HP Outlines Eco Goals, Announces New Toner-Supply Partner

On February 11th, HP Inc. outlined its blueprint for Sustainable Impact, which is aimed at helping organizations in Latin America and around the world shape a more efficient, circular, low-carbon economy. it also announced a new cartridge fulfillment partnership.

HP outlined its plans to achieve an ambitious goal to recycle 1.2 million ton of hardware and supplies by 2025 – a 5-times increase over its current rate – via continued innovation throughout its product portfolio, go-to-market model and sustainable supply chain with partners across Latin America.

New e-Cartridge Fulfillment Program

HP  announced a new e-cartridge fulfillment partnership with Kalunga, a leading office-supplies provider based in Brazil. The program is said to be the first of its kind in the region, allowing consumers to sign up for automated replacement of toner and ink cartridges, at a 15-percent discount with free shipping.

“At HP, we are 100 percent focused on ensuring we do our part to preserve the planet for generations to come,” said Nate Hurst, HP’s Chief Sustainability and Social Impact Officer. “The manufacturing, delivery and use of HP products requires a substantial amount of natural resources. With one of the industry’s largest global supply chains, HP has a unique opportunity to have a sizable sustainable impact through the design, sourcing and recovery of our products, and to help accelerate progress toward a global circular economy.”

Sustainable Impact Strategy

HP’s Sustainable Impact strategy is prioritized across three key pillars:

Planet

HP says it’s  committed to developing and delivering an environmentally sustainable product portfolio, improving the sustainability of global operations and partnering with suppliers to reduce their environmental impact. The company’s vision is to transform its entire business to drive a more efficient, circular, and low-carbon economy and enabling customers to reinvent the future through HP’s sustainable portfolio of products and services.

Over the last five years, HP Brazil has collected and recycled more than 5,000 tons of end-of-life HP products and manufactured more than 8.2 million printers with recycled content. HP Brazil’s closed-loop solutions on plastic require less energy to produce than virgin plastic and cost 15-32 percent less. In 2018, the HP Ink Tank printer manufactured in Brazil contained 20-percent recycled content. HP’s goal is to reach 32 percent recycled content by 2020.

In 2018, HP Planet Partners Brazil recycled more than 797 tons of HP products. The HP Planet Partners program is now available in 76 countries and territories worldwide, including eight countries in Latin America and Puerto Rico.

People

HP notes that according to a study by the Corporate Executive Board, engaged employees put forward 57 percent more effort at work and are 87 percent less likely to resign from their current company.

HP says it’s reinventing the standard for diversity and inclusion and is committed to having a workforce that reflects its customer base. This includes diversity of thought, age, gender and nationality. Approximately 160 women graduated from HP’s  Women in Action leadership development and mentorship program in Guadalajara, Mexico and the program just rolled out in Brazil.

Across its supply chain, HP says it works to enable all people who help bring HP products to market “to thrive at work, at home and in their communities.” The company has set a goal to develop the skills and improve the well-being of 500,000 factory workers by 2025 and in, 2017, HP says it achieved 49 percent of this goal.

Community

HP says it combines social-impact programs and partnerships with products and solutions to provide technology-enabled inclusive learning. HP is seeking to enable better learning outcomes for 100 million people by 2025, with a focus on preparing learners with  the skills to succeed in the future economy.

HP LIFE, a program of the HP Foundation, provides 30 free business and IT skills courses in seven languages, including Spanish and Portuguese. By 2025, HP LIFE aims to enroll 1 million users in courses focused on career and workforce readiness. Through 2017, HP LIFE has reached more than 100,000 people across Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico and Peru.

As outlined in HP’s 2017 Sustainable Impact Report, HP says “significant progress is being made across all pillars:”

• Drove a 38-percent year-over-year increase in deals where sustainability was a key differentiator, generating more than $700 million in new business
• Achieved its goal of using 40-percent renewable electricity in its global operations
• Sourced more than 250 tons of ocean-bound plastic from Haiti for use in closed-loop recycling, which is equivalent to 12 million bottles
• Produced more than 3.8 billion HP ink and toner cartridges using recycled plastic through 2017, sourcing plastic from approximately 784 million recovered cartridges, 86 million apparel hangers, and 4 billion plastic bottles
• Recovered 3,200 tonnes of plastic from recycled electronics for use in its printers
• Via its U.S. partnership with Best Buy, collected and recycled 5 million tons of end-of-life HP products in Brazil from 2012 – 2018
• At HP’s Innovation and Recycling Center in Sorocaba-São Paulo, more than 80 percent of HP ink cartridges now contain 45-70 percent recycled content, and 100 percent of HP toner cartridges contain 5-38 percent recycled content
• HP says it achieved an 8-percent increase year-over-year in diversity hires: up to 34.5 percent in 2017; drove a 6.5-percent increase in women holding leadership positions, up to 28.2 percent in 2017
• Served  approximately 14.5 million students and adult learners through HP solutions, advancing quality education and digital literacy

HP Commitment to Sustainable Impact

HP says it aims “to drive lasting improvements for the planet, people and communities,” and is ” committed to full circle innovation that improves performance, reduces waste and powers a circular and low-carbon economy.” And we inspire impact, creating opportunities and enabling action to achieve a more just, equitable and inclusive society.

To learn more about these efforts, visit the HP Sustainable Impact website or refer to the 2017 Sustainable Impact Report.