Gadget firms slammed over emissions failings

Apple, Dell, Lenovo, LG, Microsoft and Samsung are among the big name tech and gadget companies slammed by Greenpeace for failing to make the big cuts in their own emissions needed to tackle climate change.

Of the 18 big technology companies ranked in Greenpeace’s latest ‘Guide to Greener Electronics’, only Fujitsu Siemens, Philips and Sharp show full support for emissions cuts of 30 per cent for industrial nations by 2020, while only HP and Philips have made commitments to make substantial cuts in their own emissions.

The guide ranks the top IT and electronics firms on policies and practices on toxic chemicals, recycling and energy.

Taking into account all criteria in the guide – not just emissions – Nokia remains top, Toshiba moves up to third and Sharp and Motorola make big jumps up the ranking.

But it’s a thumbs down for the big computer companies, including Dell, HP, Apple and Acer, who fall down the rankings. Although it should be pointed out that while Apple drops a place, it improves its overall score slightly to 4.3, with much better reporting on the carbon footprint of its products. Apple has also recently committed to removing the worst toxics substances from the new range of iPods.

It’s also a thumbs down for Philips, which despite being a leader on energy, still scores abysmally on e-waste, and is actually still lobbying against progressive legislation to tackle the e-waste problem.
Greenpeace’s climate and energy campaigner Mel Francis says:

“It is disappointing that such innovative and fast-changing companies are moving so slowly, when they could be turning the regulation we need on global emissions into a golden business opportunity.”