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Climate change is one of the most critical global environmental challenges facing the planet. At IBM, we believe the most proactive approach the company can take
to address the complex issue of climate change is to apply our technological and engineering leadership to reduce emissions associated with our own operations and to
create innovative products and solutions that are increasingly energy efficient, extending this environmental benefit to our clients. And this is something IBM has
been doing and has sustained for many years.
The company's first formal environmental and energy corporate policies date back to 1971 and 1974 respectively, and programs supporting them have been embedded
within IBM's corporate wide environmental programs and global environmental management system since that time. IBM has comprehensive and multifaceted programs focused
on energy efficiency and climate protection. They include:
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the company's operations by:
- Conserving energy
- Reducing perfluorocompound (PFC) emissions
- Using renewable energy
- Supporting alternate employee commute options
- Increasing the efficiency of the company's logistics
- Developing energy efficient products and providing diverse solutions for energy efficient data centers
- Collaborating with its clients and others on innovations that help protect the world's climate
Early Action and Results for Climate Protection
The company takes great pride in the results of its early action for climate protection. The following are some highlights:
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From 1990-2006, IBM avoided nearly 3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, equal to 44% of the company's 1990 global CO2 emissions, and saved over $290
million through its annual energy conservation actions.
To further extend this significant achievement, IBM set a new goal in 2006 to reduce CO2 emissions associated with its energy use 12% between 2005 and 2012
through energy conservation, the use of renewable energy and/or the funding an equivalent CO2 emissions reduction by the procurement of Renewable Energy
Certificates (RECs) or comparable instruments.
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In 1998, IBM became the first semiconductor manufacturer to publicly announce a specific PFC emissions reduction target, to reduce PFC emissions by 40% by
year-end 2002 against a 1995 baseline, indexed to production. IBM met its goal in August 2002 and has since developed industry leading technology to
enable even greater reductions.
From 2000-2006, IBM reduced PFC emissions by 55% from its semiconductor manufacturing.
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IBM's procurement of renewable energy and RECs increased from 11 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2001 to 368 million kWh in 2006 which accounted for 7.3% of
IBM's total 2006 global electricity purchases.
Between 2005 and 2006 alone, IBM's purchase of renewable energy grew by over 180%.
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IBM was one of the first global companies to pioneer programs to reduce employee commuting. It has sustained these programs for nearly two decades. Two
key aspects are its (a) work-at-home program and (b) mobile employees program. Today, nearly 1/3 of IBM's global work force (over 100,000 employees)
participates in one of these programs.
In the U.S. alone, IBM's work-at-home program conserved approximately 8 million gallons of fuel and avoided more than 61,600 metric tons of CO2 emissions
in 2006. In addition, more than 3,600 metric tons of CO2 emissions were avoided in the same year by employees using other commute-choice programs such
as carpooling, vanpooling, bicycling, walking, etc.
In Europe, increased participation in mobile employee programs has allowed IBM to implement more efficient, non-territorial office designs which have
reduced the amount of energy used at an office complex per employee by 50% and saving 30,000 megawatt-hours per year, consolidated office locations, and reduced
annual energy expenditures in Austria, Germany and Switzerland by $2.8 million.
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IBM is reducing the CO2 emissions associated with transporting parts and products through the efficient design of its packaging, working with suppliers on
their packaging designs and optimizing logistics.
The company joined the U.S. EPA's SmartWaySM Transport Partnership in 2006 and encourages its suppliers to do the same. Currently, over 80%
(by transport dollar spending) of the goods shipped by IBM within the U.S., and from the U.S. to Canada and Mexico, are transported by SmartWay Transport
Partnership carriers.
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An early leader in addressing the environmental design of its products, IBM established a formal Product Stewardship program in 1991. This program brought
additional focus to the development of products with improved energy efficiency and other environmental attributes. IBM has voluntary product energy
efficiency goals and metrics by product type.
IBM's Cool Blue Portfolio of technologies and solutions are providing significant advancements in product energy efficiency. Some examples are Power
Configurator, Rear Door Heat eXchanger and Calibrated Vectored Cooling.
IBM also recently announced it is redirecting $1 billion per year across its businesses, mobilizing the company's resources to dramatically increase the
level of energy efficiency in IT. Called Project Big Green, the plan includes new
products and services for IBM and its clients to sharply reduce data center energy consumption.
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IBM's commitment extends beyond its doors with its extensive external collaboration and participation with government and nongovernmental organizations
in energy and climate efforts, often being the first, or among the first, to support voluntary initiatives, set and meet or exceed aggressive targets,
and play a key role in working to better our world.
- 1992 - Charter member of U.S. EPA's ENERGY STAR® Computers Program
- 2000 - Charter member of World Wildlife Fund's Climate Savers Program
- 2000 - First IT company to join Pew Center on Global Climate Change's Business Environmental Leadership Council
- 2000 - Charter member of World Resources Institute's Green Power Market Development Group
- 2002 - Charter member of U.S. EPA's Climate Leaders program
- 2003 - Charter member of Chicago Climate Exchange®
- 2006 - Qualified for and joined U.S. EPA's Green Power Partnership
- 2007 - Founding member of The Green GridSM
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Another important component of IBM's energy and climate protection programs is disclosure and transparency. IBM was one of three manufacturers to begin reporting
its greenhouse gas emissions under the U.S. Department of Energy's Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Emissions (1605b) Reporting in 1995, a practice that continues today. IBM
has also responded to the Carbon Disclosure Project since its inception in 2002. In addition, under the Chicago Climate Exchange, IBM's direct and indirect CO2
emissions from its North American operations are verified by the National Association of Securities Dealers.
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Recently published brochure on IBM and climate protection:
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Collaboration among IBM, its clients and environmental experts can result in more energy while still protecting the environment.
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