In a year when climate responsibility and inclusive growth are commanding boardroom attention like never before, Nxtra by Airtel, the data centre subsidiary of Bharti Airtel, has released its Sustainability Report for FY 2024–25 and the numbers tell a story of ambition backed by action.
The report underscores Nxtra’s three pronged strategy: minimising environmental impact, advancing social inclusion, and ensuring governance with transparency. From cutting carbon emissions to reshaping the workforce and building resilient supply chains, Nxtra appears determined to set new benchmarks for India’s digital infrastructure industry.
A Stronger Green Footprint
Nxtra reduced 188,507 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions in FY25, a 15% improvement over the previous year. Nearly 49% of the energy consumed across its core facilities came from renewable sources, a significant step in an industry notorious for heavy energy demands. The company has also contracted 482,800 MWh of renewable energy sourcing—triple its baseline of 2021.
Perhaps most notably, Nxtra became the first data centre player in India and the 14th company nationally to join the RE100 initiative, committing to run entirely on renewable energy in the years ahead. This move not only puts Nxtra in a small league of global sustainability leaders but also raises the bar for competitors in the fast-growing Indian data centre market.
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Complementing this transition to cleaner energy is the deployment of artificial intelligence at scale to drive energy efficiency. By reducing average Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) by 10% compared to FY21, Nxtra is signaling how digital infrastructure can become both smarter and greener.
A People-First Approach
Beyond emissions and energy metrics, the report highlights Nxtra’s focus on building a diverse and engaged workforce. Under its NxtWave initiative, the company grew its women workforce by 130% in FY25. At a time when gender diversity remains a challenge in India’s tech infrastructure sector, this surge underscores Nxtra’s intent to not only hire but also create opportunities for women in mission-critical roles.
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The company also reported an employee engagement score of 85/100, a strong signal of trust and alignment between the leadership and its workforce.
Supply Chain and Safety
Nxtra’s sustainability push goes deeper than its own operations. The company reported that 99% of its suppliers were India-based, strengthening local economies while ensuring resilience in the value chain. To build accountability, 98% of strategic suppliers underwent ESG assessments, embedding sustainability into procurement practices.
On the safety front, Nxtra ensured 6.15 million safe person-hours in construction projects, reflecting its focus on occupational health and workplace well-being.
A Broader Industry Signal
Ashish Arora, CEO of Nxtra by Airtel, framed sustainability as a core business imperative. “At Nxtra, sustainability is a core business imperative embedded into every design, build and operation decision we make” he noted, emphasising that joining RE100 and leveraging AI at scale mark industry first moves.
Nxtra’s report comes at a time when India’s data economy is expanding rapidly, fuelled by 5G, cloud adoption, and AI-led enterprises. The challenge for the sector is balancing scale with sustainability—and Nxtra’s FY25 performance offers a blueprint for how digital infrastructure can grow without leaving a heavier footprint.
For Airtel’s Nxtra, the story is no longer just about powering India’s digital future it is about doing so responsibly, inclusively, and sustainably.
