HP Sustainable Impact Report 2020: Meeting goals and making progress toward sustainability
One of HP’s founders, Dave Packard, once said “The betterment of society is not a job to be left to a few. It’s a responsibility to be shared by all.” With a shared goal to create technology that inspires human progress and serves humanity, that sentiment is now stronger than ever at HP.
In 2021, HP announced its most comprehensive and ambitious sustainable impact agenda yet: one that connects us to the most urgent issues of our time and where we can have the greatest impact. In fact, HP is aiming to become the world’s most sustainable and just technology company by 2030. Learn more about HP’s sustainable impact initiatives from the latest report.
A sustained history of sustainability, accountability, and transparency
Since its founding, HP has been committed to both corporate citizenship and environmental stewardship when the very idea of global citizenship was included as part of the “HP Way.”
For 20 years, HP has been producing an annual public report on its environmental and social impact. In fact, HP was the first global IT company to publish its full carbon footprint and set carbon emissions reduction goals for the entire value chain.
Transparency and accountability are both critical to achieving HP goals in sustainable development. To advance disclosure within and across industries, HP supports numerous reporting frameworks and initiatives, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UN Global Compact, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, and World Economic Forum’s International Business Council’s Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics.
Progress across pillars of sustainable impact
Over the next 10 years, HP’s expanded sustainable impact agenda will address three key pillars: climate action, human rights, and digital equity.
- Climate action: Drive toward a net-zero carbon and fully regenerative economy while engineering the industry’s most sustainable portfolio of products and solutions
- Human rights: Create a powerful culture of equity, and HP diversity and inclusion; advance human rights, social justice, and racial and gender equality
- Digital equity: Lead in activating and innovating holistic solutions that break down the digital divide preventing many from accessing the education, jobs, and healthcare needed to thrive; drive digital inclusion to transform lives and communities
Climate action
2020 set unfortunate new records for climate disasters including hurricanes, wildfires, and monsoons. Though it affects all of us on Earth, climate change is felt disproportionately by those who are not only the most vulnerable, but also the least responsible for its causes. The science is clear on the global threat of climate change and the need to act is greater than ever.
We must change the way we make, deliver, and use products to protect nature and communities from our climate crisis. Transforming HP to drive a more efficient, circular, and net-zero carbon economy is central to our sustainable impact strategy.
Shrinking our footprint
A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced by any one person, product, or company. In 2007, HP was the first IT company to publish GHG emissions associated with its product manufacturing. And in 2013, we became the first to set a GHG emissions reduction goal for our supply chain, as well as the first to publish our complete carbon footprint.
HP is working to reduce climate impacts across the entire value chain, investing in renewable electricity, setting public and science-based GHG emissions reduction goals, and transparently reporting on our progress.
Advancing a circular economy
Our vision is to become a fully circular company powered by service models. We aim to extend product life through maintenance, upgrades, repair, and innovative service-based business models, and strive to reuse or recover all products at the end of service.
Since the founding of the HP Planet Partners recycling program in 1991, HP has been a leader in closed-loop plastic recycling. Through 2020, we manufactured over 4.9 billion Original HP and Samsung cartridges using a cumulative 125,000 tonnes of recycled plastic, including recycled HP cartridges. We source recycled plastic from locations like Haiti and Indonesia where creating economic opportunity is a key part of our initiatives.
By 2025, we aim to use 100% renewable electricity to power our global operations. And by 2030, HP aspires to reach 75% circularity for products and packaging.
Protecting and restoring global forests
Healthy and resilient forests are essential to our planet’s future as well as that of HP’s business. We launched the HP Sustainable Forest Collaborative in 2019 to help create a forest-positive future for printing. And in 2020, organizations including Arbor Day Foundation, Chenming Paper, Domtar, New Leaf Paper, and International Paper joined the collaborative to help accelerate efforts on forest protection and restoration.
