Today, IBM Chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna accepted the Inaugural Terra Carta Seal on behalf of IBM from His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. The 2021 Terra Carta Seal recognizes global corporations that are demonstrating their commitment to, and momentum towards, the creation of genuinely sustainable markets. It was awarded to 45 companies whose work is consistent with the Terra Carta (link resides outside ibm.com), who are driving innovation and leadership within their industry, and who have credible roadmaps in place towards decarbonization.
When IBM was invited to apply for the Terra Carta Seal earlier this year, I was thrilled with its conviction that “the integrity of all ecosystems, on land and below water, requires that climate, oceans, desertification and biodiversity be treated as one common system and addressed simultaneously.” That’s the way IBM has approached environmental sustainability for more than five decades now, ever since the company published its first corporate policy for environmental responsibility back in 1971. And with HRH The Prince of Wales having personally campaigned for the environment during these same 50 years, the common interest is even more apparent.
Earlier this year, we announced 21 new and updated environmental goals, including a commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, that will drive our actions going forward. Collectively, our goals cover energy and climate change, conservation and biodiversity, pollution prevention and waste management, supply chain and value chain, and our global environmental management system.
We are proud that our continued commitment to environmental sustainability has been recognized with the inaugural Terra Carta Seal. At IBM, we have always treated environmental sustainability as a long-term strategic imperative regardless of short term economic or business cycles, and regardless of the topic’s popularity at any point in time. We will continue to disclose our environmental performance with transparency and authenticity. Most importantly, we will continue to keep environmental leadership integrated into the fabric of our business. Environmental leadership is not something we are suddenly bolting onto IBM because we are now expected to pursue it. Environmental leadership has been – and remains – organically grown within IBM because it is something IBMers have always had the wisdom to pursue.
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