Running head: APPLE COMPANY AND ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION 1
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Apple Company and Environment Conservation
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Institution
Abstract
Amidst the modernized and sophisticated technology in this digital era, environmental conservation has not been fully achieved. Yet, companies have a role to play, as corporate social responsibilities, in contributing to environmental protection. This has driven companies and governing institutions to invest in money and laws that aim at preserving the environment for the future generation. All companies are therefore expected to participate in activities that are aimed at conserving the environment. It has become a social responsibility for all companies to take roles in matters about the conservation of the environment. One of the companies that have shown interest and willingness to fully engage in matters of environmental protection is the Apple Company. It is a giant multinational company dealing with telecommunications products like computers and phones. The line of its production means that the companies involve emission of waste materials from its manufacturing activities. Besides, the waste products and the level of obsolescence makes the company a potential pollutant.
Introduction
Businesses have roles to plays as far environmental conservation is concerned. This with consideration that it is a business corporate social responsibility of every business to protect its environment. Every company must be concerned with the need to balance between the need to make profit and to protect the environment. This can be done by ensuring that the process and operations of business are done within the most sustainable methods or alternative. Just like how companies are devising ways of dealing with covid-19, companies are obligated to ensuring that they are devising ways of protecting environment when doing their daily business process. This paper discusses how Apple is performing in matters about the environmental protection and its impact as well as the recommendations to balance the two. Apple Inc. has been one of the best companies to participate in matters related to environmental conservation. Its environmental goal is “to achieve a net carbon neutrality for all of its supply chain and products by 2030.”
The initiatives
The Initiatives undertaken by Apple Company to conserve the environment have been a paramount effort to protect the environment. Among the significant results was that it has been able to spread a positive message to the world that there is a need to protect the environment. The positive feedback from the customers has been a depiction of the need for all individuals to partake in activities meant to conserve the environment. One of the plausible initiatives is the lowering levels of carbon use in manufactured devices. “According to the 2020 Environmental Progress Report, the corporation cut its carbon dioxide emissions by 4.3 million metric tons in 2019 “(Okundia, 2021). The cut of emissions has gone a long way in ensuring that there is a significant reduction of carbon gases and poisoning. As a result, the company has significantly participated in dealing with air and water pollution.
Another initiative is innovation that leads to a reduction of harmful materials. It is evident from apple country that the best way companies can do to reduce environmental pollution is by ensuring that they are using technology, resources, and innovation in creating systems that reduce the emission of harmful materials. This is with solemn consideration that most of the companies dealing with microchips and other heavy materials are likely to poison the environment. The adoption of technology that leads to minimized or zero production of poisonous materials like heavy metal waste materials is an effective strategy for protecting the environment. Apple deals with materials that when carelessly disposed of can be a source of various human ailments. It is plausible that the company has been innovating ways to ensure that the materials are properly disposed of. Though there is the cost incurred in safely disposing of the materials, reputable companies like Apple find it beneficial to properly waste materials.
Another way of protecting the environment is the use of renewable energy. Though it may not sound like the best source of energy for a huge company in demand of a huge amount of energy, Apple has been at the forefront in the adoption of renewable energy for its production process. Approximately 87 % of the energy used is renewable (Fernando, 2017). This means that Apple Company has prioritized the interest of protecting the environment over its demand for cheap energy sources. By using renewable energy, Apple Company has been a good example to other companies. Renewable energy is environmentally friendly and relatively cheaper to use. Nevertheless, the main reason that Apple Inc. decided to use renewable sources of energy is to ensure that the environment is protected. It is undeniable that if most of the companies would shift to renewable and safe sources of energy, the level of pollution would be greatly decreased. However, some unscrupulous companies opt to go for cheap sources of energy that are disastrous to the environment.
Apple Company has been using packaging method that is environmentally friendly. All over the world, the use of plastic bags has been a nuisance and an environmental menace. To eliminate this issue, Apple Company has been at the forefront in opposing the use of plastic bags. The shifting from plastic bags to other friendly alternatives can only be perceived as a kind motive to promote environmental protection. This has been done to ensure that there is a significant waste materials reduction. With this initiative of reducing the release of waste materials, Apple has shown the participant in efforts of protecting the environment. Other than what Apple Company is doing, the company has been participating in contributing funds aims at dealing with climate change. It is worth noting that there is a need for companies to contribute funds that can be used in the promotion of activities pertaining the environment conservation. The funds contributed by the company are a depiction of the interest and social responsibility of protecting the environment.
Another great initiative by Apple Company in helping to protect the environment is providing software tools that enable users to control the energy-saving features of their systems. This has been a great initiative that ensures that even the customers are engaged in matters about environmental conservation. Moreover, the company has encouraged its customers to use energy-saving products. “Since 2008, Apple Inc. is regularly commended for its environmental records, including reducing total power utilization of its products by 57 percent, helping reduce its electricity bill and carbon emissions“(Okundia, 2021). It has been a plausible initiative to ensure that the consumers are also concerned and are actively engaged in the matters of environmental conservation.
