HP unveils sustainability impact report

HP as a company has been reporting on sustainability since 2001. The company was built on the idea that the purpose of a corporation extends far beyond profit. According to HP, the company believes that, by creating technology in the service of humanity, it can create the conditions for business and society to thrive hand in hand. 

Among the key highlights of the report, the company announced USD 3.5-billion in new sales in 2021 where sustainable impact was an influencing factor.

HP is driving some of the most aggressive and comprehensive climate action goals in the industry in its quest to become the most sustainable and just tech company. It has pledged to eliminate 75% of single-use plastic packaging by 2025. The company has reduced it by 44% since 2018. 

Since 2017, HP has launched more than 300 new products around the world containing ocean-bound plastic.

It has also reduced its carbon footprint by 9% compared to 2019 and has a goal of reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. Since 2020, all HP brand paper and paper-based packaging for home and office printers and supplies, PCs, and displays have been derived from recycled or certified sources.

Ellen Jackowski, chief impact officer and head of sustainable Impact, HP, said, “Last year, we set an ambitious Sustainable Impact agenda to address the most defining issues of our time where we can have the greatest impact. It led us to set comprehensive 2030 goals to combat climate change, advance human rights and accelerate digital equity. Today, we published our 2021 Sustainable Impact Report, highlighting the early progress we’re making in these areas. We are encouraged by the initial progress but recognise it’s equally important to act on lessons learned and take a hard look at areas that need improvement.”

Jackowski said one of our key findings is that sustainable impact is a growing business imperative. “Our customers are asking us to deliver more than just great products—they’re looking for us to lead on environmental stewardship and social justice. In 2021, we saw USD 3.5-billion in new sales tied to sustainable impact objectives—more than triple the amount in 2020,” Jackowski said.

Jackowski said the company reduced its carbon footprint by 9% compared to 2019, and it needs to accelerate efforts to reduce 50% greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 and to achieve net zero GHG by 2040. 

“This reduction is notable since our net revenue increased by 8% during the same period of 2019 to 2021. Key factors in 2021 were increased energy efficiency of our products and the Covid-19 shift towards the products in our portfolio that tend to be lighter and more energy efficient than others, such as notebooks and inkjet printers. Energy consumed by our products during use is one of the largest contributors to their footprints. We reduced product-use emissions intensity by 39% compared to 2015, exceeding our goal of a 30% reduction by 2025,” Jackowski added.

HP set out a new goal to accelerate digital equity for 150 million people by 2030 and has already reached 4.2 million people in its first year. HP’s initiatives keep evolving with the changing needs that continue to bring in positivity and support HP’s core values for people development.  

Some of the India-based initiatives includes:

• Digital learning mobile lab named HP World on Wheels (HP-WoW) in a public-private partnership model aimed at driving digital literacy, eEducation, entrepreneurship training, and other citizen services in rural India
• HP's Continued Learning Access Program (CLAP) ensures no child is left behind due to a lack of technological access. Children and youth from the grassroots left out of the digital learning curve due to the pandemic could now attend classes through HP CLAP
• HP Muskaan project aims at Improving Learning level Outcomes of Students in Govt schools through enhanced digital learning and smart class/lab setup
• As a sustained effort towards ensuring better health and well-being of our surrounding communities, Project Aarogya, has been initiated in Bangalore and Gurgaon and serves 20 locations to conduct regular health screening camps at community locations