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HPE and Konica Minolta emphasising sustainability
Firms get backing of independent organisations looking to promote green practices and corporate social responsibility
For those wondering if the pandemic had knocked sustainability into touch, the answer is clearly “no” if the marketing from green organisations promoting the efforts of HPE and Konica Minolta is anything to go by.
Both firms have received backing over the past couple of days for the efforts they have made to support the planet. The awards should make it easier for their respective channel partner bases to include a green element in their pitches to customers.
HPE has become the first to get its servers TCO Certified for sustainability, indicating they have met the criteria in the touch data centre product category. Getting the backing of the organisation meant the hardware came out as sustainable even after having its full lifecycle, including supply chain responsibility and hazardous substances, assessed.
“Annually, more than 20,000 hours are spent verifying products as well as the factories where they’re made according to the criteria in TCO Certified,” said Sören Enholm, CEO of TCO Development, the organisation behind TCO Certified.
We know that a mere self-declaration is not enough to drive change – product testing at independent test laboratories and factory inspections by independent auditors are critical.
“We expect more brands to follow. The interest in our data centre product categories is high, both from the industry looking to apply for TCO Certified for their products, and from the purchasing community asking for products with independently verified sustainability claims,” he added.
TCO runs a product finder that allows partners and customers to establish the green credentials of a piece of hardware. The HPE ProLiant XL 170r Gen 10 and XL225n Gen10 Plus have now been added to that list.
Guides
The organisation has stepped up its communication with customers to promote the benefits and value of choosing sustainable products, and a couple of weeks ago published a series of guides aimed at those procuring IT products, particularly computers and displays.
“The expanding role of procurement means that issues like climate impact, waste diversion and supply chain ethics are now priority factors with each purchase,” said Clare Hobby, director of purchaser engagement at TCO Development. “We want to help IT purchasers address both environmental and supply chain responsibility risk connected to the electronics they buy.”
Over at Konica Minolta, the printing specialist has revealed it has received the Platinum Level Recognition medal in the EcoVadis sustainability ratings.
Issued by EcoVadis in France, the medal is given after suppliers have had their environmental, labour practices, ethics and sustainable procurement all scrutinised. The Platinum award is the highest that can be gained.
At the same time, the firm has been selected for the 2020 CDP Supplier Engagement Leaderboard in the Supplier Engagement Rating by CDP. The non-profit organisation oversees the global environmental reporting and disclosure system for its Green Supplier Activities.
