A summary of Apple's climate activity.
Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Rating3
Apple currently has a Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) rating of A- (Climate Change) and a rating of F (Water Security). A CDP rating is based on how transparent a company is about its climate impact and the actions a company takes to limit its climate impact. There are headings for which every company receives a grade such as Water Security and Climate Change. There are 9 ratings with A being the best. One of them is F which means the company failed to disclose or did not provide enough information, this does not mean that the company is failing to have a positive climate impact. A- is the second highest score .For more information, click here.
ISO Certifications
Apple's manufacturing facility in Cork, Ireland holds ISO 14001 certification. For more information on this ISO certification,click here.
Building Certifications
Over 100 of Apple buildings worldwide are BREEAM or LEED certified. For more information on these certifications, click here .
Green Bonds
Currently,Apple has issued 4.5 billion dollars worth of Green bonds. Green bonds are used to raise money for projects that have environmental benefits, for example replanting trees in a forest..
Improving Water Managment
Apple aims to improve its water management.This means reusing water if possible to be used in flushing the toilet for example and increasing water efficiency(not using water unless it is necessary).
Carbon Neutral
Apple aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.This means all carbon emissions being produced by Apple are reduced(by recycling for example) or removed by carbon sinks.Carbon sinks such as trees have the ability to remove carbon emissions from the atmosphere. These are the ways Apple intend on achieving this:
- Currently,all Apple facilities use renewable energy sources.Renewable energy is energy that comes from sources that can regenerate naturally and we can use without fear of running out.Renewable energy sources such as solar energy usually release less carbon emissions than non-renewable energy generated by non-renewable sources,for example coal and petrol.
- Apple aims to switch its entire manufacturing supply chain to renewable energy by 2030.Renewable energy comes from sources such as wind that will never run out and can be used repeatedly.They also produce zero or low amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. The manufacturing supply chain is the process of creating apple products which make up most of the companies climate emissions and is done by Apple's suppliers instead of Apple itself. The manufacturing supply chain includes buildings and equipment. By switching the entire manufacturing supply chain to renewable energy,Apple can significantly reduce its carbon emissions. Apple will assist its suppliers in achieving this goal through advice etc.
- Apple aims to improve the effeciency of the material use in their products. This means finding new ways to use less material when creating their products. Apple also aims to increase the amount of recycled material being used in the creation of their products.
- Apple has created The Restore Fund.The Restore Fund's aim is to help restore and protect ecosystems and help with the removal of 1 million carbon metric tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere.Companies such as Apple and Goldman Sachs have invested in this fund.
- Apple aims to improve it's facilities and it's suppliers facilities energy efficiency. Being more energy efficient allows a company to reduce its electricity consumption and in turn its carbon emissions. This will be achieved by measures such as replacing old lighting with more energy efficient lighting.
- Apple attempts to use more environmentally friendly methods of travel such as trains when transporting their products if possible. It is also looking at using electric vehicles and alternative fuel(These release less emissions than petrol for example). Apple has also begun to a new type of aluminium which releases less carbon emissions when being created for use in some of their products.
- Apple has also asked its suppliers to deploy abatement technologies which can prevent the release of fluorinated greenhouse gas emissions(harmful to the environment) into the atmosphere.
- In recent years, Apple has released certain products which are more environmentally friendly than their predecessors due to them either being made from more recycled materials,more energy efficient or have a lower carbon footprint. For example, the IPad Mini contains 100 percent recycled aluminium enclosures.
Green Community Initiative
Apple has created initiatives that not only helps the environment but also benefits minority groups and under-resourced communities. These initiatives are:
- The Impact Accelerator: The aim of this initiative is to help business owners from minority groups such as the indigenous community to get access to education on the environment and business. They will get access to workshops on topics such as renewable energy.
- Power for impact: The aim of this initiative is to provide access to green energy in communities across the world that are under-resourced. Power for impact currently helps 10 communities globally.
Zero Waste Program
Apple is aiming to decrease the amount their suppliers are sending to landfills through the Zero Waste Program. Landfills release large amounts of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Better alternatives to landfills are reduce,recycle and reuse. The aim is to help suppliers reduce the amount of waste they create in the first place and then to recycle, reuse or compost the remaining waste. Apple also aims to reduce the amount of waste they send themselves to landfills. This will be achieved through measures such as increasing the amount being recycled and using more reusable or recyclable products in the workspace instead of one use or non recyclable products.
Plastic-Free Packaging
Apple aims to remove all plastic in it's packaging by 2025.Apple will replace it with materials such as corrugated cardboard which is easy to recycle. Plastic can be harmful to the environment for several reasons including:
- if it is disposed incorrectly for example thrown into the ocean, it can harm the marine life in the area as they could mistake it for food and choke on it.
- Chemicals that can be harmful to the environment are released during the creation of plastic.
Mind the Store
Apple has a Mind the Store score of A plus.Mind the score is based on is the company being scored using chemicals that can be harmful to people,the environment, etc.A plus is the highest score that can be earned.