Apple returns to green standard
Tech giant changes its mind about leaving an environmental rating system after just a few days
Tech giant changes its mind about leaving an environmental rating system after just a few days
Being seen to be green is something that many firms are eager to adhere to, with the positive PR making them appear less like giant, uncaring corporations and more conscientious about the world the operate in. However, signing up to strict industry standards can prove troublesome when a company wants to launch a new product.
When Apple helped to launch the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) registry in 2006, it was praised for pioneering a greener attitude from tech companies. The registry was designed to allow consumers to evaluate the effect products have on the environment, helping those with greater concerns to buy greener electronic devices.
Apple, however, fell foul of the system last week, and incurred a significant PR blow. Announcing that they were leaving the standard, thought to be as a result of the design of their new line of Macbook Pro laptops, the California-based firm claimed that they were still leading the way in other areas of environmental design.
However, when local government officials in San Francisco announced they were banning government agencies from purchasing Apple products as a result of the withdrawal, the company came in for a great deal of criticism.
Now, Apple has performed a dramatic u-turn, publishing a letter on their website from Bob Mansfield, its senior vice president of hardware engineering. He says: “We’ve recently heard from many loyal Apple customers who were disappointed to learn that we had removed our products from the EPEAT rating system. I recognize that this was a mistake. Starting today, all eligible Apple products are back on EPEAT.”
The decision is a blow to Apple’s credibility when it comes to green policies, as it sends out the message that the company is more concerned with how it is perceived by its customers than any genuine concern for committing to environmentally friendly rules.
However, the head of EPEAT, Robert Frisbee, welcomed their return: “We look forward to Apple’s strong and creative thoughts on ongoing standards development.”
