Perspective

HP demonstrates leadership by proactively evaluating materials and prioritizing for elimination those that pose an environmental, health or safety risk. This activity is reflected in the HP Global Citizenship Report goals for material phase-outs. HP also understands the benefit of reaching out to those nongovernmental organizations that advocate for safer materials to understand their concerns and the principles that inform their commitment to safer substitutes. HP works to integrate those principles, as feasible, into its business operations and to communicate the practical business and engineering challenges and benefits. HP also demonstrates leadership by engaging its peers and even competitors in the industry in collaborative activities to advance the use of safer materials. Such actions leverage effective change within the supply chain in ways that no one organization can do alone.

HP’s Global Citizenship Report would benefit from including more data on HP’s choice of materials with more benign profiles. The company could then communicate data on the relative amounts of such materials in its products and more effectively demonstrate how informed substitution of hazardous chemicals is an ongoing journey that is feasible and profitable.