In our Global Citizenship Report 2007 we stated how HP strives for leadership by addressing the areas that are most critical to our stakeholders and our business. We focused primarily on three issues: supply chain responsibility, climate and energy and product reuse and recycling. In Europe, Middle East and Africa, education constitutes a further priority. We set ourselves specific goals to achieve either throughout 2008 or well beyond and, as you will read from this review, we have a long list of success stories that demonstrate just how seriously we take Global Citizenship.
Promoting Supply Chain Responsibility
Our focus on supply chain responsibility began at the beginning of the year when we published guidelines for multinational organisations to promote sustainability among their small and medium business suppliers. In spring, we released the full list of all of our first-tier suppliers to increase transparency of our supply chain.
Our work with suppliers has been recognised. In August, we were given the ISM Richter Award for Leadership and Innovation in Supply Management for the Process category. As you will see in this edition, we are also the first technology company to publish emissions data from our first tier suppliers. This initiative is vital if we are to work with all of our suppliers to help reduce the carbon footprint.
Focus on Climate and Energy Efficiency
Our work towards combating climate change and improving energy efficiency continues apace. At the beginning of the year, we announced a major achievement, reporting that over the course of 2007, HP had recycled more than 110 million kilograms of products worldwide - an increase of 50 per cent on 2006.
In June, we were proud to sponsor a white paper on Low Carbon IT Solutions. Working in partnership with WWF, the paper helps customers identify products and services to help them achieve a lower carbon footprint. Our partnership with WWF has also resulted in HP becoming a member of WWF’s Climate Saver’s Programme, pledging to reduce emissions by six million tonnes by 2010.
We also joined forces again with WWF to support the Ashridge Sustainable Innovation Award designed to generate the ideas on innovation for a low carbon economy from MBA and post graduate students across EMEA.
A total of 31 offices in 14 countries throughout EMEA organised their own Environment Day between June and October. This is an opportunity for employees to recycle their electronic equipment and show support for particular environmental issues.
This year’s theme was aligned with UN World Environment Day: ‘CO2 – Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy.’ The theme urged countries, companies and communities to focus on greenhouse gas emissions and to find ways of reducing them. The World Environment Day also highlights resources and initiatives that promote low carbon economies and life-styles, such as improved energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, forest conservation and eco-friendly consumption.
Our EMEA Green Fleet Team is finding alternative ways to reduce the carbon footprint through the leasing and driving of company cars and has been recently rewarded with the Fleet Green Award for its achievements
Reaching new milestones in recycling
Recycling is an integral part of combating climate change. At the beginning of the year, we announced a major achievement, reporting that over the course of 2007, HP had recycled more than 110 million kilograms of products worldwide - an increase of 50 per cent on 2006.
For several years, HP has collected old IT equipment through direct take-back events and, as we reported in April, we are now running take back events across the entire EMEA region. We are also sponsoring a recycling plant for electronic e-waste in South Africa and aim to establish a blueprint for other countries to use in the future
Empowering Education
HP has, for many years, worked hard to provide education establishments and individuals with the ability to further their education through the power of information technology. In January HP Egypt was recognised by the Egyptian government for supporting the Egyptian Education Initiative, a public-private partnership initiative by the World Economic Forum. Our five-year partnership with UNESCO was also extended with a joint agreement to strengthen collaboration around existing education projects particularly our joint initiative to alleviate brain drain in Africa.
In June, HP presented selected 15 universities in EMEA with its Technology for Teaching Grant promoting an innovative approach to teaching maths and science-related subjects. Following an agreement signed with UNIDO, we also announced our intention to extend our GET-IT programme across Africa. In the past academic year, 8755 unemployed young people and graduates across 25 countries undertook our GET-IT courses which combine business and IT skills training. We also reported on the launch of our new GET-IT City portal, which provides young people with access to games and videos around business and IT skills online.
Our partnership with another well established organisation was highlighted in July when we presented the 2008 HP Responsible Business Award for young entrepreneurs to a student team in Austria. The award is given in conjunction with JA-YE Europe, Europe’s largest provider of enterprise education programmes.
Overall we have reached 1 million students with our education programmes in the region.
We shall be providing further examples of new programmes and developments surrounding our CSR initiatives in our Global Citizenship 2008 Report, which will be published in the new year.
|
Printable version
