Cognizant — full event log
Every event we have on file across every reporting year. The Data-by-year tab summarises the top 10 per year; this page shows them all.
← back to Data by year2024· 8 events
Cognizant is upgrading HVAC systems across its India operations, including a pilot of AI-based chiller plant automation at a Chennai facility now being scaled to additional owned sites. An Enterprise Building Management System with AI for real-time insights has also been deployed in Chennai. Over 60% of owned office space in India is LEED-certified by IGBC. These measures delivered 6,011 tCO2e of estimated annual savings in 2024 (HVAC) plus 577 tCO2e from lighting retrofits.
sustainability_report p.249
Business travel represented 18% of 2024 total emissions. Cognizant reduced travel emissions by 9% in 2024 vs 2023, primarily targeting air travel. A new approach to managing associate travel data was implemented to identify inefficient travel practices. Renewable electricity sourcing also saved 3,760 tCO2e via Scope 2 market-based accounting. Travel policy changes are voluntary but governed under the net zero roadmap.
sustainability_report p.248
Cognizant maintains a fleet of over 600 electric vehicles for associate commuting and has installed EV charge points across its India offices. For Indian employees using Cognizant's travel portal, emissions are calculated from actual distance and vehicle fuel type. This initiative targets Scope 3 Category 7 (employee commuting) and is integrated into the net zero roadmap.
sustainability_report p.247
Purchased goods and services plus capital goods accounted for ~50% of Cognizant's 2024 emissions footprint. Cognizant has identified its top 150 suppliers by emission contribution, which collectively account for ~65% of supplier-generated emissions. New supplier contracts include a climate clause requiring SBTi-aligned targets within two years and annual CDP reporting of Scope 1 and 2 data. By end-2024, 53% of these suppliers had set science-based targets. Supplier-generated emissions declined 7% year-over-year in 2024.
sustainability_report p.87
Cognizant offers nine sustainability capability areas to clients including Net Zero Energy monitoring, Sustainable IT (green cloud), Sustainable Finance, ESG Reporting & Data, and Strategy & Consulting. A proprietary carbon footprint calculator provides project-level GHG accounting aligned to the GHG Protocol across all three scopes, enabling clients to replace spend-based estimates with more accurate data. In 2024, Cognizant expanded offerings to include sustainable finance, sustainability data reporting, sustainable buildings and infrastructure.
sustainability_report p.90
Cognizant is a RE100 member targeting 100% renewable electricity by 2026. In 2024, 46% of global electricity came from renewable sources (56% in India). The sourcing strategy combines: long-term physical PPAs with solar and wind developers in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra; on-site solar generation in Tamil Nadu and Kerala (1,267 MWh self-generated); retail green tariff procurement for leased properties; landlord engagement to switch to renewable electricity; and purchase of Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs). India dominates global electricity consumption and is the primary focus for scale-up.
sustainability_report p.230
Cognizant maintains annual third-party limited assurance by PwC under AICPA AT105 attestation standards for all Scope 1, 2 and Scope 3 reported categories, covering years 2019-2024.
sustainability_report p.129
Cognizant intends to offset all unabated emissions from 2030. The company has developed a set of principles to guide offset purchases aligned with credible standards and is monitoring availability of qualifying projects. At net zero year (2040), residual emissions will be neutralized with permanent carbon removals via purchased and cancelled carbon credits. No project-based credits were retired in the 2024 reporting year.
sustainability_report p.243
2023· 14 events
Cognizant committed to achieving 100% renewable electricity sourcing by 2026. Achieved 52% renewable electricity in India in 2023, up from 44% in 2022. Strategy includes PPAs for solar and wind, landlord engagement, green tariffs, and Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs).
sustainability_report p.112
Cognizant's base year (2019) and all past years (2019-2022) Scope 3 emissions were recalculated following the switch from Quantis 2016 to EPA EEIO 2023 emission factors. Affects Cat 1, 2, 4, and 6. Policy aligned with SBTi guidelines.
sustainability_report p.72
Cognizant obtained annual limited assurance from PwC for all Scope 1, 2 (both location and market-based), and Scope 3 emissions data under AICPA AT-C Section 105 attestation standards. 100% of reported emissions verified.
sustainability_report p.95
Cognizant intends to neutralize residual emissions (the ~10% remaining after 90% absolute reduction) with permanent carbon removals at the end of its 2040 net-zero target. The firm also plans to purchase and cancel carbon credits for neutralization at the end of the target period. Near-term, Cognizant states it will source high-quality, credibly certified carbon offsets as one of its decarbonization levers. No specific removal volumes or technologies (DAC, BECCS, biochar) are named; the firm does not intend to mitigate emissions beyond its value chain through other means.
