Why ServiceNow is investing in our European customers

At ServiceNow, our people show up every day driven by a core set of values aligned to a single mission: Inspire our customers to workflow any challenge. This includes helping our customers be successful as they operate within a complex and dynamic regulatory landscape.

European regulatory challenges

Many of our European Union (EU) customers are navigating significant changes in the legal and regulatory landscape, arising from the:

• Schrems II decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union in July 2020

• New standard contractual clauses from the European Commission

• Related European Data Protection Board (EDPB) Recommendations of June 21, 2021

As a result, customers are increasingly looking to us to provide simple solutions to help them evolve and scale with comfort on their regulatory compliance.

This is where cloud services companies have a choice: Adopt a “wait and see” approach or get proactive and help customers continue to innovate. At ServiceNow, we always choose the latter, continually investing in our customers.

ServiceNow is making a multimillion euro investment, including adding more than 80 new roles across the EU, so organizations can enjoy the highest level of comfort and control over the handling of their personal data here.

From early 2022, we will be launching an EU, cloud-based digital workflow solution to help ensure customer instance data does not leave the EU. This means customers who choose to be hosted in our EU data centers will also now have the option for the data within their instance to be solely handled within the EU. 

3 reasons we’re doing this

1. To remove potential headaches for customers
We know working with cloud service providers requires an element of trust—that we uphold the highest standards of privacy and security when managing their data. When regulations change, customers need to know their trust continues to be well placed and that they can continue to benefit from the best of the cloud without any upheaval.

2. To support companies in achieving compliance
As a cloud services business, we pride ourselves on adhering to the highest regulatory standards possible, as well as keeping a close eye on developments that could impact the service we deliver to customers. Since the UK invoked Article 50 and, more recently, the Schrems II case and related EDPB Recommendations, we have flexibly adjusted to the changing landscape, reviewing updates and planning for likely eventualities, including this one.

3. To enable innovation among our customers
We know digital transformation is not possible without the cloud and, in turn, this is not possible without the confidence that data is being managed in the cloud in line with privacy and security standards. Giving customers more options to help them achieve the level of privacy control they feel comfortable with means they can take even greater advantage of cloud services when looking to transform their business.

Our customers rely on us to help them deliver reliable services to their own customers and employees. We will continue to invest in their success in meaningful ways that matter to their business. Today's update is another step in that direction. As the regulatory environment continues to evolve, we will not sit back and wait for news—we’re committed to proactively fine-tuning and updating the services we offer so that customers can continue to enjoy peace of mind when relying on ServiceNow.

Learn more ways we safeguard your data.

Use of forward‑looking statements

This blog contains “forward‑looking statements” about the expectations, beliefs, plans, and intentions relating to ServiceNow’s new service delivery developments and additional investment in its EU business. Such forward‑looking statements include statements regarding expected performance and benefits of such investment and new service delivery model. Forward‑looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on potentially inaccurate assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected or implied by the forward‑looking statements. If any such risks or uncertainties materialize or if any of the assumptions prove incorrect, our results could differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the forward‑looking statements we make. We undertake no obligation, and do not intend, to update the forward‑looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in any forward‑looking statements include: (i) delays and unexpected difficulties and expenses in executing this strategy; (ii) uncertainty as to whether sales will justify this investment; and (iii) changes in the regulatory, competitive, and data privacy and security landscape in the EU. Further information on factors that could affect our financial and other results is included in the filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time.