Apple took off Her annual iPhone extravaganza with a brilliantly produced video starring Octavia Spencer espouses its environmental benefits. So perhaps it’s not surprising that most comments lean toward skepticism.
And not without good reason. Apple is the most valuable company in the world. It didn’t get there by asking people to buy less. Additionally, greenwashing is a time-honored tradition. Corporate environmental claims are met with skepticism by default.
But there’s reason to believe Apple might actually mean it.
Since Tim Cook took the helm in 2011, Apple has become increasingly ambitious (and vocal) about improving its environmental performance. Initially, the company purchased enough renewable energy to power its direct operations. In 2016, it began using recycled materials in its products, starting with the tin solder on the iPhone 6S’s logic board. Then in 2020, the company set a goal of net-zero carbon emissions for all of its products by 2030.
It’s an important goal, and one Apple should stick to. While there are still seven years until the deadline, the company has so far made strong progress in this regard.
Apple’s approach to net zero for its products is notable because it extends to third-party manufacturers, shipping, and even consumer use — deep into Scope 3 territory.
Of all the types of carbon pollution a company must eliminate, Scope 3 emissions — those over which the company has no direct control — are the hardest of all. Companies have limited control over how outside suppliers operate their factories and offices or source their materials, making this a difficult part of the equation. But they have some influence through the contracts they sign. In contract negotiations, Apple tends to have a lot of leverage.