sustainability_report p.133
Cognizant monitors associate commuting as a key Scope 3 Cat 7 source. In 2023, 176 electric vehicles were added to the transport fleet provided for associates commuting outside normal working hours. Commuting emissions fell 72% compared to the 2019 baseline, from 103,139 tCO2e to 28,967 tCO2e in 2023. The firm uses a distance-based methodology to calculate commuting emissions.
sustainability_report p.138
As companies seek to deliver on their net-zero goals, Cognizant sees growing demand for its decarbonisation services. The firm offers five capabilities: (1) Net zero pathways using machine-learning, digital twins, IoT; (2) Sustainability and ESG reporting; (3) Sustainable products and circular economy; (4) Sustainable manufacturing and operations; (5) Sustainable supply chains. Cognizant uses a proprietary Carbon Calculator Tool aligned to GHG Protocol across all 3 scopes to provide project-level emissions estimates for clients.
sustainability_report p.61
Cognizant uses its travel booking systems to identify reasons for travel, routes, airlines, and inefficient journeys, providing guidance to associates on avoiding unnecessary travel. In 2023, associates undertook over 11.5 million virtual meetings. Scope 3 Cat 6 business travel emissions were 95,230 tCO2e in 2023 (base year 2019: 251,346 tCO2e), driven by air travel and accommodation spend. The firm tracks both flight-based emissions (distance method) and other business travel (spend-based via ERP).
sustainability_report p.138
Cognizant has committed to achieving 100% renewable electricity sourcing by 2026 as part of its SBTi-validated net-zero goal. In 2023, 52% of electricity consumed in India came from renewable sources (up from 44% in 2022). The strategy focuses on: (1) long-term physical PPAs to source solar and wind-generated electricity for owned properties in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra; (2) engagement with landlords to source renewable electricity at leased properties; (3) sourcing electricity on green tariffs; and (4) purchasing Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs). Cognizant is a member of RE100.
sustainability_report p.112
In 2023, Cognizant changed Scope 3 emission factors for Categories 1, 2, 4 and 6 from 2016 Quantis factors to 2023 U.S. EPA EEIO factors. This change was retrospectively applied to 2019-2022 data.
sustainability_report p.98
Cognizant has an SBTi-validated net-zero target: reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 77% by 2030, reduce absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions 47% by 2030, and reduce absolute Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions 90% by 2040, from a 2019 base year. Net zero across value chain by 2040.
sustainability_report p.133
Cognizant is a signatory/member of RE100, SBTi (near- and long-term Net Zero goal validated), Race to Zero Campaign, The Climate Pledge, and UN Global Compact. Near and long term Net Zero goal has been validated by SBTi.
sustainability_report p.53
Cognizant is reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by delivering on its 100% renewable electricity sourcing goal and improving energy efficiency across offices and data centres. In India, HVAC upgrades (electronically commutated motors on AHUs, chiller retrofits, variable refrigerant volume units), LED lighting conversions, and modular UPS systems have been deployed. A new AI-enabled Enterprise Building Management System Platform was implemented in Chennai. Market-based Scope 1+2 totalled 76,566 tCO2e in 2023, a 0.31% intensity improvement versus prior year.
sustainability_report p.135
Purchased goods, services, and capital goods accounted for 49% of Cognizant's total emissions footprint in 2023. Cognizant identified the top 150 suppliers representing 72% of total supplier-generated emissions and is engaging them to set SBTi-validated reduction targets. In 2023, 39% of these suppliers had met the expectation (up from 18% in 2022). The firm has embedded target-setting and emissions disclosure expectations in new supplier contracts and targets 90% of top 150 suppliers to have set a science-based target by 2026.
sustainability_report p.137
In 2023, Cognizant changed the source of emission factors from 2016 Quantis emission factors to 2023 U.S. EPA Environmentally-Extended Input-Output (EEIO) emission factors. This was retrospectively applied to 2019-2022 data for Scope 3 Categories 1, 2, 4, and 6 (accommodation, car lease, relocation, transportation, travel management, and visa services).
sustainability_report p.72
2022· 3 events
Cognizant set SBTi-approved near-term (50% reduction in total Scope 1+2+3 by 2030 from 2019 base; 77% Scope 1+2, 47% Scope 3) and long-term targets (90% all scopes by 2040). Net zero target year 2040. Target date set 07/31/2022.
sustainability_report p.222
Cognizant committed to 100% renewable electricity sourcing by 2026, aligned with RE100 membership. Base year 2019 had 21% renewable electricity. In 2024 the company reached 46%.
