Climate Change Data

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Climate Change
• Resource Efficiency
• Waste Reduction
• Water Conservation
• Renewable Energy
• Sustainable Workplaces
• Empowering Users with Technology

Environmental Achievements

• Achieved carbon neutrality since 2007.
• Reduced carbon intensity per revenue and per FTE by more than 50% from 2009 to 2015.
• Data centers use 50% less energy than typical data centers.
• Six data centers achieved 100% landfill diversion (with a goal of Zero Waste to Landfill).
• Diverted 84% of waste from global data center operations in 2015 (86% in 2016 YTD).
• Reached 44% renewable energy in 2015 (over 50% in 2016), with a goal of 100% in 2017.
• Invested $2.5 billion in renewable energy projects.

Social Achievements

• Launched Portico, an online tool for selecting healthy building materials.
• Implemented green transportation programs (shuttles, electric vehicles) saving 29,000 tCO2e in 2015.
• Reduced potable water consumption per Googler by 30% at Bay Area headquarters from 2013 to 2015.
• Reduced food waste in Bay Area cafes by nearly 200,000 kg in 2015 (over 475,000 kg in 2016 YTD).

Governance Achievements

• Achieved multi-site ISO 50001 and ISO 14001 certifications for data centers.
• Publicly reported carbon footprint annually to CDP, receiving an “A” score for three years and a spot on CDP’s A List in 2015 and 2016.
• Advocated for strong clean energy and climate change policies at various levels.

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Meeting the growing demand for computing while minimizing environmental impact.
• Water scarcity, particularly in drought-prone regions.
• Transitioning to a circular economy and achieving Zero Waste to Landfill.
• Ensuring additionality and cost-competitiveness of renewable energy purchases.

Mitigation Strategies

• Aggressive energy efficiency initiatives in data centers and offices.
• Large-scale renewable energy purchases via PPAs and renewable energy tariffs.
• Implementation of free cooling techniques in data centers.
• Waste reduction strategies and improved waste diversion methods.
• Water conservation measures in offices and data centers.
• Investing in high-quality, third-party-verified carbon offsets.

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Not disclosed

Responsible Procurement

• Requiring transparency about material content of building products.
• Using Portico to select healthy materials.

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks

• Drought

Transition Risks

• Volatility in energy market prices.

Opportunities

• Growth of renewable energy sector.
• Cost savings from energy efficiency initiatives.

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: CDP, Greenhouse Gas Protocol

Certifications: ISO 14001, ISO 50001, LEED

Third-party Assurance: Third-party verified (Scope 1, 2, and part of Scope 3 emissions)

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• Not disclosed

Not disclosed

Sustainable Products & Innovation

• Pixel phone (UL 110 Platinum certified)
• Chromecast Ultra (50% recycled plastic)
• Google Home (20% recycled plastic)

Awards & Recognition

• CDP’s A List (2015, 2016)
• Green Power Leadership Award (Direct Project Engagement, EPA)
• Green Power Leadership Award (International Green Power Market Development, CRS)
• United Nations Momentum for Change award (Project Sunroof)

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Economic Development
• Social Advancement
• Environmental Sustainability

Environmental Achievements

• Invested more than $7 million (2021-2022) in Virginia towards carbon-free energy generation capacity.
• Achieved 60% carbon-free energy (CFE) in Virginia in 2022.
• Data center Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) at Google’s Loudoun County data centers was 1.09 in 2022 (0.46 improvement over the global industry average).

Social Achievements

• Google.org awarded $2.4 million in grants to Virginia communities (2019-2022) for STEM education, clean water access, disability employment training, and COVID-19 relief for minority-owned businesses.
• Provided $150,000 to the Loudoun Education Foundation for student Wi-Fi hotspots during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Invested ~$1.375 million in digital upskilling programs for 4,631 Virginia residents in 2021, leading to 188 new jobs and 87 pay raises.

Governance Achievements

• Not disclosed

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Light pollution from 24/7 video capture required by OSHA.
• Noise pollution from data center operations.
• Meeting the growing demand for digital infrastructure while minimizing environmental impact.

Mitigation Strategies

• Implementing thermal camera technology to reduce lighting needs.
• Adjusting cooling tower designs and conducting noise modeling to meet local ordinances.
• Investing in renewable energy, optimizing water and energy usage, and finding innovative ways to reuse or recycle waste.

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Not disclosed

Responsible Procurement

• Working with diverse-owned subcontractors; exceeding goal of $2.5 billion spend with diverse-owned suppliers in the US.