Human rights
HP’s human rights policy recognizes that social and environmental issues are not only interconnected but also have many human rights dimensions. Implicit within this vision is the understanding that we will respect human rights across the ecosystem. Our technology, digital experiences, and business practices should not be beneficial to some while negatively impacting the human rights of others.
HP seeks to create a powerful culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion while advancing human rights, social justice, and racial and gender equality across the ecosystem.
Driving impact through our supply chain
HP aims to ensure that all workers who help to bring our products to market are treated with dignity and respect. HP suppliers are also our partners in creating a more sustainable future for everyone.
In 2020, there was a 13% increase in participation in HP’s supply chain sustainability programs, compared to 2015. And 95% of suppliers representing HP’s total production supplier spend have gone through a social and environmental assessment.
Fostering inclusion in and through our business
HP also seeks to be the tech industry’s leader for racial equity and social justice, embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion into everything we do. Designing for a range of access needs helps ensure that our innovative technology benefits and empowers people worldwide.
In 2020, HP set new goals to double the number of Black and African-American HP executives at the VP level and above in the U.S. by 2025.
HP launched the HP Racial Equality and Social Justice Task Force in June 2020 and has pledged to drive economic empowerment for Black/African American-owned U.S. businesses by increasing spending with them. The goal is for 10% of HP supplier diversity spend in the United States to be with Black/African American suppliers by 2022.
Accelerating equality in technology
Diversity drives innovation. HP is committed to increasing representation of women overall, and particularly in leadership and technical roles globally, as well as representation of underrepresented minorities in the United States.
HP is one of the top tech companies for women in executive positions and has one of the most diverse board of directors of any U.S. technology company:
- 45% women on the board of directors with 45% consisting of racial/ethnic minorities
- 25% women executives report to the CEO with 32% at the director level and above
- 10 Distinguished Technologists/Strategists who are women
- 62% of U.S. hires from underrepresented groups, including women, U.S. ethnicities, people with disabilities, and military veterans
Investing in our talent
HP invests in employees’ career growth, with an inclusive approach that supports listening and communication to unlock business innovation and opportunities. In 2020:
- 98% of employees participated in learning and development activities
- 99% of eligible employees received multidimensional and objective-based performance evaluations
- 85% of employees believe they receive feedback throughout the year to help improve performance
- 99.1% of employees, including senior executives, completed Integrity at HP training, as well as all members of the HP Board of Directors
Digital equity
Achieving digital equity is essential for the realization of basic human rights. HP seeks to provide holistic solutions that break down the digital divide that prevents many from accessing the education, healthcare, and economic opportunities needed to thrive.
Making global education accessible
A fundamental human right, education is the foundation to sustainable development. HP’s global education programs and technology solutions emphasize access for people everywhere, focusing on educational opportunities for women, girls, and some of the world’s most marginalized and vulnerable communities.
In 2020:
- Nearly 20.8 million students and adult learners benefited from HP’s education programs and solutions that advance digital literacy and enable better learning outcomes (part of a goal to reach 100 million people by 2025)
- 5 million students and teachers were reached through HP’s multi-year partnership with Girl Rising
Innovating for better health
HP innovations focus on meeting specific challenges within the healthcare industry. From PC and printing solutions to personalized 3D-printed prosthetics, HP solutions can help clinicians enhance efficiency, increase access for underserved populations, and improve patient outcomes.
HP technology is:
- Creating anatomical models to help plan surgical procedures, prosthetics, and medical equipment
- Working to develop a new method for isolating rare cancer cells, with the potential to support personalized therapy and detection of post-treatment cancer cells
Driving local impact
HP embraces our role as a global corporate citizen and purpose-driven company, contributing technology, partnerships, and investments to strengthen local communities and improve their economic and social opportunities through technology.
In 2020, HP donated:
- $13.86 million in products providing relief and support for those affected by COVID-19
- $17.57 million in HP corporate giving
- $9.88 million in HP Foundation giving, with $3 million in grants to support communities impacted by the pandemic
Creating technology that inspires human progress
HP aims to deliver technology that improves lives and enables our customers and consumers to achieve more, safely and with less environmental impact. Through the HP product portfolio, we create shared value for the planet, people, and communities where we live, work, and do business.
