This article was written by Nate Hurst, HP Chief Sustainability and Social Impact Officer.
Planet Earth is home to more than 7.3 billion people and millions of identified species of animals, insects, and plants.
A scientific wonder, the Earth provides the natural resources, such as water, air, and soil, that allow all living creatures on the planet to survive—and thrive.
But today Earth and its inhabitants are at risk.
According to independent analyses conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2016 was the warmest year on record globally and represented the third record year in a row. The analyses noted that the rise in temperature is being driven primarily by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
For HP, lowering GHG emissions across its product portfolio, operations, and supply chain is part of the company’s long-term business strategy and represents its commitment to support the United Nations’ climate agreement signed in Paris in December 2015.
Reducing the Impact of Its Products
One area of focus is electricity consumption, which represents approximately 70% of the GHG emissions associated with the use of HP products. Through design innovations, HP has reduced the energy consumption of its personal system portfolio by 25 percent, its HP LaserJet portfolio by 56%, and its HP inkjet portfolio by 20% since 2010.
Today HP is building on a legacy of sustainable design by reinventing product design itself. For example, the HP Elite Slice is a compact, yet powerful desktop solution that is smaller in size compared to older ultra-slim desktop towers, which means it requires less materials. At the same time, it consumes 50% less energy than a comparable small form factor desktop, the HP EliteDesk 800 G2 SFF, which significantly reduces its carbon footprint.
These efforts were recently recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency, which honored HP with a 2017 EPA ENERGY STAR Award for Excellence in Energy-Efficient Product Design for its commitment to improving the availability of energy-efficient products in the marketplace.
Innovating Across the Enterprise
At the same time, HP is taking steps to reduce the carbon footprint of its operations and supply chain. This includes implementing smart building technology in its facilities to identify operating inefficiencies and shifting to less GHG-intensive energy sources.
This work is reflected in a pledge HP made in 2016 to achieve 100% renewable electricity usage in its global operations. And it supports a commitment HP made in February 2017 to reduce the GHG emissions from its global operations by 25% by 2025, compared to 2015 levels.
Similarly, within its supply chain, HP works with suppliers to reduce their overall carbon footprint. For example, HP has partnered with BSR, World Wildlife Fund China, and World Resources Institute, to bring the Energy Efficiency Program to its suppliers in China and Southeast Asia.
The program, which promotes energy efficiency initiatives and enables suppliers to share best practices, has already helped more than 200 supplier sites cumulatively save more than 500 million kWh of electricity, 800,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions, and an estimated $65 million.
Through its sustainability efforts, HP is helping create a healthier world that can support the lives and livelihoods of generations to come.