How will the dcently ESG playbook work?
The dcently ESG playbook will work from two complementary perspectives:
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Companies assess their own operations on data center level against the dcently ESG playbook, gaining a clear view of their performance and identifying where to improve. They commit to measurable improvement plans and share their progress transparently.
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The idea is that tan independent, AI-assisted layer analyzes publicly available data and disclosures to evaluate how organizations perform and communicate in practice compared to the dcently ESG Playbook.
Together, these perspectives create a completer and more trustworthy picture—combining internal insight with external validation to drive transparency and continuous improvement across the industry.
The dcently network will launch in the fall of 2026 and continue to evolve as long as it creates value for the industry.
The work will develop in three phases: Foundation, Definition, and Innovation.
1.
Foundation
The start is all about getting to know each other, finding common grounds and launching the dcently Sustainability award. Launch the network at DCD London – meet in person and get to know each other
Thematic deep-dives sharing experience and best practice (E, S, and G digital sessions).
Launch The dcently Sustainability Award and the framework of the playbook.
2.
Definition
We take the next steps towards compiling best practice, identifying solutions, and finding a way forward for the industry.Identifying solutions and gaps to continue building the Sustainability playbook for the industry
Define the best practice of the data center value chain and procurement criteria.
Global workshops to identify “Best-in-Class” solutions.
The dcently Sustainability Award.
3.
Innovation
We will share the best innovations across the business and collaborate across the value chains for a more transparent and caring digital future.Workstreams to innovate based on the insights of the playbook
The dcently Sustainability Award.
The ecosystem
dcently works by bringing together the full value chain to define and share what “good” looks like—from operators and engineers to buyers, scientists, and policy voices.
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From operators and engineers to buyers, scientists, and policy voices. Here is the ecosystem of dcently, shaping the caring data centers of the future.
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The Guardians — Sustainability and ESG leaders
Driving compliance, benchmarking, and accountability. -
The Architects — Product and technical leaders
Designing for circularity, efficiency, and heat reuse. -
The Anchors — Academia and research institutions
Validating methodologies and ensuring scientific integrity. -
The Enablers — Hardware and infrastructure providers
Shaping the technologies that will define the next generation of data centers. -
The Drivers — Hyperscalers and enterprise customers
Setting requirements and influencing demand at scale.
“We saw a need in the industry”
dcently was founded by the two Swedes Cecilia Hjertzell and Johanna Flood after realizing the data center industry was missing something important: a collaborative space for sustainability professionals to connect, share best practices, openly discuss challenges, and drive real progress together.
With backgrounds spanning sustainability, energy, IT, communications, and the data center value chain, they saw a growing need for a more holistic and collaborative approach to ESG in digital infrastructure.
Their vision for dcently is to bring the industry together to build a shared sustainability playbook — created by the industry, for the industry.
Founder, dcently
Cecilia Hjertzell has worked with sustainability, branding, and communication within the IT and telecom industry for decades. Her background includes brand strategy at Telia Nordic, sustainable IT initiatives, and stakeholder engagement across the technology sector.
She was also part of founding the CIOCO2 Network, is a trained Climate Reality Leader, and currently serves as Chair of Ocean Community Nordic.
Through her work, Cecilia has seen the growing need for stronger collaboration, transparency, and shared sustainability standards within the rapidly expanding data center industry.
Cecilia Hjertzell
Founder, dcently
Johanna Flood has a background in sustainability and environmental leadership within the industrial, energy, and data center sectors, including roles at ABB and Hitachi Energy.
Over the past several years, she has worked as a senior sustainability consultant in Sustainabler in the data center industry, supporting companies such as EcoDataCenter and atNorth with ESG strategy and sustainability initiatives.
Through her work across the data center value chain, she identified a growing need for greater collaboration and shared sustainability standards within digital infrastructure.