Lowering emissions has never been so important to the world and employees.
Apple is taking steps to improve its environmental impact.
Discover how you can do the same.
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Environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) has become an important part of most business strategies. Not only because we are on the brink of an environmental disaster, but also because it helps encourage staff acquisition and retention.
As workers increasingly want their values to be aligned with the company they work for, attempting to make a positive impact on the world can be a valuable policy.
However, for manufacturers of goods, implementing renewable practices can be very difficult.
Apple has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to technology. But now as part of its reflections ahead of Earth Day (22 April), the company revealed how it intends to build on its recycling initiatives.
Apple’s ESG progress
The technology giant has revealed that 20% of all materials used in Apple products in 2021 were recycled, the highest-ever use of recycled content by the company.
Apple has done this by introducing certified recycled gold into its products and improving its efforts with other materials. Through 2021, 59% of all the aluminum Apple shipped in its products came from recycled sources. Additionally, the company claims that of the rare earth elements used in production, 45% are recycled.
On top of this, the company also made strides forward in its use of recycled tin and cobalt.
Apple has also made significant progress toward its goal to eliminate plastic from its packaging by 2025, with plastics accounting for just 4% of packaging in 2021. Since 2015, Apple has reduced plastic in its packaging by 75%.
To help further its ESG goals, Apple is introducing ‘Taz’ which is a “machine that uses new shredder-like technology to separate magnets from audio modules and recover more rare earth elements.”
Speaking about the progress Apple has made in a blog post, Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice-president of environment, policy, and social initiatives, commented: “As people around the world join in celebrating Earth Day, we are making real progress in our work to address the climate crisis and to one day make our products without taking anything from the earth.
“Our rapid pace of innovation is already helping our teams use today’s products to build tomorrow’s, and as our global supply chain transitions to clean power, we are charting a path for other companies to follow.”
Apple is still working on its plans to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions, according to its Environmental Progress Report. In 2020, the company committed to reducing its emissions by 75% by 2030.
In the last year, Apple’s gross emissions rose. To combat this, Apple is investing in cleaner energy suppliers.
The road to lower emissions isn’t easy, but Apple is illustrating how progress can be made in industries that don’t typically lend themselves to renewable causes.
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