It’s Our Corporate Social Responsibility to Maintain Focus on Environmental Initiatives, Even During a Pandemic
At Zebra, we recognize our responsibility to protect the environment and are committed to being a compliant corporate citizen, even as a global pandemic ensues. We are accountable to the people we work with, our local communities and the planet as a whole. That’s why we have continued to assess the environmental impact of our products, solutions and activities despite the challenges posed by COVID-19. We cannot ignore the issues facing our planet. Nor can we wait to address them.
Zebra leverages third-party tools like EPEAT® to help gauge and validate our progress in building a more sustainable business. EPEAT is the definitive global rating system for greener electronics and combines strict, comprehensive criteria for design, production, energy use and recycling with ongoing independent verification of manufacturer claims. When Zebra solutions make the cut, we know that our efforts to reduce our impact on the environment – and help our customers do the same – are paying off.
That’s why I’m so excited to share that Zebra’s ET51/56 enterprise rugged tablets have recently been registered with EPEAT and rated Bronze*!
The data derived during the EPEAT testing and registration process provided us with valuable insight into how we can continue to design environmentally preferable products. In fact, the results of each initiative we undertake – whether through EPEAT or another third-party testing and validation system – are passed along to Zebra’s newly founded Green Product Council for further evaluation and action. This cross-functional internal group is focused on items including but not limited to: expanding the EPEAT portfolio, evaluating alternative materials and assessing strategic substance restrictions. Its recommendations help guide future product design and refinement of existing solutions. At Zebra, we’re always striving to do more, better.
In addition to considering updates that can be made to our own hardware, Zebra is working hard to help customers on their own environmental sustainability journeys. One way we’re doing this is with our SmartPack™ solution, which is designed to help manufacturers, distributors, retailers and delivery providers gain a more comprehensive view of their loading operations. Knowing how best to pack boxes and pallets once inside the trailer or container enables more items to be shipped in fewer trips. Fewer trips equal less emissions. Better yet, the operational “eco-efficiency” gained with SmartPack will have a broader positive impact throughout their supply chains.
Why is this important?
As my colleague Christine Weber mentioned in her discussion of eco-friendly supplies, “every action you take to improve the environmental sustainability of your business adds up.”
Our intensive research has driven us to rethink our engineering and business processes over the last few years. As a result, we’ve been able to bring many notable offerings to bear, even in the middle of a pandemic, to serve as a testament to Zebra’s commitment to the environment. In 2020 alone, we introduced our Circular Economy Program, reduced our packaging, launched a number of ecofriendly labels, and added new EPEAT-registered products to our portfolio. And we’re working every day to add more – and do more to help our planet.
No matter the challenge, Zebra will continue to innovate toward sustainability and support our customers that are interested in doing the same.
Did You Know?
The Zebra L10 tablet was also registered with EPEAT in 2019 and rated Silver against updated standards. You can read about its design and features here. (To see all of Zebra’s EPEAT Registered products**, visit the EPEAT website.)
You can also find more information on Zebra’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) pledge and environmental processes and CSR commitment on our website.
* Per EPEAT: “Bronze-rated products meet all of the required criteria in their category. Silver-rated products meet all of the required criteria and at least 50% of the optional criteria, while Gold-rated products meet all of the required criteria and at least 75% of the optional criteria.”
**Per the IEEE 1680.1-2018 standard, only mobile computing devices with a display greater than 6.5 inches are eligible to apply for EPEAT registration. Therefore, many Zebra products will not be found on the EPEAT registry. However, Zebra is focused on achieving high energy efficient standards across its product lines and employing sustainability practices in its global supply chain.
Michelle Grodzki
Michelle Grodzki is an Environmental Compliance Specialist for the Product Environmental Compliance team and a co-lead for Zebra’s Green Product Council. She is responsible for driving strategic initiatives and product environmental compliance across the entire Zebra product portfolio
