HP Commits to Reduction of Plastic Pollution

Hewlett Packard (HP) has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating 75 per cent of single-use plastic packaging by 2025.

The company restated the commitment in its recently released 2019 Sustainable Impact Report, which also highlighted the progress HP was making to drive diversity and inclusion, as well as strengthen communities globally.

Commenting on the report, HP President and CEO, Enrique Lores, said: “The HP culture has long been built on the belief that how we do things is just as important as what we do. Recent events have laid bare the systemic racism and deep inequalities that remain a stain on society, and it’s imperative for all companies to act with urgency on all fronts.”

According to him, “It’s especially important for companies to hold themselves accountable and publicly report their progress. This year’s data shows that HP is making significant strides forward in many areas, while also revealing where we must do better.

“For example, the number of African American employees is below where it needs to be, and we are taking actions to improve. While we have a lot of hard work ahead, our valuesdriven culture that unites our teams and our partners gives me confidence in our ability to accelerate our progress and foster a more sustainable, equitable, and just society.”

As part of these commitments, HP announced a new goal to eliminate 75 percent of single-use plastic packaging by 2025, supporting the company’s efforts to drive a low-carbon, circular economy.

Efforts to make a sustainable impact on people, the planet and communities are integrated into HP’s business strategy and operations, and have become an increasingly important driver of customer purchasing decisions. HP’s Sustainable Impact efforts helped drive more than $1.6 billion in sales wins in 2019, up an estimated 69 per cent, reflecting the growing business imperative for companies to lead with purpose.

The goal focuses on hardware unit packaging and is predicated on a move to moulded fibre packaging cushions. HP’s environmental packaging strategy aims to eliminate unnecessary plastics and materials of concerns wherever possible.

According to the report, in 2019, HP decided to eliminate power cord plastic ties and plastic document bags in hardware packaging. HP also has shifted to more recyclable, paper-based alternatives.