China Clean Energy Funds are among the initiatives that depict that joint ventures and the use of funds to protect the environment. However, while using funds in support of activities that aim at environmental protection, the company must be sure to spend a reasonable amount that will not infringe the financial performance of the company. Besides, Apple Company must be sure to harmonize all of its processes while dealing with the matters of environmental protection. It is recommendable that the company should be in check on the financial performance while investing in environmental protection.
Greenwashing allegations
It is agreeable that a company may not entirely or ideally perform all the necessary activities needed to conserve the environment. It is from such basis that companies are engaged in “minimization” or “reduction” of waste materials or rather the environmental pollution. Well, there have been some allegations that Apple company has been shifting to un-upgradable and not –maintainable products. While these allegations are arguable, it is agreeable that the above-discussed initiatives are among the possible activities with good intentions of conserving the environment. Nevertheless, there is a need for the company to ensure that the company is providing environmentally friendly products.
It is also apparent that Apple Company has not been fully been able to recycle its products. With the interest of making a profit by reducing the cost, it has been a struggle for the company to ensure that there is sufficient recycling. This is with consideration that there is a high rate of obsolescence, especially in the telecommunication industry. It is for such reasons that there have been claims that the ‘green energy’ claims by apple have been a hoax. Well, while this may not be entirely true, it is apparent that the Apple Company has been in a real struggle to balance between profitability and conserving the environment. However, Apple Inc. has shown a great need to conserve the environment. By participating in matters of environmental conservation, the company has created a good picture for the world. By doing so, the company has been able to improve its branding.
Apple Company’s environmental policy criticism of appropriateness
As earlier stated, the core objective of Apple Company is to ensure that there is net carbon neutrality for all of its supply chain and products by 2030. Though the company has not completely been able to achieve its environmental objective, it has been successfully been able to balance its business objective while significantly conserving the environment. The balance between the profitability and recycling strategy has been a huge battle for the company. It is for such reason that Apple Inc. has been thought to be a failing company when it comes to recycling strategy. The recycling processes have not been entirely successful (Mao et al., 2020). The criticisms that Apple has not been succeeding in recycling processes are a true depiction of the competition and the struggle to balance between the business interest and the environmental interests.
There have been claims that “green energy” is a total mislead by Apple Company. Apple is the most successful corporation on earth measured in financial terms and yet has failed to find a solution to recurrent employment and environmental problems occurring in plants manufacturing Apple components (Clarke & Boersma, 2017). The claims that Apple has not been able to find solutions for the environmental problems are not in order. This is with consideration that Apple has also some business objectives to meet. The need to make a profit and the interest to protect the environment is conflicting. Also, the company has not been able to fully engage other stakeholders like the customers in matters pertaining to environmental protection. This is also in consideration that information is crucial in matters of environmental conservation. Informing the customers on ways that they can contribute to environmental conservation, is by itself, an initiative of protecting the environment.
Despite the claims that Apple Company has not been effective in matters of environmental conservation, it is worth the most of the initiatives that drain the company funds. Moreover, most of the environmental initiatives are not profitable to the company. The only benefit is that the activities help the company to brand itself. Therefore, it is paramount to ensure that when developing the policies, the company must put the profitability of the company into consideration. The policies must be in consideration of the best alternatives to result in a win-win situation for the Apple Company. In the end, the major goal of the Apple Company is to make a profit just like any other business. Besides, the government regulations must be favorable for the company to contribute to environmental initiatives and still make profit.
Environmental protection as a competitive advantage
By engagement in activities that relates to environmental conservation, Apple Company is in an opportunity to become competitive advantage over other companies. This is with a consideration that Apple Company will build its reputation and public image by how much it is contributing to the protection of environment. Therefore, due to stiff competition in the telecommunication industry, it is crucial for the company to engage in activities that will improve its brand and have a competitive advantage. Branding is crucial for all companies. It is what attracts customers. Involvement in corporate social responsibility activities is crucial in improving the branding.
Recommendations to achieve better environmental performance
It is worth noting that while it is the responsibility of the company to participate in the matters of conserving the environment, the core business interest of making profit must not be forfeited. “Discretionary responsibility is an organization’s activities that encourage welfare or benevolence, such as business commitments to education or the public “(Okundia, 2021). Therefore, it is crucial for Apple Company to ensure that while focusing on making profit, the company is engaging all stakeholders and resources in matters of environmental conservation. In most cases, the environmental pollution is caused during manufacturing and the consumption stages. As such, every company must be ready to sensitive and educate its consumers about environmental pollution from the products consumed. It is therefore recommendable to engage the consumers in matters concerning the environmental conservation. Among the successful plan is the circular economy. The consumers should be involved in the recycling process of some parts that can be recycled.
Engagement of users in conserving environment initiatives will ensure that the company is releasing some its burden to the consumers. Doing this will ensure that the company is also reducing the cost of initiatives that are meant to steer activities for environmental conservation. The company should encourage the users to go for environmental friendly packaging, products, and methods of production. The users may also be enlightened on how to dispose of waste products instead of throwing them carelessly. The company also ensures that it is producing upgradable products to reduce obsolescence and disposing of most waste products. It is worth noting that matters of environmental conservation requires collaborative efforts, especially from the consumers.
