Meta Platforms, Inc.
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2017-2022, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
Reporting Period: 2017-2022
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Water Stewardship
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced operational emissions by 94% from a 2017 baseline, achieving net-zero operational emissions since 2020.
- Achieved 100% renewable energy for global operations in 2020.
Social Achievements
- Not disclosed
Governance Achievements
- Not disclosed
Climate Goals & Targets
- Not disclosed
- Net-zero emissions across value chain by 2030
- Restore more water than used by 2030
- Not disclosed
Environmental Challenges
- Reducing Scope 3 emissions, which constitute the largest component of Meta's footprint.
- Managing water withdrawal in areas with water stress.
Mitigation Strategies
- Implementing various strategies to reduce Scope 3 emissions, including life cycle assessments (LCAs) and environmentally extended input-output (EEIO) analysis.
- Focusing on water restoration projects in watersheds where data centers are located, aiming for net-positive water by 2030.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Not disclosed
Responsible Procurement
- Not disclosed
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Not disclosed
Transition Risks
- Not disclosed
Opportunities
- Not disclosed
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD, GHG Protocol
Certifications: LEED, ISO 50001
Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Not disclosed
Awards & Recognition
- Not disclosed
Reporting Period: 2019
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Renewable Energy
- Water Stewardship
- Responsible Supply Chain
- Sustainable Data Centers
- Sustainable Workplaces
Environmental Achievements
- Achieved a 59 percent reduction in operational GHG emissions compared to 2017 levels.
- Achieved 86 percent renewable energy for operations.
- Contracted four new water restoration projects restoring 206,000 cubic meters of water per year in data center communities.
- Four US data center buildings earned LEED Gold certification; one in Sweden achieved LEED Platinum.
- Offset more than 100,000 metric tons of carbon emissions from employee business travel and air travel to major internal events.
Social Achievements
- Issued annual Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement.
- Partnered with World Water Week, training over 500 water stewardship practitioners.
- Created a new sustainable design program for new offices, leading to three LEED certifications.
- Hosted 40 Earth Week events across 25 global offices.
- Published a report quantifying the job and economic impact of data centers in Sweden and Denmark.
Governance Achievements
- Not disclosed
Climate Goals & Targets
- Not disclosed
- Support global operations with 100 percent renewable energy from 2020 onward.
- Reduce operational (Scope 1 and 2) greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent by 2020 (compared to 2017).
Environmental Challenges
- Climate change impacts and natural disasters.
- Water stress in certain regions.
- Minimizing environmental footprint of global supply chain.
Mitigation Strategies
- Science-based target of reducing operational (Scope 1 and 2) greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent by 2020 (compared to 2017).
- Climate risk assessment portfolio of 260 sites.
- Investing in water restoration projects.
- Working with suppliers to integrate climate resilience into their emergency planning and business continuity practices.
- Developing a framework of standards and expectations for suppliers, including the Responsible Business Alliance Code of Conduct.
- Proactive engagement with suppliers through dialogue, independent audits, and assessments.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Not disclosed
Responsible Procurement
- Responsible Business Alliance Code of Conduct
- Electronics Reuse and Recycling Standard
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Sea level rise
- Heat stress
- Typhoons
- Hurricanes
- Water stress
Transition Risks
- Not disclosed
Opportunities
- Not disclosed
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: Null
Certifications: LEED Gold (four US data centers), LEED Platinum (one Sweden data center)
Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Not disclosed
Awards & Recognition
- Ireland's Green Construction Award (Clonee data center)
Reporting Period: 2020
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Energy
- Water Management
- Operational Waste
- Responsible Supply Chain
- Human Rights & Labor
- Societal Impact of Products & Services
Environmental Achievements
- Achieved net zero emissions in operations by reducing GHG emissions by 94% from a 2017 baseline and supporting carbon removal projects.
- Achieved 100% renewable energy for global operations with over 2.8 GW of wind and solar projects online.
- Restored nearly 5.8 million cubic meters of water in high water-stress regions.
Social Achievements
- Deepened collaboration with priority suppliers to address labor, human rights, health, and safety issues.
- Launched the Climate Science Information Center and Climate Conversation Map to promote climate action.
- Completed first offices slated for WELL and Fitwel® certifications.
Governance Achievements
- Sustainability is embedded in Facebook’s business and governance structure; the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee of the Board of Directors receives updates.
Climate Goals & Targets
- Not disclosed
- Reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions across our value chain by 2030.
- Not disclosed
Environmental Challenges
- Supply chain disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Climate-related risks to facilities, data centers, and supply chain (wildfires, sea-level rise, water stress, floods, hurricanes, heat stress).
- Difficulty in reducing some emissions by 2030 requiring high-quality carbon removal projects.
Mitigation Strategies
- Deepened supplier engagement and capability building.
- Climate risk assessments for over 450 priority sites; development of a climate resilience toolkit.
- Investment in high-quality carbon removal projects (forestry projects in East Africa and the Mississippi River Valley).
