Western Digital released its FY2025 Annual Sustainability Report. As AI systems scale, so does the volume of data they generate and retain, making storage infrastructure both foundational and increasingly energy-intensive. WD is addressing this challenge by delivering storage solutions designed for efficiency at scale and integrating sustainability into the core of how AI data infrastructure is built and operated.
The explosive growth of AI demands a new standard for responsible infrastructure. By increasing storage density and improving energy efficiency per terabyte, WD enables customers to scale AI infrastructure with lower environmental impact and more efficient economics. As a strategic storage infrastructure partner for the world’s largest cloud providers, WD is redefining the data centre’s footprint through high-density HDD innovation that prioritises energy efficiency and long-term durability. WD’s commitment extends beyond the product by actively decarbonising the AI value chain through reducing GHG emissions, optimising energy and water usage, diverting waste, and recovering critical materials. For the hyperscalers, cloud providers, and enterprises building the future of AI, WD provides the scale they require and the integrity they demand.
Advancing decarbonisation, circularity, responsible business practices:
In FY2025, WD delivered measurable progress across both its operations and the efficiency of its storage solutions, helping customers manage the environmental impact of AI infrastructure at scale. Here are a few highlights:
- As of FY2025, five of its sites are running on 100% carbon free energy, achieving overall 66% renewable across the global sites and making steady progress toward its goal of carbon-free energy by FY2030.
- Since FY2020, WD has realised a reduction in emissions intensity in customers’ use of products by 31%, on an emissions per petabyte basis, supporting both customers’ and its own emissions reduction goals.
- WD added new recycled content targets of 43% in enterprise HDD products and 72% in enterprise HDD packaging by FY2030. In FY2025 alone, the company already achieved 36–38% recycled content in product and 74% in packaging for enterprise HDDs, exceeding the packaging goal ahead of schedule.
- The company expanded its Scope 3 decarbonisation commitments with a new goal to reduce direct materials emissions by 20% by FY2030 from a FY2024 baseline, while advancing supplier engagement and capacity building to drive meaningful progress on emissions reduction across its supply chain.
- WD earned a CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) “A-” leadership level rating in climate and was named one of America’s Greenest Companies by Newsweek 2026, demonstrating best practices on environmental sustainability performance and transparency.
- As a first in the U.S., WD spearheaded the Advanced Recovery and Rare Earth Material Capture Programme with Microsoft, Critical Materials Recycling, and PedalPoint to recover rare earth materials from obsolete hard drives historically lost to e-waste and landfills, achieving a 90% rare earth capture rate during its pilot phase. As announced today, this programme was recognised with an Environment + Energy Leader Award in the Environmental Impact category.
- WD published its FY2025 Climate Risk Report, committing to transparently disclose climate-related risks and opportunities, and detailing climate scenario analysis findings and its approach to managing relevant risks within WD’s enterprise risk management framework.
- WD was named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for the 8th consecutive year by Ethisphere.
“As AI drives unprecedented growth in data, the challenge isn’t just storing more – it’s doing so efficiently at scale. At WD, we’re focused on delivering storage infrastructure that enables that growth while minimising environmental impact and improving long-term efficiency,” said Jackie Jung, WD’s new Chief Sustainability Officer. “From recovering rare earth materials that would otherwise be lost, to driving accountability across our supply chain and operating with the highest ethical standards, every action we take reflects our commitment to being a trusted partner for our customers, our communities, and our planet. We are proud of this year’s progress and remain determined to raise the bar as we progress in our journey to help make AI more sustainable and efficient.”
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