dust, and sandstorms,
Acute physical - Subsidence,
Acute physical - Wildfires,
Chronic physical - Change in land-use,
Chronic physical - Changing precipitation patterns and types (rain, hail, snow/ice),
Chronic physical - Changing temperature (air, freshwater, marine water),
Chronic physical - Changing wind patterns,
Chronic physical - Coastal erosion,
Chronic physical - Heat stress,
Chronic physical - Increased severity of extreme weather events,
Chronic physical - Ocean acidification,
Chronic physical - Precipitation or hydrological variability,
Chronic physical - Sea level rise,
Chronic physical - Seasonal supply variability/interannual variability,
Chronic physical - Temperature variability,
Chronic physical - Water availability at a basin/catchment level,
Chronic physical - Water stress,
Chronic physical - Water quality at a basin/catchment level,
Policy - Changes to international law and bilateral agreements,
Liability - Non-compliance with regulations,
Liability - Moratoria and voluntary agreement,
Liability - Exposure to litigation,
Technology - Unsuccessful investment in new technologies,
Technology - Transition to water intensive, low carbon energy sources,
Technology - Transition to water efficient and low water intensity technologies and products,
Technology - Transition to lower emissions technology and products,
Technology - Transition to recyclable plastic products,
Technology - Transition to increasing renewable content,
Technology - Transition to reusable products,
Technology - Transition to bio-based chemicals,
Policy - Carbon pricing mechanisms,
Policy - Changes to national legislation,
Policy - Increased difficulty in obtaining operations permits,
Policy - Lack of mature certification and sustainability standards,
Policy - Poor coordination between regulatory bodies,
Policy - Poor enforcement of environmental regulation,
Market - Availability and/or increased cost of certified sustainable material,
Market - Availability and/or increased cost of raw materials,
Market - Availability and/or increased cost of recycled or renewable content,
Market - Changing customer behavior,
Market - Contraction of insurance markets, leaving clients exposed and changing the risk parameters of the credit,
Market - Inability to attract co-financiers and/or investors due to uncertain risks related to the environment,
Market - Inadequate access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services (WASH),
Market - Limited visibility of embedded commodities,
Market - Leakage markets,
Market - Loss of clients due to a fund’s poor environmental performance outcomes (e.g. if a fund has suffered climate-related write-downs),
Market - Uncertainty about commodity origin and/or legality,
Market - Uncertainty in the market signals,
Reputation - Exclusion of vulnerable and marginalized stakeholders (e.g., informal workers),
Reputation - Impact on human health,
Reputation - Increased partner and stakeholder concern and partner and stakeholder negative feedback,
Reputation - Insurance underwriting that could create or contribute to systemic risk for the economy,
Reputation - Investing that could create or contribute to systemic risk for the economy,
Reputation - Negative press coverage related to support of projects or activities with negative impacts on the environment (e.g. GHG emissions, deforestation & conversion, water stress),
Reputation - Stigmatization of sector,
Technology - Dependency on water-intensive energy sources,
Technology - Transition to increasing recycled content,
Technology - Data access/availability or monitoring systems,
Technology - Inability to increase yield of existing production areas,
Reputation - Stakeholder conflicts concerning water resources at a basin/catchment level,
Chronic physical - Permafrost thawing,
Chronic physical - Solifluction,
Chronic physical - Soil erosion,
Acute physical - Rupture of tailings dams and toxic spills
|
Employees,
Investors,
Customers,
Local communities,
Indigenous peoples,
NGOs,
Regulators,
Suppliers
|
Yes
|
Akamai's management of climate-related transition risks is governed by our ISO 14001-compliant Environmental Management System (EMS), which is integrated into our organization-wide Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework. Identification Our process identifies the significant shift in stakeholder awareness of climate change as a key market trend. We recognize that customers, investors, and employees increasingly prioritize partnering with companies that have an authentic and transparent sustainability program. This trend presents both a substantive transition risk and a significant opportunity to create a key market differentiator. Assessment We assess the magnitude of this risk by monitoring key market signals. This includes analyzing the increasing weight of sustainability performance in customer Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and as a standard topic in executive-level client discussions. We