We recently joined the Science Based Targets initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our data centers. We have registered for the most ambitious goal, which is to limit global warming to 1.5°C. We are the first Belgian data center company to join SBTi and the tenth Belgian company to subscribe to the most ambitious climate objective.

Sustainability is important to LCL

LCL has always considered sustainability to be of paramount importance. In January 2021, we co-founded the Climate Neutral Data Center Pact, in support of the European Green Deal. We are now adding another objective: To limit global warming to 1.5°C through SBTi.

Our commitment also benefits our customers, as their servers and telecom infrastructure are hosted by us. So with this new, ambitious step, we are also helping our customers to work more sustainably.

Subscribe to SBTi to make a difference

Science Based Target initiative provides targets that are defined on a scientific basis. These targets are in line with what science is telling us is needed to meet the Paris Climate Agreement targets of limiting global warming to well below 2°C, or 1.5°C.

Determine objectives with an independent research company

In order to be able to put achievable goals first, we enlisted the services of the independent engineering firm Encon. The agency helped us make calculations based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Value Chain Standard to map our emissions. The GHG Protocol looks at three different scopes: direct emissions (e.g. diesel consumption, refrigerant use, etc.), indirect emissions (e.g. purchased electricity, etc.) and indirect emissions in upstream (e.g. transport of the cleaning team, purchased goods, etc.) and downstream activities (e.g. waste treatment).

Mieke Germonprez, Quality Manager at LCL: ‘After we performed the calculations for our data centers, we found that LCL was already scoring quite high. For example, we buy a lot of green energy and generate our own energy with solar panels. Obviously, there are still areas for improvement. For LCL, we are looking at this mainly in the longer term, and becoming even more sustainable, rather than going for "quick gains”. Sustainable investments are not only good for our current economic situation, but also for our future. This is how we address climate change and consider future generations.’

Pioneering role in the Belgian data center world

We are the first Belgian data center company to join SBTi and the tenth Belgian company to subscribe to the most ambitious climate objective. There are currently 2,200 companies worldwide registered with the Science Based Targets initiative.

‘We want to set an example for other Belgian and European data center players. We are working hard to this end. We have committed ourselves to the environment by signing up for SBTi's most ambitious target. This gives us a clear goal that we will all work towards together. It will certainly be a challenge, but that keeps us sharp and focused,' concludes Laurens van Reijen, Managing Director of LCL.