Here you can find the sustainability, climate impact and resource strategy of the biggest digital companies worldwide

🧐 Motivation

In 2022, the world has reached several undesirable milestones when it comes to climate change and environmental degradation, as ecosystems are being destroyed in the search for resources, oceans are being polluted with waste and carbon emissions continue to reach record highs.

Actions must be taken now and large corporations have the responsibility to reduce their environmental impact. Given the relevance of digital companies, knowing how they reduce their environmental impact is important.

Here you can find the most important digital companies’ , the digital stars, present, past and planned envrionmental performance focusing carbon, water and waste, as well as their strategy and actions on how they want to achieve it.

⭐ Who are the Digital Stars?

The Digital Stars are ten of the most valuable digital companies in the world as of january 6th, 2022, inlcuding Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta, Netflix, Adobe, Oracle, Salesforce and PayPal.

📖 Overview

Their Impact

The Digital Stars have a very significant climate impact, relasing as much greenhouse gases to the atmosphere as some european countries. Their combined 2019 CO2e emissions were equivalent to 4,5% of the total European Union’s emissions. You can know more about their environmental impact and its recent development here:

Their Strategy

A long term strategy taken by the Digital Stars to tackle their environmental impact and help them reach their set out goals are rarely disclosed by the companies. There is a lack of pattern regarding how they divide their actions into strategic pillars and the focus areas set out in their strategy. You can find more about it here:

Their Goals and Actions

Bold climate-related plans have been set out by the Digital Stars, with the majority aiming to reach carbon neutrality within the next decade. However, the same does not apply to other environmental areas of focus, with the minority setting water and waste-related targets. You can find more about it here:

Their Reporting

Every Digital Stars discloses its CO2e emissions in an ESG or environmental report. However, the reporting of other environmental areas is not standard, with differing metrics and missing information. You can find more about it here:

🔎 Case Studies in Detail

Terminology

CO2e: Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) means the number of metric tons of CO2 emissions with the same global warming potential as one metric ton of another GHG (greenhouse gas).

Emission scope: The GHG’s protocol defined three scopes to help delineate direct and indirect emission sources for acccounting and reporting purposes.

Scope 1: Direct emissions from owned or controlled sources.

Scope 2: Indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy.

Scope 3: Indirect emissions that occur in the value chain, including both upstream and downstream emissions.

Operational Emissions: Emissions referring solely to a company’’s operations. The sum of scope 1 and scope 2 emissions.

Water withdrawal: describes the total amount of water withdrawn from a surface water or groundwater source.

Water consumption: describes the portion of the withdrawn water permanently lost from its source. This water is no longer available because it evaporated, got transpired or used by plants, or was consumed by people or livestock.

Wasteland diversion rate: Diversion rates measures (usually by weight) the portion of waste not sent to the landfill.