Intel to Raise Efficiency Across the Board
SustainableBusiness
Last month we reported that Intel ranks first in the nation for using renewable energy, holding onto its position since 2008.
In 2011, Intel used renewable energy for 88% of electricity, almost double that of the previous year. The company gets renewables from biomass, geothermal, small-hydro, solar and wind, by buying certificates and from on-site generation.
Since 2009, it’s built 15 solar systems on nine campuses in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon, Israel and Vietnam – collectively generating over 5 million kWh a year.
And through energy efficiency projects, Intel has invested $58 million in the last decade, saving the equivalent of that used by 71,000 U.S. homes for a year, and saving the company $11 million.
Starting in 2008, Intel’s been linking some of employees’ variable compensation to environmental sustainability metrics.
In its annual Corporate Responsibility Report, Intel raised the bar on goals for 2020 in manufacturing and the energy efficiency of its products:
- Reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions 10% on a per chip basis from 2010 levels
- Design all new buildings to a minimum LEED Silver Certification, in addition to 18 buildings aleady certified in Arizona, Costa Rica, China, Israel and Malaysia.
- Increase energy efficiency of notebook computers and data center products 25 times from 2010 levels
- Achieve additional energy savings of 1.4 billion kWh through 2015, and set new targets for 2016-2020.
- Reduce water use on a per chip basis below 2010 levels
- Achieve zero chemical waste to landfill.
Supply Chain Responsibility
- Intel ranks 16th in the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 list for excellence in supply chain management, up from 18th in 2010 and 25th in 2009.
- To address the issue of conflict minerals, Intel identified 98 smelter sites and visited 48 of them in 16 countries to lay the groundwork for third-party audits.Intel’s goal is to demonstrate that its microprocessors are validated as conflict-free for tantalum by the end of 2012, and to manufacture the world’s first microprocessor fully validated as conflict-free across all four minerals (gold, tantalum, tin and tungsten) by the end of 2013.
Original Article on SustainableBusiness.com
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