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Equinix remains steadfast in its commitment to create a thriving workplace where we foster belonging for all—where every one of our colleagues is valued and respected for who they are and what they contribute. We recognize the value of diversity of thoughts, perspectives and lived experiences to our business and our customers.
We strive to include all perspectives, acknowledging the significance of diverse voices in decision-making. Inclusion requires a deliberate effort to break down barriers and ensure that every voice is heard, recognizing that a multitude of perspectives strengthens our business.
We cultivate an environment where every employee feels valued, respected, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. When people feel a genuine sense of belonging, they are more engaged and collaborative.
In support of building a Belonging for All culture, we offer programs to enhance workplace experience and attract high-performing talent. Our signature events, collaborative projects and recognition programs engage employees and build a vibrant Equinix community.
Our nine Equinix Employee Connection Networks (EECNs) foster a sense of belonging, purpose, connection and mentorship among employees. These internal community groups are open to all employees—those who identify with the group and their allies—and are designed to bring together employees with shared experiences and challenges. Led by employee volunteers, each EECN has an executive sponsor, a dedicated leadership team, regional ambassadors and active employee community members.
In 2024, we hosted listening sessions to understand the needs and priorities of EECN members and identified opportunities for cross-EECN collaboration. We also strategically partner with industry experts in inclusion and belonging to strengthen best practices and enhance support for all employees within our EECNs.
In acknowledgment of and appreciation for the significant time that EECN leaders volunteer beyond their day-to-day work, we have an EECN Leader recognition program. This program provides acknowledgment, visibility, compensation and developmental opportunities to celebrate the exceptional contributions to these communities.
As a global organization, we understand the importance of tailoring global initiatives to be locally relevant and meaningful for all employees, wherever they are located.
We deliver on this through our unique WeAreEquinix (WRE) employee engagement program which consists of volunteer-led teams that foster culture and community at Equinix locations worldwide. WRE teams play a key role in localizing belonging through community outreach and EECN events, while ensuring global reach and relevance. WRE provides volunteers with resources integrated with five global programs:
Community Engagement & Volunteering*
Belonging & Inclusion in partnership with EECNs
Fun & creativity
Environmental Sustainability
Wellbeing
* including our WeGive initiative in partnership with the Equinix Foundation to advance digital inclusion at a local level.
In 2024, 40 WRE teams consisting of over 850 volunteers, spearheaded local initiatives that brought together employees from diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and cultures, fostering stronger local connections.
Case Study
In 2024, we continued to leverage the collaboration between EECNs and WREs to amplify their impact. EECNs and WRE teams around the world worked together to host and participate in local events anchored on International Women’s Day, Disability Awareness Month, Black History Month in the Americas and Europe and LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations. In 2024, 1,390 employees participated in the EECN and WRE October Impact event, the A21 Walk for Freedom, bringing global awareness and local action to the fight against human trafficking.
Case Study
Our annual Days of Understanding event fosters belonging through employee-led conversations on inclusion where employees learn practical ways to drive workplace connection through techniques such as team check-ins, social competency and affirmative listening. In 2024, our global WRE teams hosted 86 conversations in 18 languages and 4,800 employees participated overall, up from 4,400 in 2023. 86% of surveyed participants indicated their inclusion conversations helped them better understand our cultural transformation. By equipping employees with these skills, we enhance collaboration, team performance, innovation and client understanding, delivering better service and value to our customers.
Belonging for all is bolstered by our commitment to health, safety and wellbeing. Our comprehensive approach to health and safety combines global policies, rigorous inspections and targeted training to foster a safe and supportive work environment for employees, while also ensuring the safety of our customers during site visits. We proactively manage workplace risks by aligning with international standards and maintaining robust safety protocols. This approach upholds our dedication to employee wellbeing across all our operations and limits service disruptions so we can best meet customer needs.
Operations employees face potential workplace hazards such as exposure to hazardous substances, working at height risks, fire risks, noise levels and heat stress. Due to the nature of our business, managing extensive electrical equipment remains our most significant safety concern. In 2024, we launched a review of electrical safety policies and procedures and, as part of that, invested in more robust Arc Flash Personal Protective Equipment for our critical facilities engineers.
We foster a culture where employees feel empowered and encouraged to report hazards. Equinix aims to enhance employees’ ability to identify risks and implement proactive safety strategies, ultimately promoting a culture of safety and wellbeing for all in the workplace. In 2024, we released contractor safety and customer safety videos to ensure that visitors to our data centers are prepared and well-informed to avoid potential injury.
