From profit to planet: how big-name brands are redefining responsibility

From the extraction of resources to energy production lines, manufacturers of mobile phones and technology may not be the child of the poster for conviviality; But many, including Samsung and Apple, make significant progress to reduce their impact. In April, Apple announced that it had reduced its global greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60% compared to the levels of 2015, marking significant progress towards its 2030 objective to become carbon neutral.

The brand introduced its first fully neutral carbon neutral products in 2023 in the form of various Apple watches, making a 75% reduction in emissions (with remaining compensated emissions via carbon credits invested in nature -based projects). Last October, a carbon neutral Mac Mac was deployed, made with more than 50% recycled content, while the new MacBook Air, introduced at the beginning of 2025, uses more than 55% recycled content.

All the batteries designed by Apple are now made at 99% recycled cobalt – and for those looking to get rid of their old devices, Apple Trade in allows customers to recycle old Apple products in exchange for credit. The recent report on environmental progress has described a series of other milestones – in particular having fueled all Apple installations with renewable energies since 2018. “This progress quickly crosses our world supply chain, and today, our suppliers are now supporting more than 17.8 Gigawatts of clean energy in the world,” wrote Lisa Jackson, vice -president of the environment, social policies and initiatives.

“We are also investing in clean energy projects to correspond to the energy that our customers use to invoice their devices,” she said, highlighting the company’s Power For Impact Program, which includes renewable energy projects in the Philippines, Thailand, South Africa and beyond. “By expanding access to safe and reliable electricity, we can protect the planet and support the communities most significantly affected by climate change.”

Apple also invests in carbon elimination projects through its catering fund, whose projects include the reforestation of the Atlantic forest in Brazil, now “filled with species of native trees that could have been lost forever”, in Jackson’s words.

Waste problems are being resolved within the framework of a zero waste program; In 2024, the participating suppliers redirected around 600,000 metric tonnes of discharge waste. The Clean Water program of the company has also seen more than 90 billion freshwater gallons saved since its introduction in 2013, promoting the reuse of water in facilities around the world.

There is even more to do – especially theft; Apple business travel emissions fell by 31% in 2023 compared to 2019, but this is late on the average reduction observed by other major technological companies, according to a SMART travel campaign by Transport and Environment.

Nevertheless, the technology giant is certainly a promising example, using innovation to stimulate sustainability in the characteristic manner in the Apple way, while benefiting in the end.

Revenues increased by more than 65% in the same period that emissions have dropped by 60%, which shows that profitability and sustainability can go hand in hand if they are done in the right way – and that we enter the future, and that we are looking at generation Z on stage, the first could well become the key to reach the second.

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