Apple Environmental Progress Report 2020

Thinking differently for a better future

Apple aims to consider the environment in everything they do—from the energy that powers their operations and the companies they partner with to the materials in their packaging and devices. They’ve been a leader in their industry for reducing their carbon footprint, and have recently revamped their goals to accelerate initiatives that continue the momentum already built. Apple intends to continue investing time and money into doing their part to mitigate their impact on the climate, natural resources, and chemicals used in production.

With such a prominent position in their market (and the technology landscape as a whole), Apple is poised to set an example for how a company can make some of the world’s most iconic products—without depleting the earth’s resources. One of the goals of this Environmental Progress Report is to be more transparent with where they are at, while building pathways for others to reduce their footprint and address environmental impacts as well.

In FY 2019, implemented energy measures over 6.4M sq. feet of new and existing buildings
100% renewable electricity used at corporate facilities
83% of the renewable energy that Apple sources for facilities are from Apple-created projects
70+ suppliers have committed to 100% renewable electricity for Apple production
Comprehensive carbon footprint decreased by 35%
58% reduction in plastic in packaging in 4 years
11M devices were sent to be refurbished in 2019 (42% increase from 2018)
100% recycled rare earth elements in iPhone
40% recycled content in 13-inch MacBook Air with retina display introduced in 2019‍
$4.7B green bonds issued as the largest corporate issuer

73%

reduction in average product energy use over 11 years

4.3 million

metric tons Apple’s carbon footprint decreased by in 2019

We’re committed to supporting smart policies around the world that better protect the planet and make transitioning to a low-carbon future more efficient.

Lisa Jackson, Vice President of Environment, Policy & Social Initiatives

Apple is already carbon neutral for their corporate emissions (including corporate travel) and they have made progress in getting their supply chain there, too. But their goal has now evolved to cover their entire end-to-end footprint by expanding this movement to the shipping of their products and even the energy used to power their customer’s devices. To show how serious they are, they’ve committed to total carbon neutrality by 2030—an ambitious and groundbreaking new goal for the company.

Apple has helped dozens of their suppliers transition to using clean energy, enabling these partners to build a powerful new competitive advantage that will set them apart in the years ahead. While Apple ultimately owns their goals and progress, they envision their plans, initiatives, and reports to serve as a model for other companies who share their mission to replicate.

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Climate change is real and we all share a responsibility to fight it. We will never waver, because we know that future generations depend on us.

Tim Cook, CEO