Joining the growing list of businesses creating sustainable roadmaps to fuel future growth, technology giant Apple has committed to reaching carbon neutrality in its supply chain and production by 2030.
Apple is already carbon neutral in its global corporate operations, but with this commitment Apple will be removing 75 per cent of its total carbon footprint while offsetting the remaining 25 per cent with carbon removal solutions.
“Businesses have a profound opportunity to help build a more sustainable future, one born of our common concern for the planet we share,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook.
“Climate action can be the foundation for a new era of innovative potential, job creation, and durable economic growth. With our commitment to carbon neutrality, we hope to be a ripple in the pond that creates a much larger change.”
Moving forward, Apple will lower its emissions through a number of initiatives, including a low carbon product design, investments in expanding energy efficiency, a continued focus on utilizing renewable energy, process and material innovations, and the removal of carbon emissions.
“We’re proud of our environmental journey and the ambitious roadmap we have set for the future,” said Apple’s VP of environment, policy and social initiatives Lisa Jackson.
The shift will be supported by Apple’s $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, which focuses on addressing education, economic equality and criminal justice reform.
“Systemic racism and climate change are not separate issues, and they will not abide separate solutions,” Jackson said.
“We have a generational opportunity to help build a greener and more just economy, one where we develop whole new industries in the pursuit of giving the next generation a planet worth calling home.”
Apple’s ten-year commitment mirrors that of many of its contemporaries, with Microsoft announcing in January not only would it be carbon negative by 2030, but it would retroactively remove all carbon it had emitted since the business’ founding in 1975 by 2050.
Swedish furniture firm Ikea, as well, is looking to become climate positive, or carbon neutral, by 2030. The end goal is for all Ikea products to become 100 per cent circular, using renewables and recycled materials.
“That means we will reduce more greenhouse gas emissions than our value chain emits while growing the Ikea business,” Ikea said.
“Our responsibility stretches across the entire value chain of our business: from the materials we use, manufacturing and transporting of products, our stores, customer travel and home deliveries, product use in customers’ homes and product end-of-life.
“By taking a scientific approach and working together with our partners, suppliers and customers around the world, we will make it happen!”
And just last week, global retail marketplace and tech business Amazon announced a partnership with the We Mean Business coalition to further the Climate Pledge – an Amazon co-founded pledge to hit net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement.