sustainability_report p.239
Cognizant's near- and long-term science-based reduction targets were validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), as evidenced by the attached approval letter.
sustainability_report p.222
2021· 11 events
Cognizant joined RE100 and set a target to source 100% renewable energy or derivatives thereof for all global offices and facilities by 2026. Target is linked to Abs2 (100% reduction in Scope 2 market-based from 2019 baseline by 2026). Strategy initially focused on India PPAs and solar PV.
sustainability_report p.15
Cognizant plans to release 2019 baseline emissions (the formal net zero goal baseline) for the first time in August 2022, audited and assured by PwC. At time of CDP submission, base year emissions for most scopes/categories were not yet published.
sustainability_report p.12
In 2021, Cognizant added purchased goods and services (Cat 1) and capital goods (Cat 2) to its Scope 3 inventory. Prior to 2021, these categories were not included. This caused a 217.5% increase in Scope 1+2+3 per FTE intensity and 227.3% increase per revenue. Total Scope 3 reached ~1.19M tCO2e.
sustainability_report p.33
Cognizant is adopting a cloud-first approach, migrating workloads to the cloud and partnering with key data infrastructure providers to optimise its global data centre footprint. This initiative reduces Scope 2 (location- and market-based) and Scope 3 Category 8 (upstream leased assets, reported at 26,998 tCO2e). The three-pillar approach covers cloud migration, data centre consolidation, and efficient IT resource management using data centre infra monitoring tools and intelligent power distribution units.
sustainability_report p.17
With over 330,000 associates globally, Cognizant recognises business travel as a material Scope 3 source (Cat 6: 38,353 tCO2e in 2021). The firm proactively evaluates travel frequency, leverages videoconferencing to support remote working, and engages associates to promote greener travel choices including alternative commuting options for India-based staff. Efforts to reduce business travel emissions are also dependent on client demands and airline industry decarbonisation. Employee commuting (Cat 7: 57,232 tCO2e) is also addressed through this lever.
sustainability_report p.17
Cognizant is engaging its top 150 suppliers—covering nearly 60% of procurement spend—to help them set net zero emissions reduction targets, addressing the dominant Scope 3 Category 1 (804,834 tCO2e) and Category 2 (220,137 tCO2e). Plans include supplier interviews, surveys, net zero training, integrating the Net Zero Goal into supplier RFPs and contracts, and implementing an automated platform for ongoing supplier emissions data capture and reporting. In 2021, the supply chain carbon emissions analysis using 2019 data was completed; full supplier engagement commences in 2022.
sustainability_report p.18
PwC provided limited assurance on Scope 1, Scope 2 market-based, and all disclosed Scope 3 categories for 2021. Standard used: AICPA AT105. 100% of reported emissions verified. Annual process.
sustainability_report p.34
Cognizant targets 100% renewable energy for all global offices and facilities by 2026, aligned with RE100. The strategy initially focused on India—where physical footprint and energy consumption are highest—using on-site photovoltaics (PV), Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with wind and solar developers, and Indian Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). By end of 2021, nearly half (47%) of energy in Indian buildings came from wind and solar sources. Solar and wind energy purchased through PPAs or energy contracts is treated as zero-emission under the market-based Scope 2 methodology. Where renewable energy cannot be obtained due to supply constraints or PPA thresholds, energy attribute certificates will be used.
sustainability_report p.32
Cognizant's net zero pathway allows for quality carbon offsets where absolute emissions reductions are not physically or financially viable, particularly for residual Scope 3 emissions (Cat 1, 6 and 7). The company is building an offsetting strategy to determine standards and project types. At the 2040 net zero target year, unabated emissions will be neutralised with permanent carbon removals—currently in the planning stages. No offsets were purchased in the 2021 reporting period (C11.2: No project-based credits originated or purchased).
sustainability_report p.15
Cognizant set a company-wide Net Zero Goal in 2021. Milestones: 2026 source 100% renewable energy; 2030 reduce absolute Scope 1+2+3 emissions 50% vs 2019 baseline; 2040 reduce 90% and offset remaining unavoidable emissions. Considered science-based and aligned with 1.5°C. Under SBTi review at time of submission.
sustainability_report p.15
Cognizant's large campuses in India are the primary driver of energy use and a key focus for absolute emissions reduction. The majority of buildings are LEED-certified. Operational controls include building management systems monitoring HVAC, lighting and power consumption; capacity optimisation of uninterrupted power supply systems; and technological upgrades including a chiller performance analytical tool. A Power Usage Efficiency (PUE) governance dashboard monitors data centre energy performance in real time. These efforts contributed to Scope 1+2 (market-based) declining and 47% renewable share in India by end of 2021.
sustainability_report p.16