Digital Realty sustainability score: 41/100
Digital Realty owns, develops and operates data centres and sells colocation and interconnection services. Almost all of its US$6.11B revenue in 2025 came from rental and other services.
More about Digital Realty
Digital Realty Trust, Inc. was incorporated in Maryland in 2004 and operates as a real estate investment trust for US tax purposes. It had 4,282 full-time employees at 31 December 2025.
Founded 2004Head office Dallas, United StatesStaff ~4,282 full-time (year-end, 31 December 2025)Revenue ~US$6.11B (2025)Website ↗
Digital Realty reported 1,935,624 tCO2e across Scopes 1, 2 and 3 in 2025, down from 2,849,402 t in 2023, which its report puts mainly down to renewable procurement. Over that period Scope 3 rose 14% and electricity use 15.8%. It claims 93% renewable electricity. A report chart shows retail renewable supply 28%, green tariffs 23%, customer-sourced renewables 15%, PPAs 13% and unbundled certificates 11%; the share of retail supply and tariffs resting on certificates is not given. SBTi lists Scope 1 and 2 down 42% by 2030, with no net-zero target in that entry. A French prefect issued a formal notice in 2023 over refrigerant leaks at its Interxion France site in Marseille.
Digital Realty scores 41/100 (Below expectations) on SINK's independent climate assessment, scored from public data only. Scores are free. Companies can never pay for anything about their own score. Last verified November 2026.
That places Digital Realty joint 395th of 994 companies scored, and 20th of 39 in Construction / Real Estate.
What is Digital Realty doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Carbon Footprint: Operations and Carbon Footprint: Supply Chain (8/10, 8/10). Weakest on Emissions Trajectory and Nature & Biodiversity Impact (3/10, 3/10).
Where Digital Realty lost points
For each question that lost points, the evidence our public rubric looks for that we didn't find.
- Emissions from its own operations8/10No verified figures published with their method and a falling trend.
- Emissions from its supply chain8/10Its Scope 3 emissions aren't fully verified or falling year on year.
- Whether its emissions are falling3/10No evidence its emissions are falling, not even from energy bills or mileage.
- How clean its energy is6/10Less than 90% of its energy shown to be renewable.
- Its effect on nature3/10No assessment of its effect on nature, and no basic environmental policy.
- How it uses materials and handles waste4/10No measurable waste or recycling targets reported publicly.
- Its effect on water5/10No measured water footprint with reduction targets.
- Its climate targets7/10Its targets aren't validated by the Science Based Targets initiative.
- How openly it reports7/10No annual impact report, or no pay linked to climate targets.
- Its record on controversies5/10Points deducted for controversies or its business model. The finding is under question 10.
A score changes when the evidence does. We use new published evidence at the next rescore. Anyone can send us new evidence, free. How to send it.
How is Digital Realty's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleWhat evidence is Digital Realty's score based on?
12 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
0% of them were published by Digital Realty itself; the rest come from independent sources.
Scope 2, 2025: market-based 463,239 t, location-based 3,616,208 t. The score uses market-based.
12 of 12 sources are independent of the company.
“745 kg de fluide frigorigene R134A depuis 2021”
“De nombreuses fuites de fluide frigorigene ont eu lieu sur des installations d'Interxion depuis la mise en service du data-center”
“diesel-powered generators, which provide emergency back-up power at most of our facilities”
“Approximately 32% of DLR's water consumption is sourced from regions experiencing high or extremely high-water stress”
“A stockholder proposal regarding enhanced water risk disclosure. Votes For Votes Against Abstentions Broker Non-Votes 69,757,155 240,748,354”
“highlighted concerns about the effects of discharging these hot waters into the marine environment”
“The three facilities all utilize river cooling”
“called for reporting on region-level water metrics”
“Digital Realty commits to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 42% by 2030 from a 2023 base year.”
“Scope 2: market-based 463,239 948,175 1,547,989”
If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.
Is this your company? Claim this profile (free)
Use this score in tenders
Send the link, or the one-page score sheet. It links back to this page and every source. Free.
Open the score sheet →Send new evidence, free
Scored low because little is published? Publish what you do and send us the link, free. If it holds up, your score changes, and the change is logged on your page.
How to send evidence →Put your score on your website, free
It shows the current score and links to this page, so it changes when the score does.
Track this score
Bidding for a public contract? Check if you need a Carbon Reduction Plan, free →
Want your own page like this?
Free, independent, every source shown. Send it to any buyer who asks about your sustainability.
How does Digital Realty compare with other construction / real estate companies?
Where Digital Realty sits among construction / real estate peers.
Among the 39 major construction / real estate brands we've scored, Digital Realty sits 20th of 39.
Who scores higher in Construction / Real Estate?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above Digital Realty.
Saint-Gobain has achieved credible Scope 1+2 reductions and SBTi net-zero validation, but material weaknesses undercut the narrative: documented PFAS contamination causing thousands of wells' poisoning and ongoing class actions, modest Scope 3 ambition at 16%, and biodiversity disclosure lacking quantified footprint data.
See the breakdown →Taylor Wimpey has strong climate targets (SBTi-validated, net zero by 2045) and operational carbon reporting, but supply chain emissions remain 99% of its footprint with only modest reductions.
See the breakdown →British Land discloses comprehensively on carbon and energy, with SBTi-validated absolute Scope 1&2 targets and near-100% renewable procurement.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
One email, every Sunday. Score changes, new research, the stories behind the numbers. Free.
We'll send one email to confirm. No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.
Checking a company?
Search free →Asked to prove you're sustainable?
Get your business scored, free →Been scored?
Find your page and claim it, free →Scores are free. Companies can never pay for anything about their own score.