The past twelve months have been a period of remarkable change for the data centre industry. 

The acceleration of AI has brought data centres firmly into the public spotlight. Once largely invisible to the public, the infrastructure behind our digital lives is now the subject of increasing media attention and public debate, with growing questions about energy use, water consumption, environmental impact and the role data centres should play in our communities. As an industry, we are stepping into a new era of growth – and with that comes a greater responsibility to our people, our communities and our planet. These responsibilities have always mattered, but as the scale and importance of digital infrastructure grows, they matter more than ever. 

At Kao Data, we believe that growth and sustainability must go hand in hand. 

Today, we are pleased to publish our 2025–26 ESG Report, which sets out the progress we have made over the past year and, perhaps more importantly, the standards we continue to set ourselves as we grow. 

For me, this report is about more than reporting on our environmental, social and governance performance. It is an opportunity to look honestly at how we operate, where we are making progress, and where we must continue to challenge ourselves. 

It is also a reflection of the values that have been part of Kao Data since our inception.  

Sustainability at the heart of AI infrastructure 

One of the defining themes of the past year has been the rapid increase in compute density. When I attended NVIDIA’s GTC 2026, one phrase particularly stayed with me: “Scale in Every Direction.”  That is exactly what we are seeing across our industry. 

AI workloads are driving demand for higher-density computing, which in turn is changing the requirements for power, cooling, water and the wider infrastructure surrounding the data hall. 

Our response cannot simply be to build more. We need to build smarter, more efficiently and crucially – more sustainably. 

That principle is demonstrated through our latest development at our Harlow campus, KLON-03, where we have incorporated advanced water-efficient cooling technologies designed for the requirements of high-density AI workloads. 

The facility is designed to significantly increase compute capacity while improving water and power efficiency – demonstrating our belief that AI-ready infrastructure can also be resource-efficient infrastructure. 

The report explores this approach in greater detail, including our progress against our environmental commitments and the metrics we use to measure our performance. 

Powering growth responsibly 

Energy has also been central to the conversation around AI over the past year. As the UK’s ambitions for AI and digital infrastructure grow, access to sufficient, scalable and renewable power will be one of the defining challenges. 

I am proud to say that at Kao Data, we are taking a long-term view. 

Our agreement with Downing Renewable Developments to develop a 40MW solar PV farm serving our Harlow campus is an important part of our strategy to strengthen energy resilience and increase access to renewable power. 

It is one example of how we are seeking to integrate sustainability into the way we design and operate our platform, rather than treating it as a separate consideration. 

People, safety and communities 

Of course, ESG is about much more than energy and emissions. It is about our people, our customers, our partners and the communities in which we operate. 

Throughout 2025–26, we continued to strengthen our health, safety and environmental performance, including delivering a comprehensive programme of HSE training with our FM partners, CBRE. This contributed to a 96.4% mandatory core training completion rate, with 183 hours of training recorded through CBRE systems. 

We have also continued to invest in the people and communities around us. 

Our multi-award winning, hyperlocal initiative – the Kao SEED Fund continues to support community-led initiatives and sustainability projects, helping us build meaningful relationships and create positive impact in the communities around our sites. 

Meanwhile our Critical Careers initiative continues to champion greater diversity and inclusion across digital infrastructure, while the Kao Academy is helping introduce younger people to the career opportunities within the data centre industry. 

These programmes are a fundamental part of what sustainability means to us. 

Looking beyond the numbers 

Publishing an ESG report is an important moment for any business, but for me, its value lies in what happens beyond publication. 

It gives us the opportunity to hold ourselves accountable. 

The data and progress contained within this year’s report provide a snapshot of where we are today, but they also help define where we need to go next. 

As the demand for AI infrastructure continues to accelerate, so too does our responsibility to ensure that the infrastructure supporting it is resilient, efficient and sustainable. 

The industry’s growth brings enormous opportunity – but it also brings new responsibilities. Our responsibility to our people, to the communities in which we operate and to the planet on which we depend must remain at the heart of how we respond to that growth. 

Sustainability has always been more than a buzzword at Kao Data. It is part of our DNA, lived every day by our people through The Kao Way. 

As the industry enters this next chapter, we believe that building the infrastructure for the future of AI means taking those responsibilities with us – and continually raising the standard for what responsible growth looks like. 

I invite you to read our 2025–26 ESG Report and explore the work we are doing to build a more sustainable, responsible and resilient platform for the future of AI.