Here is a sampling of products and services from the portfolio.
HP Elite c1030 Chromebook Enterprise laptop
HP offers the industry’s most sustainable PC portfolio, driven by customer insights and leadership in energy efficiency, recycled materials use, product longevity, design for end-of-life, and packaging.
The world’s first Chromebook created with ocean-bound plastic, the HP Elite c1030 Chromebook Enterprise laptop features 75% recycled aluminum in its top lid, and a keyboard made from 50% post-consumer recycled plastics. And it’s the first EPEAT® Gold-rated Chromebook.
HP Managed Print Services
The global leader in home and office printing solutions, HP delivers sustainable next-generation solutions and service-based models, responsible forest product sourcing, climate action, and circular innovation to meet customers’ needs.
HP Managed Print Services (MPS) is the world’s most comprehensive carbon-neutral offering. It reduces both GHG emissions and ecosystem impact by 12% for a multifunction color laser printer, and improves resource efficiency by 13%.
HP DesignJet printer series
HP’s innovation in large format printing helps meet ever-increasing environmental and workplace needs of architects, engineers, construction professionals, and other graphics production customers such as print businesses producing signage, textiles, and decor.
The world’s easiest plotters, with high-speed and high-quality printing, HP DesignJet printers are aligned with sustainable practices and designed for use with water-based inks. HP DesignJet Studio is the first net carbon neutral HP DesignJet plotter and is ENERGY STAR® certified.
HP Indigo press
HP industrial graphics solutions support customers’ transition to the circular economy. They help speed the analog-to-digital revolution, transform supply chains, and better match supply with demand across 2D printing and publishing industries.
In 2020, HP Indigo presses:
- Avoided 12,650 tonnes of CO2e through offsets
- Reused 138 tonnes of spare parts (67% of parts returned) after refurbishment
- Recovered 330 tonnes of binary ink developer components (49% of the amount shipped)
HP 3D printing
HP 3D printing technology is changing how entire industries design, create, and distribute products for a more circular and inclusive economy, and a more sustainable Fourth Industrial Revolution.
In 2020, HP and its partners 3D printed more than 4 million parts such as face shields, nasal swabs, and hands-free door openers to fight COVID-19.
Recognition for sustainable impact
HP continues to be recognized as one of the world’s most sustainable companies; awards include:
- The Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World for the 6th consecutive year.
- 2021 World’s Most Ethical Companies: One of 135 companies recognized for setting the global standards of business integrity and corporate citizenship.
- Newsweek America’s Most Responsible Companies: Ranked 1st in the U.S for environmental, social, and governance performance for the 2nd consecutive year.
- 2020 CDP quadruple-A rating: The only technology company in the world to receive a quadruple “A” rating across climate, forests, water, and supplier engagement leaderboard
- Dow Jones Sustainability Index: Listed for the 9th time in a row, based on economic, environmental, and social criteria.
- Forbes “The World’s Best Employers 2020 list” for the 3rd consecutive year; HP rose to #17 with special mention for our COVID-19 response, which included support for families and underrepresented groups.
Looking ahead
Across the HP value chain, we plan to reduce GHG emissions 50% by the end of 2030, and achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2040. We also pledge to reach 75% circularity for products and packaging by 2030. And we are committed to maintaining zero deforestation for HP paper and paper-based packaging.
At HP, we intend to meet or exceed labor market representation for racial and ethnic minorities. We’re committed to achieving 50/50 gender equality in HP leadership and ensuring that women represent more than 30 percent of our workforce in technical and engineering roles. And we aim to accelerate digital equity for 150 million people.
About the Author: Jolene Dobbin is a contributing writer for HP Tech Takes. Jolene is an East Coast-based writer with experience creating strategic messaging, marketing, and sales content for companies in the high-tech industry.
