Advancing Sustainable Technology: HP’s Environmental Leadership Journey
The acceleration of climate change and environmental challenges has intensified the focus on developing sustainable technology solutions. As industries transform their operations to address these challenges, the technology sector plays a pivotal role in advancing innovations that reduce environmental impact while enhancing technological capabilities. HP leads this transformation through comprehensive sustainability initiatives, verified achievements, and independently certified sustainable products.
HP’s Integrated Approach to Environmental Responsibility
HP’s sustainability strategy encompasses three interconnected pillars that guide the company’s environmental initiatives and future direction. At the core of this strategy lies climate action, with HP committing to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions across its entire value chain by 2040. This ambitious goal is supported by science-based targets aligned with limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
The second pillar focuses on circular economy principles, transforming how HP designs, manufactures, and reuses materials. Since 2019, HP has integrated over 1.3 billion pounds of recycled materials into its products and packaging, demonstrating significant progress in reducing virgin material consumption.[1]
Digital equity forms the third pillar, ensuring sustainable technology solutions reach communities worldwide. This commitment extends beyond product development to include educational initiatives and partnerships that promote environmental awareness and sustainable technology adoption.
Material Innovation and Environmental Impact
HP’s approach to material innovation centers on reducing environmental impact while maintaining product quality and performance. The company has successfully incorporated ocean-bound plastic into its supply chain, preventing over 13,000 tonnes of plastic from entering marine ecosystems in 2022.[2] This initiative exemplifies HP’s commitment to addressing global environmental challenges through practical solutions.
In personal systems manufacturing, HP has achieved an average of 45% post-consumer recycled content across its portfolio.[3] This significant achievement required fundamental changes to manufacturing processes and supply chain management, establishing new standards for sustainable product development in the technology industry.
Sustainable Product Innovation
Personal Computing Systems
The HP Pavilion series exemplifies HP’s commitment to sustainable design. Each device contains a minimum of 25% post-consumer recycled plastic in its chassis construction, verified through independent certification.[4] The series maintains EPEAT® Gold registration in applicable countries, demonstrating compliance with comprehensive environmental criteria.[5]
Power efficiency stands at the forefront of design considerations. The latest models consume less than 0.5W in off mode and achieve annual energy consumption rates of approximately 35 kWh/year, representing significant improvements over previous generations. These achievements stem from sophisticated power management systems and component-level optimization.
The HP Elite Dragonfly series advances sustainable innovation further by incorporating ocean-bound plastic and recycled magnesium in its construction. The chassis utilizes a minimum of 50% recycled magnesium, while maintaining the durability required for business-class devices. Enhanced repairability features allow for component access and replacement, extending product lifespan and reducing electronic waste.
Printing Solutions
HP’s printing portfolio demonstrates similar commitment to environmental responsibility. The HP Envy Inspire series incorporates at least 45% recycled plastic content while maintaining professional printing quality.[6] Through HP+ smart printing technology, these devices optimize resource usage and participate in the Forest First initiative, supporting responsible forest management practices.
The systems employ intelligent features that minimize waste, including automatic two-sided printing, smart toner optimization, and paper-saving preview functions. These capabilities help users reduce their environmental impact while maintaining productivity.
Enterprise Environmental Solutions
HP’s enterprise solutions extend beyond hardware to comprehensive service offerings. The HP Managed Print Services program provides carbon neutral certified printing options, combining fleet optimization with responsible resource management.[7] This service-based approach allows organizations to reduce their environmental impact while maintaining operational efficiency.
The Device as a Service program takes a lifecycle approach to sustainability, incorporating certified refurbishment programs and responsible end-of-life processing. This comprehensive solution ensures sustainable device management from deployment through retirement, maximizing resource efficiency and minimizing environmental impact.
Industry Recognition and Future Directions
HP’s environmental leadership has garnered significant recognition from independent organizations. The company ranks first in the technology industry on the 2024 Corporate Knights Global 100 list and has maintained its position on CNBC’s Just 100 list. For five consecutive years, HP has received the Ethisphere World’s Most Ethical Companies designation, reflecting consistent commitment to environmental responsibility.
Looking ahead, HP continues to advance sustainable technology through research and development in recycled materials, energy efficiency, and circular economy solutions. The company’s investment in forest conservation and restoration projects demonstrates a holistic approach to environmental stewardship that extends beyond product manufacturing.
- HP’s 2023 Sustainable Impact Report, verified by third-party auditors
- Ocean-bound plastic content certified according to UL 2809 Environmental Claim Validation Procedure (HP’s Environmental Report)
- Post-consumer recycled content percentage based on IEEE 1680.1-2018 standard definition (HP Sustainable Impact Product Reports)
- Recycled content independently verified through UL Environmental Claim Validation (HP Environmental Claims)
- EPEAT® registration varies by country. See epeat.net for registration status
- Recycled plastic content expressed as percentage of total plastic weight per IEEE standards (HP Sustainable Impact Product Reports)
- Carbon neutral certification through Climate Impact Partners (HP Environmental Reports)
