In this episode of the Critical Careers podcast, Joyce Wady welcomes Sarah King, from AVK, and Anna Solar-Bassett to discuss why communities are pushing back on data centres — and what the industry needs to do differently as it moves further into the public spotlight.
First, Joyce speaks with Sarah King about the importance of education, local context and meaningful community engagement. Drawing on her background in NGOs, humanitarian aid, mining, oil and gas, Sarah explains why the fundamentals of engagement remain the same across industries: listen first, understand the community, and avoid assuming you already know what people need. She also explores why data centres need to do more to explain what they are, how they operate, and what opportunities they can create for local people.
In the second half of the episode, Joyce is joined by Anna Solar-Bassett, who brings a background in politics, government, technology and corporate affairs. Anna discusses why data centres are “having a real moment,” why the industry needs to think more like a campaign, and why social licence to operate will become increasingly important as development accelerates.
Together, the conversations explore how the industry can build trust, address myths, engage more effectively with local communities, and create stronger pathways into digital infrastructure for young people, women and those pursuing skilled technical careers.
“Education for me is absolutely critical on top of that engagement.” — Sarah King
“People want to feel heard, but particularly when they’re upset about something, the worst thing you can do is be defensive.” — Anna Solar-Bassett
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Key Takeaways
- Data centres are facing a critical moment where local community engagement needs to become more proactive, strategic and human.
- Sarah King’s experience across NGOs, humanitarian aid, mining, oil and gas has shown her that listening to communities is the foundation of effective stakeholder engagement.
- The industry needs to step outside its own bubble and understand the fears, misconceptions and local issues driving community pushback.
- Education is essential: many people do not know what a data centre is, how the cloud relies on physical infrastructure, or what opportunities the sector can offer.
- Community engagement should go beyond regulatory planning requirements and create real opportunities for people to ask questions in person.
- Local context matters. Concerns can vary not only by region, but by neighbourhood, college, road, river or community group.
- The sector has an opportunity to inspire young people by going into schools, colleges and universities and showing how they can fit into the future of digital infrastructure.
- Anna Solar-Bassett’s career across politics, government, technology and corporate affairs has helped her understand the intersection between communities, media, policymakers and business.
- Data centres are now firmly in the spotlight, and the industry needs to use that attention as an opportunity to explain its benefits, address legitimate concerns and bust myths.
- Building trust means acknowledging the fear behind a concern before trying to correct misinformation.
- Social licence to operate is not just about ticking regulatory boxes; it is about becoming a valued and trusted part of the community for the long term.
- Everyone in the industry has a role to play as an ambassador for data centres and digital infrastructure.
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Thank you to our founding partner, Kao Data, and our season sponsors: CBRE, AVK, JLL, Eversheds Sutherland, and Mace Construct.