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks

• Not disclosed

Transition Risks

• Not disclosed

Opportunities

• Not disclosed

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: Null

Certifications: Null

Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• Not disclosed

Not disclosed

Sustainable Products & Innovation

• Not disclosed

Awards & Recognition

• Not disclosed

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Climate Change
• Circular Economy
• Water Stewardship
• Supply Chain
• Data Center Efficiency
• Renewable Energy
• Sustainable Workplaces
• Sustainable Products
• User Empowerment

Environmental Achievements

• Achieved 13 consecutive years of carbon neutrality (2007-2019)
• Matched 100% of annual electricity use with renewable energy for three consecutive years (2017-2019)
• Neutralized legacy carbon footprint since founding in 2020
• Reduced cumulative Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 59% since 2011
• Decreased carbon intensity per unit of revenue by 86% since 2011
• Diverted 90% of waste from global data center operations from landfills in 2019
• Achieved 71% landfill diversion rate for waste from offices globally in 2019
• Reduced Bay Area potable water intensity by 6.5% in 2019
• Made the largest sustainability bond issuance by any company in history ($5.75 billion in 2020)

Social Achievements

• Launched Your Plan, Your Planet, documenting over 300,000 pledges to reduce environmental impact by 2019
• Expanded Environmental Insights Explorer to over 100 cities in 2019
• Prevented nearly 4.2 million kilograms (9.2 million pounds) of food waste in cafes globally since 2014
• Saved more than 43,000 tCO2e emissions in 2019 through Google shuttles in the Bay Area
• Installed more than 3,400 electric vehicle charging ports at offices in the US and Canada by 2019
• Launched a science-based reforestation program in 2020

Governance Achievements

• Published product environmental reports for flagship consumer hardware products
• Maintained ISO 50001 energy management system certification for Google-owned data centers
• Achieved Alliance for Water Stewardship certification for office operations in 2020

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Intermittency of renewable energy sources (solar and wind)
• Growing demand for computing power
• Need to reduce Scope 3 emissions
• Water scarcity in some operating regions

Mitigation Strategies

• Developed a carbon-intelligent computing platform to shift non-urgent compute tasks to times of abundant low-carbon energy
• Investing in energy efficiency initiatives in data centers (achieving a PUE of 1.10 in 2019)
• Purchasing renewable energy to match 100% of annual electricity consumption
• Using high-quality carbon offsets for remaining emissions
• Implementing water-saving technologies and using reclaimed water
• Collaborating with suppliers to reduce emissions and improve sustainability practices

Supply Chain Management

Responsible Procurement

• Supplier Code of Conduct incorporating international human rights, safety, and environmental standards

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks

• Extreme weather events, flooding

Transition Risks

• Regulatory changes, market shifts

Opportunities

• Development of energy-efficient products and services
• Investment in renewable energy

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: CDP, GRI, TCFD

Certifications: LEED, ISO 50001, ENERGY STAR, EPEAT, UL 2799, ILFI Zero Carbon Certification, AWS

Third-party Assurance: Ernst & Young LLP

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
• Goal 13 (Climate Action)
• Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation)
• Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)
• Goal 15 (Life on Land)

Initiatives contribute to these goals through renewable energy procurement, emissions reductions, water stewardship, circular economy practices, and ecosystem restoration

Sustainable Products & Innovation

• Nest thermostats
• Pixel phones with recycled materials
• Nest products with recycled plastics

Awards & Recognition

• CDP Climate Change A List (7 consecutive years)
• Green Power Leadership Award (2019)
• Number one on Carbon Clean 200 (2019)

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Climate Change
• Circular Economy
• Water Stewardship

Environmental Achievements

• Achieved 81% waste diversion from global data center operations.
• Matched 100% of electricity consumption with renewable energy purchases for the fourth consecutive year.
• Reduced total transportation emissions of Google hardware products by 38% per metric ton shipped from 2019 to 2020.
• Reduced cumulative GHG emissions by 63% from 2011 to 2020 compared to a business-as-usual scenario.
• Decreased carbon intensity per unit of revenue by 87% from 2011 to 2020.
• Became the first major company to be carbon neutral for its entire operating history (compensated for legacy carbon footprint).

Social Achievements

• Prevented nearly 4.4 million kg (9.7 million lbs) of food waste in cafés globally from 2014 to 2020.
• Expanded take-back program to all 32 countries where Made by Google products are shipped.
• Installed more than 3,600 EV charging ports at offices in the US and Canada from 2017 to 2020.

Governance Achievements

• Maintained ISO 50001 energy management system certification for Google-owned data centers.
• Published product environmental reports for all flagship consumer hardware products launched in 2020.

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Reducing single-occupancy vehicle commuting at Bay Area headquarters.
• Achieving Living Building Challenge Certification for Bay Area campuses.
• Helping more than 500 cities reduce 1 gigaton of carbon emissions annually by 2030.
• Helping 1 billion people make more sustainable choices through core products by 2022.

Mitigation Strategies

• Working towards reducing single-occupancy vehicle commuting and providing EV charging stations.
• Working towards Living Building Challenge certifications for Charleston East and Bay View campuses.
• Providing Environmental Insights Explorer tool to cities for climate action planning.
• Offering multiple ways to make sustainable choices through Google products like Maps and Flights.

Supply Chain Management

Responsible Procurement

• Use of recycled materials in Made by Google products.

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: Greenhouse Gas Protocol

Certifications: ISO 50001, LEED, UL 2799 Zero Waste to Landfill

Third-party Assurance: Ernst & Young LLP

Sustainable Products & Innovation

• Nest thermostats
• Pixel 5 (with recycled aluminum)