It is crucial for the company to engage other institutions that are dealing with the protection of the environment. This will ensure that the company is in a good positon and welcomes the right energy to push the matters pertaining to environmental conservation. Apple need to have some external involvement in actions and policies especially with the EU organization (Damro & Ibáñez, 2017). The European Union has been in forefront in making laws and creating initiatives that are meant to conserve the environment. The institutions can be of great help for the companies that wishes to participate in their corporate social responsibility of conserving the environment. In the pursuit of balance between the business interest and the environmental conservation goal, Apple Company is in need of ensuring that there are other stakeholders to create a joint to ease the processes. The EU has the ability to offer the legal advice and guide on creating sustainable policies that does not conflict with the business objective of making profit.
In most cases, partnership ensures that a company can outsource resources or labor. It also ensure that a company can outsource some of its costly activities to other companies that can do it at a comparatively lower cost. In this case, partnership with other companies can assist in recycling, re-use, and overall green energy technologies. This is with consideration that the companies can do the recycling at a relatively lower cost. This will ensure that the Apple Company can perform the activities with minimized cost. Moreover, the joined effort ensures that the company can innovate further mechanisms and strategies that will ease the process of environmental conservation.
It is recommendable for the Apple Company to involve the media as a way of participating on the matters of environmental conservation. The use the media to inform and enlighten people on how to conserve environment is a collective approach that will ensure that people are concerned about the matters of environmental conservation. This is with consideration Apple Company should not only be concerned on its consumers but rather considers the entire world in raising the concern on environmental conservation. It is apparent that the Apple Company has heavily invested in telecommunication industry. This makes it easy and possible for the company to be able to reach many customers. Further, it is through the engagement of the people through the media that the company can be able to introduce various movements and initiatives that aim in conserving the environment.
The greenwashing allegations could be a blessing in disguise. The apple company ought to respond by introducing new mantra, policies, initiatives, and movement that aims at improving the tarnished public image of the company in matters pertaining to environmental protection. This may involves actively engaging the consumers in activities that pertain to environmental protection. The company may introduce some rewarding methods for the customers are recycling apple products.
Amidst the efforts to protect the environment, Apple Company need to ensure that the common goal of making profit and innovating products is achieved. This means that there is a need for more research, technology, and innovation to produce more sophisticated technological gadgets without using greatly destroying the environment. On top of this, Apple Company must engage methods of conserving the environment like ensuring that workers are not major pollutants. Virtual workers to reduce commuting is among the plans that most companies deploy to ensure that there is reduced production of carbon gases. Besides, Apple must not only look at the internal processes. Instead, it is worth for the company to ensure that the entire supply chain and the partners are making significant efforts in protection of the environment. Apple does not work on isolation. The company depends on other companies for access of raw materials and other products. The success of Apple Company in matters of environmental protection may also depend on the efforts of its partners. Therefore, Apple Company must engage its partners in policies and efforts of protecting the environment. This ensures that the company can entirely participate in activities that aim at environmental protection. This ensures effective branding process for the company.
Conclusion
In modern times where environmental pollution is a major problem across the globe, all companies are expected to show great contributions in efforts of conserving the environment. Apple is doing a good job conserving the environment while still using the initiatives to brand its product and creating a good public image. Few incidents cannot tarnish entire brand image (Zhang et al., 2020). Apple has shown significant milestones and hopes to reach its vision 2030 environmental goals. This has significantly help the company attain a reputable public image and promotes its brand. While still participating in matters of environmental conservation, Apple Company must ensure that the financial status remains intact. Apple Company cannot relent in matters of environmental protection for its branding and as a corporate responsibility.
References
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Clarke, T., & Boersma, M. (2017). The governance of global value chains: Unresolved human rights, environmental and ethical dilemmas in the apple supply chain. Journal of business ethics, 143(1), 111-131.
Damro, C., & Ibáñez, E. (2017). EU external engagement in areas with long-standing internal policies: Single market, competition policy and environmental policy. In The European Union’s Evolving External Engagement (pp. 37-65). Routledge.
Environmental Progress Report. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.apple.com/environment/pdf/Apple_Environmental_Progress_Report_2021.pdf
Fernando, Y. (2017). An empirical analysis of eco-design of electronic products on operational performance: does environmental performance play role as a mediator? International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 14(2), 188-205.
Mao, Y., Lai, Y., Luo, Y., Liu, S., Du, Y., Zhou, J., & Bonaiuto, M. (2020). Apple or Huawei: understanding flow, brand image, brand identity, brand personality and purchase intention of smartphone. Sustainability, 12(8), 3391.
Okundia, J. (2021). The Relationship between Corporate Mission Statement and Social Responsibility: A Case study of Apple Incorporation.
Zhang, L., Wu, J., Chen, H., & Nguyen, B. (2020). Does one bad apple ruin a firm’s green brand image? Examining frontline service employees’ environmentally irresponsible behaviors. European Journal of Marketing.
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