also assess growing investor emphasis on robust climate governance as a marker of a resilient company, which impacts our access to capital. Our assessment concludes that a perceived weakness in our climate strategy could directly lead to reduced revenue. Dependencies Our brand reputation and market position are dependent on maintaining stakeholder trust, which increasingly relies on a transparent and ambitious climate strategy backed by measurable action. Our ability to attract and retain top talent is also dependent on our demonstrated commitment to corporate responsibility. Impacts The primary impact of our sustainability program is the mitigation of our own GHG emissions through our ambitious 2030 goals. Furthermore, by providing efficient services and transparent data, we have a positive downstream impact by enabling customers to better manage their own Scope 3 emissions. Risks The primary risks identified are reputational and market-based. A failure in transparency or execution could negatively impact our brand and market share, leading to reduced revenue from clients switching to competitors with stronger environmental credentials and potentially limiting our access to capital from sustainability-focused investors. Opportunities We manage this risk by capitalizing on the opportunity to lead in sustainability performance. Our response is built on three pillars: Governance: Climate strategy is driven by our Board's dedicated Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Committee, which provides direct oversight of our climate-related goals and risk management. This is supported by a management-level EMS Committee composed of cross-functional leaders who operationalize our initiatives. Public Targets and Transparency: A core part of our response is our public commitment to ambitious 2030 goals, including achieving net-zero emissions for our operations and powering our platform with 100% renewable energy. We build stakeholder trust by transparently communicating our progress in our annual Sustainability Report and TCFD-aligned disclosures. Business Integration: We embed sustainability directly into our business functions. Progress against climate metrics influences executive compensation, while our Responsible Supply Chain Program (RSCP) manages risk with our partners. We also provide customers with emissions data via the Akamai Carbon Calculator or our detailed custom emissions reports, turning our commitment into a collaborative partnership.
: |
|
Biodiversity
|
Dependencies,
Impacts
|
Direct operations,
Upstream value chain
|
Full
|
Tier 1 suppliers
|
No response provided
|
Qualitative and quantitative
|
As important matters arise
|
Short-term,
Medium-term,
Long-term
|
Integrated into multi-disciplinary organization-wide risk management process
|
Site-specific,
Sub-national,
National
|
Commercially/publicly available tools - TNFD – Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures,
Commercially/publicly available tools - Other commercially/publicly available tools, please specify - Specify: Natural Capital Protocol,
Commercially/publicly available tools - CBD – Convention on Biological Diversity
|
No response provided
|
Suppliers,
Local communities,
Customers,
Employees,
Investors,
Indigenous peoples,
NGOs,
Regulators
|
No
|
Akamai is committed to being a responsible steward of the natural resources essential to our global community and business. Our process for managing our relationship with the natural world is governed by our ISO 14001-compliant Environmental Management System (EMS) and integrated into our Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework. Identification Our process is guided by the principles of leading international frameworks for nature-related assessment and disclosure. This ensures our approach is both rigorous and aligned with global best practices. By following a structured methodology, we can systematically identify our "environmental aspects"—the points where our operations interact with the environment—to gain a clear understanding of our relationship with the ecosystems where we operate. Assessment As part of our EMS, we assess our nature-related interactions by engaging our supply chain partners, particularly data center and hardware suppliers, with detailed questionnaires. These audits gather information on their impact, resource management practices (land, water, waste), and supply chain transparency. Dependencies Our assessment confirms that our value chain is dependent on natural capital. This includes the land required for our partners' data center facilities, the raw materials (minerals and metals) extracted for our network hardware, and the water used for cooling in some data center operations. Impacts Our primary potential negative impacts on biodiversity are indirect and occur within our value chain, stemming from: Energy Consumption: Land use change and emissions associated with non-renewable energy generation