Responsible Data Center Development: Collaboration Preview and Peer Exchange

Zoom Meeting

November 10, 2026

12 - 1 pm EST

Registration

As investment in AI and digital infrastructure accelerates, companies across the data center ecosystem are navigating growing expectations around the social and environmental impacts of development—from energy, water, and land use to community engagement, transparency, shared economic value, and cumulative impacts. At the same time, companies are seeking practical approaches to responsible development that can strengthen trust, improve impact management, and respond to evolving stakeholder expectations.

BSR is exploring a new multi-company collaboration focused on responsible data center development. The proposed collaboration would create a shared learning platform for companies to identify emerging good practices, strengthen approaches to managing social and environmental impacts, and develop practical guidance and tools for responsible data center development.

This interactive session will introduce the proposed scope of work and invite prospective founding members to help shape the initiative, including its priority issues, objectives, activities, and potential outputs. Participants will have an opportunity to provide feedback on where collective learning and action could add the greatest value and discuss key challenges and emerging practices with peers across the data center ecosystem. The session will conclude with a discussion of next steps and opportunities for companies interested in participating in the working group.

Learn more about this collaborative opportunity.

Scheduled Speakers

Kelly Gallo, Director, BSR

Director, BSR

San Francisco

Kelly is a Relationship Lead and sustainability advisor who partners with many of BSR's largest U.S.-based technology companies to help them maximize the value of their BSR membership and navigate the evolving sustainability landscape. She works with global technology leaders—from cloud, software, hardware, semiconductors, consumer technology, and digital infrastructure companies to high-growth innovators—to advance ambitious, resilient, and practical sustainability strategies.

Through BSR's Business Transformation advisory services, Kelly helps companies identify and prioritize their most material sustainability issues, conduct materiality and double materiality assessments, develop sustainability strategies, establish governance and targets, strengthen sustainability reporting, and engage stakeholders. She supports companies in embedding sustainability into business strategy while responding to evolving regulatory requirements and stakeholder expectations.

Kelly brings deep expertise at the intersection of technology, energy, and sustainability. Since joining BSR in 2015, she has worked closely with the data center industry on renewable energy procurement, sustainability strategy, and collaborative approaches to addressing the environmental and social impacts of digital infrastructure. Kelly managed BSR's Future of Internet Power initiative to help accelerate renewable energy adoption across the technology sector, which subsequently led to co-founding the Renewable Energy Buyers' Alliance (now the Corporate Energy Buyers Association). She has contributed to numerous BSR publications on technology, renewable energy, corporate sustainability, and responsible business.

Prior to BSR, Kelly spent more than six years consulting on energy efficiency, sustainability, and renewable energy for California’s utilities and public-sector clients. She has also served as a Board Member for the US National Committee for UN Women, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter and Spark, a non-profit that seeks to advance gender equality by engaging the next generation in accessible forms of philanthropy.

Kelly holds an MA in International Relations from San Francisco State University and a BA in Global Studies from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Recent Insights From Kelly Gallo

Full Bio

Scarlet George, Manager, BSR

Manager, BSR

San Francisco

Scarlet is a Relationship Lead and sustainability advisor on BSR’s Business Transformation team, with a focus on the technology sector. She works with global companies across cloud computing, software, digital infrastructure, AI, and enterprise technology to address complex sustainability, procurement, governance, and stakeholder engagement challenges.

Through BSR’s advisory services, Scarlet helps companies identify and prioritize material sustainability issues, develop strategies and governance approaches, strengthen responsible procurement and supplier management, and translate evolving business and regulatory priorities into practical action.

Prior to joining BSR, Scarlet was a Senior Consultant at Oxford Insights, where she advised governments, international organizations, and technology companies on AI policy, public procurement, digital transformation, and public-sector innovation. She has presented at UNESCO conferences on AI and Sustainable Development and AI and Education, and has authored research on inclusive public procurement and ICT procurement.

Scarlet holds a Master’s degree in Middle East and Islamic Studies and International Affairs from the American University of Paris and a Bachelor’s degree in Politics and International Relations from the University of Kent.

Recent Insights From Scarlet George

Full Bio

Elisa Pinto de Magalhães, Associate Director, BSR

Associate Director, BSR

New York

Elisa works with companies across sectors on sustainability management, human rights, and developing sustainable supply chains, among other topics.

Her areas of expertise include leading site-level Human Rights Impact Assessments, stakeholder and community engagement, conflict-affected and high-risk areas, and gender. Elisa works with BSR’s global member network, and those in Latin and South America in particular.

Prior to joining BSR, Elisa worked as liaison to the United Nations on sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender issues. She has worked extensively in Latin America and the Caribbean on improving policy and supporting social movements to advance gender equality at national and regional levels. Elisa has also managed projects in East Africa on improving the supply chain for contraceptives.

Elisa holds a first-class honors MA in Gender, Society, and Representation from the University College of London and a BA in Economics and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Tufts University. Elisa is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.