Consistent with its long-standing record of environmental stewardship, Xerox Corporation (NYSE:XRX) has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions from its worldwide operations by 10 percent from the baseline year 2002 to the end of 2012. This aggressive voluntary reduction target is aligned with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Leaders program and The Business Roundtable’s Climate RESOLVE program, which Xerox joined in 2003. And it complements the company’s ongoing environmental programs, which include products designed for energy efficiency and innovative remanufacturing and recycling practices.
“While the absolute reduction in greenhouse gas emissions will be a challenge – requiring a 30 percent or more improvement in energy efficiency compared with 2002 levels – it is the right thing for Xerox to do,” said Anne M. Mulcahy, Xerox chairman and chief executive officer. “As energy and fuel costs rise, consciously working to further control Xerox’s energy-related costs is environmentally responsible and financially smart.”
Xerox’s greenhouse gas emissions – gaseous compounds in the atmosphere that trigger global climate change – result from use of fossil fuels and purchased electricity for power. About three-quarters of Xerox’s total comes from its U.S. operations. The company projects it could save or avoid spending millions of dollars annually by cutting its use of fossil fuel and electricity.
Xerox already has a history of energy-saving initiatives, including installing high-efficiency lighting, synchronizing power use with operations schedules, and even using cold winter temperatures to chill water for manufacturing. But meeting the new targets will take more reductions. Among the areas targeted: new technology and improved process designs to make existing processes more efficient, advanced technologies that use less energy, expanded use of current energy-efficient technologies, and alternative energy sources.
Xerox has incorporated energy-efficiency criteria throughout the lifecycle of its products. For example, Xerox products introduced in 2003 used up to 50 percent less energy compared with similar 1992 products, and the company estimates that energy-efficient features in its copiers and printers in 2003 enabled customers to avoid emitting an estimated 563,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas. In 2003, 97 percent of Xerox eligible product offerings qualified for the EPA’s ENERGY STAR label or Canada’s Environmental Choice EcoLogo, two widely recognized certifications for product environmental performance.
From a practices perspective, all Xerox-designed products are developed with remanufacturing and reuse in mind. As a result, equipment returned to Xerox at end of life can be remanufactured – rebuilt – to as-new performance specifications. The environmental benefit is significant: Reusing parts requires less energy and fewer raw materials than manufacturing brand-new parts. The company estimates that in 2003, this practice prevented emission of 70,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases.
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