Meta’s 2024 Sustainability Report: Ambition, Delivery, and the Real Impact of Water Positivity

Meta’s 2024 Sustainability Report, released this week, outlines the tech giant’s ongoing efforts to achieve net zero emissions across its value chain, become water positive, and match 100% of its electricity use with renewable energy. At first glance, the report demonstrates a continued commitment to ambitious environmental targets, with detailed disclosures on progress and challenges.

Key Highlights:

• Meta claims to have maintained net zero emissions for its operations since 2020.

• The company continues to invest in renewable energy, reporting that it matches 100% of its electricity use with renewables.

• New initiatives target water restoration and biodiversity, aiming to become water positive by 2030.

• The report includes transparency on Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, supply chain engagement, and community impact.

Critical Observations:

1. Ambition vs. Action: While Meta’s goals are bold, the report reveals incremental progress rather than transformative change. For example, the net zero achievement is largely attributed to high-quality carbon offsets and renewable energy credits, rather than deep decarbonisation of supply chains or product lifecycles.

2. Scope 3 Emissions and Value Chain Complexity: Like many tech giants, Meta’s greatest environmental impact lies in Scope 3 emissions—those generated by suppliers and users. The report acknowledges these challenges but offers limited detail on concrete strategies to influence suppliers or reduce downstream emissions at scale.

3. Transparency and Data Integrity: The report scores well on transparency, with clear data and third-party assurance. However, as with many corporate sustainability reports, there is a reliance on self-reported metrics and voluntary frameworks, rather than regulatory compliance or alignment with emerging standards like CSRD or TCFD.

4. Stakeholder Engagement: Meta highlights community partnerships and engagement, but the report is light on how stakeholder feedback shapes strategy or leads to course corrections. Genuine stakeholder dialogue is essential for credible, adaptive sustainability leadership.

   
   

Water Positivity in Action: A Standout Success

While much of Meta’s progress is incremental, its water positivity programme stands out as a genuine achievement. In 2024, Meta not only restored more water than it consumed in its data centre operations—particularly in high-stress regions—but also invested in community water projects with real, measurable benefits.

What’s impressive here?

• Meta’s projects restored millions of cubic metres of water to critical watersheds.

• Partnerships with local NGOs improved water quality and access for communities and ecosystems.

• Initiatives supported biodiversity and resilience, especially in drought-prone areas.

This isn’t just offsetting on paper—it’s a tangible, positive shift for a company whose data centres are famously water-intensive. Meta’s approach sets a positive example for the tech industry, showing how focused, local action can deliver measurable environmental and community impact.

Conclusion

Meta’s 2024 Sustainability Report is a mixed bag: bold ambitions and cautious delivery, but with a clear win in water stewardship. The big challenge remains: scaling up this kind of impact across all ESG dimensions, especially Scope 3 emissions and supply chain decarbonisation. For now, Meta’s water positivity programme is a rare bright spot—proof that with targeted investment and genuine engagement, major tech companies can make a real difference.