Data center projects are facing more scrutiny than ever before at the local level, with communities asking tougher questions and playing a larger role in how developments move forward. Communities now have clear playbooks for how to slow or stop projects, and it is time operators approached these situations with the same level of preparation and intent.
Below are the steps data center operators should take before local issues have a chance to turn into something bigger.
Get Control of the Facts in your Community
Understand what is currently taking place around you in your community and why this is actually happening. If in crisis mode, why is your organization under fire? Who is truly behind it and driving concern? What is the underlying cause? If it remains only an issue, how close is this in your community to becoming a crisis? Are you prepared to handle it? What benefits can you communicate should you come under attack?
Establish (or have) a single Command Center (Ready)
Create a tight internal group ready to deal with any crisis that could occur. It will approve messaging, tracks stakeholders, and coordinates outreach. Be prepared. This should be created now regardless of how quiet the issues might be in your backyard.
Prioritize the Community Impact
From a community affairs lens, this is critical. Whether in crisis or simply in issues management phase, identify who is (or will) be affected (i.e. customers, vendors, investors, etc.) and think through how one bad story, or negative speech could/will impact and quickly multiply into a full brown crisis.
Acknowledge Early and Engage Local Officials Proactively
Don’t let congressmen, mayors, council members, or regulators own the situation. Reach out to them (whether in crisis or not) to create relationships and position yourself as one trying to provide solutions versus being the problem. Data centers cannot afford to let elected officials be influenced first by critics and the media who will write these stories.
Proactively Manage or Stabilize the Media Narrative
If you can be proactive in managing the issue by conducting open, message-controlled interviews, it goes a long way. If in crisis mode, you need to influence the narrative, even though you might not be able to control it. Do not let runaway stories come out without the right responses. Within the local community, manage the wider narrative by focusing on community meetings, social channels geared towards your community and other mediums where sentiment often forms early,
Show up Physically (Not Just Digitally)
You need to show them human faces who care, not just cold buildings with thousands of servers. This goes a long way towards relationship building. How can you integrate into town halls, or the right type of community meetings. Being present in your community is most effective when it is authentic through visible relationships with trusted local validators.
Commit to Corrective Action and Follow Through
This again is where you need to be seen as helping to be part of creating community solutions, instead of being seen as the singular problem and villain. Develop actions that can be both publicized, used in engaging with local stakeholders and then follow through on any number of them.
.png)
