HP sets aggressive climate goals

Plans net zero by 2040

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HP sets aggressive climate goals
HP sets aggressive climate goals

HP Inc recently announced some of the most aggressive and comprehensive climate goals in the technology industry. The commitments highlight the company’s progress to drive a net zero carbon, fully regenerative economy, reduce its overall environmental footprint, and strengthen its business for the long term to create the most sustainable portfolio of products and solutions in the industry.

The measures HP is driving that build on the strength of its complete list of 2025 goals are among the most comprehensive climate actions in the technology sector and align with relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals, it said.

“Climate change is a defining challenge of our generation that demands immediate action and investment,” said Enrique Lores, company President, and CEO. “Now is a time for bold moves and ambitious goals that will protect our planet and create new sources of innovation and growth across the global economy. By driving toward net-zero carbon emissions across our entire value chain by 2040, product circularity, and a positive forest framework, we will accelerate our progress and advance HP’s aspiration to become the world’s most sustainable and just technology company.”

Carbon emissions and circularity

To achieve these targets, the company will be carbon neutral in its operations by 2025 and reduce Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% on an absolute basis by 2030, compared to 2019. In addition, company commits to 75% of its total annual product and packaging content (by weight) from recycled and renewable materials and reused products and parts by 2030. These actions will help to position HP to reach net zero emissions across its value chain by 2040. In line with the company’s circularity ambitions, it’s operations will be zero waste in its managed facilities by 2025. HP’s customer support organization will also be carbon neutral across both company and partner-run operations by 2030.

The company will pursue and accelerate a range of steps, including enabling a circular economy by using more sustainable materials, such as recycled plastics and metals, and investing in forest restoration and protection. Company said it continues to innovate throughout its product portfolio and work with key partners to achieve circularity. It is a member of NextWave Plastics, collaborating across industries to create the first global network of ocean-bound plastic supply chains. It is also a member of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Network and the Circulytics measurement tool.

Reducing Carbon in HP Supplies

HP will transform its print business from a transactional model to a services model while actively reducing the carbon footprint of its company and its products. In addition, to accelerate a transition to a net zero value chain, company commits to carbon neutrality for its supply business by 2030.

The company will start transitioning supplies to be carbon neutral by launching the HP Instant Ink with Planet Partners pilot, leveraging recycling and new renewal capabilities to extend the life of Original HP Supplies. This pilot will help customers decrease virgin plastic used and diminish waste, including ocean-bound plastics, on the pathway to circularity.

Launching in Germany in May 2021, HP Instant Ink with Planet Partners will allow its Instant Ink subscribers to opt-in to receive renewed cartridges. The end-to-end use of HP technology and engineering is what makes this pilot unique. The consistent reliability and outstanding print quality of Original HP Supplies mean fewer reprints and less waste.

Forest Protection and Restoration

The company also focuses on nature-based solutions with global partners, including World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Arbor Day Foundation, and its own Sustainable Forests Collaborative. As a result, HP is one of the few companies globally to achieve a zero deforestation goal for sourcing its paper and packaging

Now going beyond the company’s own responsible sourcing of HP brand papers, by 2030, the company will scale up investment in forest restoration, protection, and other initiatives to counteract deforestation for non-HP paper used in HP products and print services. This is the only technology company to set a goal to address deforestation that goes beyond its own fiber sourcing to include the use of its products and services.

2023 promises an interesting ride for print in India

Indian Printer and Publisher founded in 1979 is the oldest B2B trade publication in the multi-platform and multi-channel IPPGroup. While the print and packaging industries have been resilient in the past 33 months since the pandemic lockdown of 25 March 2020, the commercial printing and newspaper industries have yet to recover their pre-Covid trajectory.

The fragmented commercial printing industry faces substantial challenges as does the newspaper industry. While digital short-run printing and the signage industry seem to be recovering a bit faster, ultimately their growth will also be moderated by the progress of the overall economy. On the other hand book printing exports are doing well but they too face several supply-chain and logistics challenges.

The price of publication papers including newsprint has been high in the past year while availability is diminished by several mills shutting down their publication paper and newsprint machines in the past four years. Indian paper mills are also exporting many types of paper and have raised prices for Indian printers. To some extent, this has helped in the recovery of the digital printing industry with its on-demand short-run and low-wastage paradigm.

Ultimately digital print and other digital channels will help print grow in a country where we are still far behind in our paper and print consumption and where digital is a leapfrog technology that will only increase the demand for print in the foreseeable future. For instance, there is no alternative to a rise in textbook consumption but this segment will only reach normality in the next financial year beginning on 1 April 2023.

Thus while the new normal is a moving target and many commercial printers look to diversification, we believe that our target audiences may shift and change. Like them, we will also have to adapt with agility to keep up with their business and technical information needs.

Our 2023 media kit is ready, and it is the right time to take stock and reconnect with your potential markets and customers. Print is the glue for the growth of liberal education, new industry, and an emerging economy. We seek your participation in what promises to be an interesting ride.

– Naresh Khanna

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