14 DAY TRIAL // The Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics puts Apple on the 6th position this year with a score of 4.6 points. The Cupertino company remains one of the high scorers in this edition but loses points for lack of transparency on GHG emission reporting, clean energy advocacy, and more.
Greenpeace gives Apple half marks in Sustainable Operations and on the e-waste criteria. Lacking a robust take-back program in India, Apple further loses points.
The company also scores poorly on the Energy criteria, with Greenpeace pointing out that it has not provided any solid details despite stating that greenhouse (GHG) emissions data of its operations are verified externally.
Not setting a target to reduce emissions also doesn’t help, say the environmentalists.
13% of Apple’s facility-related electricity consumption does come from renewable sources, but the company is encouraged to set an ambitious goal for boosting its renewable energy use by 2020, thus scoring higher points.
Tim Cook & Co don’t provide targets to increase the use of renewable energy or reduce energy consumption through energy efficiency.
However, the company does report on the measures employed to improve energy efficiency and its use of renewable energy.
Apple scores better in its global take-back program. The 2010 global recycling program not only exceeded its 70% goal, but Apple is confident this will continue through 2015.
Regarding its policies and practices on conflict minerals, Apple is also a top scorer. However, “it fails in developing a paper procurement policy banning suppliers involved in deforestation and illegal logging,” says Greenpeace.
“Apple was one of the first companies to sell products free of polyvinyl chloride plastic (PVC) and brominated frame retardants (BFRs), but it does not mention plans to phase out antimony or beryllium,” the nonprofit organization says.
“Overall, Apple continues to score well on the Products criteria. Apple has received public scrutiny for its decision to glue in batteries in its newest Macbook Pro, which creates barriers to easy recycling,” it adds.