Environment

Managing our environmental impact is an essential element of our value proposition to our tenants and our commitment to sustainability. By deploying the latest renewable energy technologies and advanced battery storage systems and reducing energy usage as much as practicable, we can offer our tenants a more stable, resilient and efficient platform for their equipment’s power requirements. In addition, with hundreds of thousands of sites worldwide, we are committed to expanding connectivity in a sustainable manner by working with our local communities to ensure protection of our surrounding land and ecosystems.

American Tower Sustainability

Emissions Reduction and Adoption of Science-based Targets

We are committed to reducing our environmental impact and are actively working to lower our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by investing in renewable energy sources. The majority of our carbon footprint is attributed to generating power as a service for tenants in markets with nonexistent or unreliable electric grids. Although we cannot control the energy demand of our tenants, we are investing in capital expenditures toward energy efficiency and reduction solutions. Reducing our scope 1 emissions enables our tenants to reduce their scope 2 and 3 emissions, helping us meet our emissions reduction goals while simultaneously improving customer satisfaction.

In 2021, we adopted science-based targets (SBTs) across our global operations and supply chain. Our goal is to reduce direct scope 1 and indirect scope 2 GHG emissions by at least 40% by 2035 against a 2019 baseline, as well as to reduce indirect scope 3 supply chain emissions by at least 40%. The SBTs have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative and are in line with the goals set forth in the 2015 Paris Agreement.

Diesel Reduction

Progress made toward our long-term energy reduction goal has been the result of focused and strategic efforts in our markets. Each of our sites is evaluated on an independent basis to determine the best applicable solution to help meet our science-based greenhouse gas reduction targets. Due to advances in battery and renewable generation technology, we have been able to achieve significantly greater efficiencies by replacing lead-acid batteries with lithium-ion batteries and utilizing solar power sources more broadly. Many of our markets have plans to or are already pursuing additional solar energy generation projects. In addition, we are partnering with research universities in the U.S. to develop commercial renewable energy solutions to be applied to our tower sites.

12,000 solar assist sites

After achieving our initial renewable goal two years ahead of schedule, we have set a new global goal of increasing the number of solar assist sites to 12,000, representing 66 MW of installed capacity, by the end of 2025.

Green @ American Tower Initiative

American Tower sponsors programs focused on reducing, reusing and recycling at work through our companywide Green @ American Tower initiative. We believe a culture of sustainable operations begins with doing everything we can to provide a greener space for employees to work collaboratively and be inspired. We do this by investing in renewables and other energy efficiencies in our offices around the world. For example, in the U.S., we installed over 1,700 solar panels on the roof of our U.S. Tower division headquarters in Woburn, MA, offsetting approximately 16% of the building’s electricity usage annually.

Land Stewardship

Preserving the environment around our sites and viewing our business with a life-cycle perspective is an important part of our commitment to responsible and environmentally conscious operations. Whether we are planning, constructing, operating or decommissioning a site, compliance with all applicable environmental rules and regulations is not negotiable. These efforts are guided by local site development and land management teams. Before any site construction happens, we take the time to assess the local ecosystems to determine what is appropriate for the site and to develop any necessary impact mitigation plans. While regulations and standards for these studies vary across the world, we are committed to compliance with all jurisdictional laws and requirements, with dedicated teams in place to deliver that commitment.

Our shared infrastructure business model allows us to minimize our impact on the environment, as fewer communications sites need to be built. We further seek to minimize our impact on local ecosystems wherever possible. To protect wildlife on land we endeavor to operate a comprehensive program to ensure the protection of migratory birds, including threatened or endangered species nesting on our towers.

VIEW OUR BIRD WATCH WEBSITE

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ATC GHANA BEE PROGRAM

Community Involvement

Another important aspect of sustainable design is active involvement in the communities where we operate. Through public notices and community meetings, we provide a forum for interested parties to understand, evaluate and comment on our plans in their communities. These meetings are a valuable community resource for education and for the discussion of any environmental questions, and we are committed to being as responsive as possible to community members through a variety of channels.