Sustainability has become increasingly important for many corporations and a new report reveals Apple is ahead of the curve in this matter. The tech giant is steps ahead of competitors in regards to minimizing its carbon footprint.
Sustainability continues to be a top priority for Apple
In the past several years, Apple has made great strides in sustainability. The company has done great work to make sure its products, supply chain, etc, are environment-friendly. In addition, its Self-Service Repair program ensures that consumers can get the most out of their products.
According to a new report from Counterpoint Research titled “Smartphones and Circular Economy: Creating a Sustainable Future”, Apple “leads the smartphone space in the overall approach towards sustainability.”
Each OEM has its own vision and overall approach toward sustainability. Apple’s vision seems to be clearer than its competition and its actions support the said vision.
Counterpoint’s report analyzed the sustainability vision of five major tech companies: Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo. Apple scored high on overall longevity, updates, and innovations toward sustainability. Samsung came in second, scoring higher in repair, energy efficiency, and after-sales networks.
The report goes on to note that Chinese companies like Oppo, Xiaomi, and Vivo are putting in consistent efforts toward improving the battery life and energy efficiency of their products.
CP further says that reducing e-waste is still a vital goal for the environment. “OEMs have a lot to do when it comes to reclaiming their smartphones once their useable life comes to an end,” the report says. “Getting pre-owned smartphones back into the system is necessary to handle them sustainably. They need to be repaired/refurbished for reuse or recycled responsibly to complete the circular loop.”
In July 2020, Apple announced its plans to become 100% carbon natural by 2030, across its supply chain and products. In the same year, the company removed power adaptors and EarPods from the iPhone 12 retail box in an effort to reduce mining, carbon emissions by transportation, and electronic waste.
In 2021, Apple joined imec’s new Sustainable Semiconductor Technologies and Systems (SSTS) research program to help reduce the carbon footprint of the chip manufacturing industry. Also in 2021, Apple suppliers doubled their use of clean energy through its renewable energy efforts, helping to avoid 13.9 million metric tons of carbon emissions.
The tech giant regularly announces new initiatives that are targeted toward helping the environment. Last year, it announced a partnership with Conservation International and Goldman Sachs to launch a $200 million fund aimed at restoring forests and removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The joint venture will remove 1 million metric tons of CO2 from the air annually.
The tech giant eventually hopes that all of its devices will have a net-zero climate impact.