powering our platform. Hardware Lifecycle: Land use impacts from the extraction of raw materials for new hardware and the potential for pollution from improper e-waste disposal. Risks The primary risk identified is that unchecked global biodiversity loss could disrupt our global supply chain. This could affect the availability of raw materials for hardware and the stability of the ecosystems where our partners operate, posing a long-term risk to our business continuity and environmental goals. Opportunities The primary opportunity is to build a more resilient and sustainable value chain and enhance our brand reputation by championing nature-positive practices in the tech sector. We realize this opportunity by: Driving Positive Impact via Decarbonization: We actively quantify the co-benefits of our renewable energy projects. For example, an analysis of our 2024 renewable energy portfolio showed it contributed to saving an estimated 0.41 species. Integrating Biodiversity into Business Processes: We are incorporating considerations and specific asks into our supplier engagements, procurement processes, and operational strategies while defining clear internal responsibility for these issues. Leading through Supplier Engagement: We proactively encourage our data center and hardware partners to adopt their own biodiversity-focused commitments for land and water management, ensuring the long-term sustainability of our shared value chain. |
|
Water
|
Dependencies,
Impacts,
Risks,
Opportunities
|
Direct operations,
Upstream value chain
|
Full
|
Tier 1 suppliers,
Tier 2 suppliers
|
No response provided
|
Qualitative and quantitative
|
As important matters arise
|
Short-term,
Medium-term,
Long-term
|
No response provided
|
Site-specific,
Sub-national,
National
|
Commercially/publicly available tools - WRI Aqueduct,
International methodologies and standards - ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard,
Other - Scenario analysis,
Other - Other, please specify - Specify: Direct Engagement with Suppliers
|
No response provided
|
Employees,
NGOs,
Customers,
Regulators,
Local communities,
Indigenous peoples,
Investors,
Suppliers
|
Yes
|
Akamai's management of water-related issues is governed by our ISO 14001-compliant Environmental Management System (EMS) Identification Our EMS provides a structured process for identifying water-related dependencies, impacts, and risks across our value chain. Through periodic reviews of our operational footprint and supplier engagement, we identify all key points of interaction with water resources. Assessment Our assessment is multi-faceted: we use the World Resources Institute (WRI) Aqueduct tool to map our global sites against regions of high water stress. We then conduct annual assessments with data center suppliers in these prioritized regions to gather site-specific data on cooling systems and water consumption. The findings from this process inform our risk management and determine which suppliers are integrated into our ISO 14001 environmental audit process. Dependencies Our global operations and supply chain are dependent on the availability of water. Water is a critical resource, primarily used for cooling the networking equipment in data centers that power our global platform. The continuity of our services relies on our partners' consistent access to water for these cooling systems. Impacts Our primary impact on water resources is the indirect withdrawal and consumption for cooling at leased data centers where we lack direct operational control. This makes data collection challenging and necessitates a collaborative assessment approach with our facility partners to understand our shared footprint. Risks The primary water-related risk to our business is the physical risk of water stress and scarcity in certain regions where we and our suppliers operate. Increasing water stress, exacerbated by climate change, could lead to operational disruptions at our data centers or interruptions in our supply chain, potentially affecting service reliability and increasing operating costs. Opportunities Our approach to managing water risk creates opportunities for enhancing operational resilience, innovation, and corporate stewardship. Value Chain Efficiency: We collaborate with our data center partners, actively encouraging them to adopt advanced, water-efficient cooling technologies like air, liquid, and hybrid systems to reduce our collective water dependency. Direct Action and Innovation: At facilities under our operational control, we lead by example through innovations like the rainwater harvesting system at our headquarters and the use of water-free, free-air cooling at our Akamai-Owned Data Centers. Community Investment: We contribute to water security beyond our direct footprint through initiatives like the Akamai Water Incubation and Acceleration Program in India, which supports innovative startups working to solve the country's water crisis.
|