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Not disclosed
Responsible Procurement
- Responsible Business Alliance Code of Conduct
- Facebook’s Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
- Facebook’s Conflict Minerals Policy
- Materials of Concern Standard
- Electronics Reuse and Recycling Standard
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Wildfires
- Sea-level rise
- Water stress
- Floods
- Hurricanes
- Heat stress
Transition Risks
- Changes to climate policies
- Technological risks
- Market risks
- Reputational risks
Opportunities
- Not disclosed
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: Greenhouse Gas Protocol
Certifications: LEED (multiple data centers), Green Mark (Singapore data center), ISO 50001 (EMEA campuses)
Third-party Assurance:
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
- 13 (Climate Action)
- 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation)
- 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)
- 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure)
- 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)
The report provides examples of how Facebook's initiatives contribute to these goals.
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Climate Science Information Center
- Climate Conversation Map
- Sustainable Business Program (EMEA)
Awards & Recognition
- 2020 Data Center Dynamics “Hyperscale Data Center Innovation Award”
Reporting Period: 2021
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Community Investment and Engagement
- Accessibility
- Access to Internet
- Data Privacy and Security
- Small Business Support
- Minimizing Spread of False Information
- Human Rights
- Human Capital/ Employee Relations/ Talent Development
- Employee Engagement
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
- Social and Environmental Justice
- Transparent Reporting
- Fair and Responsible Tax Practices
- Corporate Governance
- Trust and Integrity
- Competitive Behavior
- Public Policy Engagement and Advocacy
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Supplier Engagement and Responsible Sourcing
- ESG Product Solutions
- Content Governance
- Risk Management
- Responsible Product Design
Environmental Achievements
- Achieved 100% renewable energy in owned and leased data center facilities.
- Reduced GHG emissions intensity.
- Increased water recycling.
Social Achievements
- Invested in community projects.
- Supported small and medium-sized businesses.
- Implemented programs for employee well-being and flexible work.
Governance Achievements
- Established transparent policies to meet stakeholder expectations.
- Enhanced transparency, risk management, and communication.
- Engaged with governments and other stakeholders to promote a transparent business environment.
Climate Goals & Targets
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Environmental Challenges
- Managing Scope 3 emissions throughout Meta’s value chain.
- Addressing misinformation on Meta platforms.
- Balancing user privacy with government requests for data.
Mitigation Strategies
- Investing in renewable energy, carbon abatement, and carbon removal projects.
- Promoting access to educational materials and amplifying reliable content.
- Implementing stringent industry standards for privacy and data protection.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Not disclosed
Responsible Procurement
- Work with suppliers whose policies on social and environmental impact and DEI align with Meta’s; enforce and track supplier adherence to code of conduct.
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Not disclosed
Transition Risks
- Not disclosed
Opportunities
- Not disclosed
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI
Certifications: Null
Third-party Assurance: Meta’s greenhouse gas emissions are verified externally
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Not disclosed
Awards & Recognition
- Not disclosed
Reporting Period: 2022
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
Environmental Achievements
- Achieved net zero emissions in global operations in 2020 by reducing emissions by 94% from a 2017 baseline, primarily through 100% renewable energy in data centers and offices.
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 12.3 million metric tons of CO2e since 2018 through renewable energy commitments.
- Recycled 91% of construction waste in 2022, saving 157,000 tons of waste from landfills.
Social Achievements
- Launched Culinary Sustainability Program in 2021 to reduce the carbon intensity of food served in global cafes by 60% by 2030.
- Piloted a partnership with Climate Club in 2022 to enable Scope 3 GHG emissions reductions program with employee support.
Governance Achievements
- Publicly supported the clean energy and climate provisions within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
- Publicly supported the European Green Deal and joined the EU’s Climate Pact.
Climate Goals & Targets
- Net zero emissions across value chain by 2030.
- Reduce embodied carbon of workplace construction by 40% in 2030 from a 2019 baseline.
- Reduce carbon intensity of food served in global cafes by 60% in 2030 from a 2019 baseline.
- Reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% in 2031 from a 2021 baseline.
- Enable at least two-thirds of suppliers to set science-aligned GHG reduction targets by 2026.
- Not exceed 2021 baseline Scope 3 emissions by the end of 2031.
Environmental Challenges
- Emissions increased 46% in 2022 due to employees returning to offices and business growth outpacing decarbonization efforts.
- Difficulty in reducing emissions from hard-to-abate sectors by 2030.
- Limited supply of high-quality carbon removal projects to meet demand.
Mitigation Strategies
- Setting a science-aligned emissions reduction target to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% in 2031 and not exceed 2021 Scope 3 emissions by the end of 2031.
- Engaging with suppliers to reduce their emissions and set science-aligned targets.
- Investing in value chain emissions reduction projects and carbon removal projects.
- Working with partners to develop standards for reducing emissions from internet-connected devices.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: 114 suppliers engaged in 2022
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier engagement program, capacity-building training, GHG emissions accounting, target setting, and action planning.
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Not disclosed
Transition Risks
- Not disclosed
Opportunities
- Development of energy-efficient products and technologies.
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GHG Protocol
Certifications: Null
Third-party Assurance: Third-party verified
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Not disclosed
Awards & Recognition
- Not disclosed