Hitachi Vantara has released its FY2024 Sustainability Report, offering a comprehensive look at the company’s continued progress in environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals. As the data infrastructure and hybrid cloud subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd, the company’s second annual report highlights a series of measures aimed at reducing carbon emissions, improving energy efficiency and supporting customer sustainability. This latest update builds on the groundwork set in its inaugural 2023 report and showcases new product certifications, operational improvements and customer success stories.
With demand for data processing and artificial intelligence growing rapidly, the energy requirements of data centres are also on the rise. According to a 2024 US Department of Energy report, data centres accounted for 4% of the country’s electricity usage in the past year, a figure projected to triple by 2028. The Hitachi Vantara report positions its energy-efficient infrastructure as a key solution, balancing high performance with sustainability.
Chief Executive Officer Sheila Rohra commented, “We’re proud of the progress we’ve made since our inaugural Sustainability Report, but we know the journey doesn’t end there. Our focus remains on highlighting how sustainability, particularly in the data centre, can be both a key driver of innovation and a business differentiator – from reducing carbon emissions to helping businesses achieve energy savings, enhance operational efficiency and meet their broader sustainability goals.”
Key achievements in energy and material sustainability
The FY2024 report outlines a number of significant milestones in Hitachi Vantara’s sustainability journey. Several of the company’s storage systems achieved ENERGY STAR certification, with its Virtual Storage Platform One Block (VSP One Block) earning the top ranking in the ENERGY STAR NVSS Disk Online 4 category for energy efficiency.
In Europe, Hitachi Vantara’s solar-powered distribution centre in the Netherlands now generates about 30% of its electricity on-site using solar energy. The remainder is sourced through verified Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs), allowing the facility to operate entirely on renewable energy.
On the materials front, the company reported that 40% of the materials used in the bezels of its VSP One Block and File storage models are made from post-consumer recycled plastics. These components are flame-resistant and comply with safety standards. Hitachi Vantara aims to raise this recycled content to 50% by FY2030, expanding use to include biomass-based parts and drive canisters, alongside continued IT equipment recycling.
The company also provided energy usage statistics for FY2024, noting a total consumption of 78,211 MWh, with 35% of this coming from renewable sources like wind and solar. A major update at its Denver data centre helped cut energy usage by 50%, lowering the Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) from 1.6 to 1.3 through better airflow management and infrastructure consolidation.
Customer impact and new sustainability commitment for FY2025
Beyond internal operations, Hitachi Vantara is supporting global customers in their sustainability efforts. In Italy, pasta manufacturer La Molisana adopted the VSP One Block system, achieving a 30% reduction in energy use and a 2.5 times improvement in response time. “Sustainability was an important factor in our selection of VSP One Block,” said Maurizio Maio, CIO of La Molisana. “Although the energy consumption of our data centre is relatively low compared to our manufacturing operations, we are keen to implement eco-friendly IT solutions. The energy-efficient VSP One Block aligns perfectly with our vision.”
In India, Malayala Manorama saw a 66% reduction in rack space and a 70% drop in power and cooling costs following the implementation of new infrastructure. Estonia’s telecom company Elisa Eesti also reported a threefold increase in energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions after modernising its storage with Hitachi Vantara’s Virtual Storage Platform.
Looking ahead, Hitachi Vantara has introduced its first major commitment for FY2025: a Sustainability Guarantee tied to its storage platform offerings. Available with VSP One, the initiative allows businesses to monitor and optimise energy usage with an assured maximum power consumption target, helping them stay on track with sustainability goals.
