HPE Sets Science-Based Target to Reduce Operational Greenhouse Gas Emissions
by Tom Dempsey, Vice Present, Real Estate Operations
Reducing our climate impact is not only the right thing to do for the planet, it’s quite simply good business. I witness this every day across HPE’s global operations, where initiatives like renewable energy purchasing, building optimization and data center consolidation, all help our business run smarter, at less cost, and attract the favor of customers, investors, and employees.
In 2013, when we were still one Hewlett-Packard Company (before separating into Hewlett Packard Enterprise and HP Inc.), we became the first global IT company to publish and verify the carbon footprint of our entire value chain. It’s an exercise we repeat every year, as it provides valuable insight that helps us identify the greatest opportunities for reducing climate- and energy-related impact.
It’s also enabled us to set bold targets—and hold ourselves accountable—to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across our entire value chain. For example, in 2015, our most recent full year of reporting, we met the goal we set in 2013 to reduce our operation’s total carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020, five years ahead of schedule. This built on our previously achieved goal of a 20 percent carbon reduction that we met two years early in 2011.
Today, I’m delighted to announce we’ve set a new goal to reduce our operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 25 percent by 2025 from a 2015 baseline.
What’s particularly exciting about this goal is that it’s a science-based target in line with what climate science says is necessary to keep global warming below 2°C, and as such it has been approved by the Science Based Target Initiative. HPE is one of about 30 other businesses who have adopted science-based targets, with another 172 companies committing to set such targets. In addition, HPE has set a goal to increase the energy performance of our product portfolio 30x by 2025, which equates to reducing the greenhouse gas emissions per operation by over 95 percent.
Setting bold goals is important as it drives internal alignment and focus, and enables our employees, customers, and others to hold our leadership accountable. But even more important than setting the goals is the action we take to achieve these targets.
One important action we took this year is to join RE100, making a commitment to reach 100 percent renewable energy, while setting an interim goal to source 50 percent of our total energy consumption from renewable sources by 2025. In 2015 we signed a 12-year power purchase agreement for 112 megawatts of wind power—enough to power our Texas-based data center operations supporting 100 percent of our internal global IT requirements, and avoid more than 340,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions annually. We are working to add more green energy to the grid where possible, and we’re committed to developing more solar and wind-generated capacity.
Other areas of focus in our operations include targeted energy efficiency programs in our data centers and enhancing the sustainability of our buildings, such as through efficient lighting, smart monitoring, and heating and cooling optimization.
The message from climate scientists is clear: greenhouse gases are contributing to the warming of our planet at an alarming rate. Business can and must play an essential role in reducing GHGs. If your business hasn’t yet developed a strategy for measuring and reducing your footprint, I encourage you start moving in that direction now. There are several organizations and collaborative groups that can help guide you along the journey, such as CDP, We Mean Business, World Resources Institute and World Wildlife Fund.
Together, we can improve the way business operates, and create a better, more prosperous future for all.