Our global policies, including our Health, Safety and Environmental Policy, address a wide range of health and safety issues, including hazardous energy control and hazardous substances, noise, fire, work at height, confined spaces, laser safety, and electrical and driver safety. Each site may supplement these policies with specific procedures tailored to its unique local needs and aligned with local laws and regulations.
We have rigorous, multilayered inspection and audit programs to monitor and manage operational health and safety risks, identify trends, assess strengths and weaknesses and refine our programs accordingly. Our process includes:
We manage health and safety risks through comprehensive reporting, including incident, near-miss and environmental reports. We track industry-standard metrics like Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR), and all injuries are documented in a centralized location to help identify trends. In 2024, our TRIR was 0.14, a 0.03 improvement from the prior year. In addition to health and safety trainings required by local country legislation, we assign and track completions of quarterly health and safety trainings to employees exposed to risks and target a 95% completion rate, which is achieved.
We recognize that a well workforce is a thriving workforce, and we are committed to open dialogue on the topic of wellbeing along with key support programs and resources to ensure the mental, physical and emotional wellness of our employees.
To ensure our efforts resonate with the differing needs and preferences of our global workforce, we regularly engage key stakeholders. Our quarterly pulse survey measures wellbeing to understand our employees’ perspectives and how we can further support them. In 2024, we continued to execute our Global Wellbeing strategy, focusing on:
Managing stress and building adaptability in times of change
Exploring flexibility and prioritizing rest
Mental health awareness
In 2024, as part of our commitment to wellbeing, Equinix introduced a company-wide Wellbeing Holiday every October, where employees can take time off to nurture their mental and physical health.
We prioritize employee wellbeing, especially during challenging times, and offer resources on managing stress and fostering an environment of open dialogue to encourage transparent communication. We also equip our leaders with the necessary tools and guidance to enhance the wellbeing of their teams, such as bi-monthly interactive learning programs and digital toolkits. In 2024, Equinix supported employee wellbeing through the following initiatives:
Case Study
A signature initiative spotlighting two of our global locations (Canada and France) and their respective wellbeing practices, WOW aims to educate and empower our employees to adopt new habits that support wellbeing. WeAreEquinix wellbeing leads and wellbeing champions across 40 locations utilized the global initiative to share valuable resources and tools with colleagues, fostering a collective focus on wellbeing.
“I loved the entire theme, focusing on a country, its practices and traditions”
WOW participant
“I liked the suggestions and there were takeaways to incorporate into my life… like taking time to disconnect, specifically in nature”
WOW participant
“I appreciated the wealth of knowledge and new concepts that the speaker shared, and I appreciate Equinix taking the initiative in Wellbeing events like this”
WOW participant
Always available, our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides employees and their household family members with free access to confidential guidance on a range of topics, including family, legal and financial matters. In 2024, we saw a utilization rate of 16%.
Additionally, we offer holistic health and wellbeing tools that motivate and reward our employees in maintaining healthy habits. Employees in the U.S. can access Personify Health and Wellbeats, personalized health platforms that incentivize beneficial behaviors like completing annual health checks, exercising daily, adopting healthy eating habits and practicing mindfulness in exchange for points that convert into monetary rewards. In 2024, 64% of eligible full-time U.S. employees utilized the programs.
An accessible workplace is a workplace that supports wellbeing and belonging for all. We are continually working to enhance accessibility across our websites, portals, products, services and physical spaces in alignment with global requirements and industry best practices. This ensures that all employees and visitors, including those at our IBX® locations, experience environments that meet regulatory standards and customer expectations. Equinix provides office workspaces designed for everyone and suited to the needs of our diverse workforce. Our global design guidelines include accessibility and considerations in restrooms and passageways. Our offices provide private mothers’ rooms with locking doors as well as wellness and serenity rooms where locally feasible. We also encourage our employees to request personal accommodations to help meet their needs.
In 2024, we completed the U.S. Disability Equality Index and received recognition as “One of the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion, U.S., 2024” by Disability:IN. Bolstering our commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace that values all abilities, Equinix CEO Adaire Fox-Martin signed Disability:IN’s CEO Letter showing our dedication and continued investment in belonging for all. Our ConnectAbilities EECN plays a vital role in bringing our disability inclusion efforts and awareness to life through panel events where employees who identify as a caregiver or person with disability share their experiences, address misconceptions, and highlight what has led to their success in the workplace.
As we move into 2025, our plans include expanding formalized accommodations processes and continuing to train critical departments like our IBX Operations and UI/UX teams on how to create more inclusive experiences for our employees and customers.
