With sustainability at the core of its values, Xerox Emirates to contributing to a green future with the success of its sustainable initiatives launched in the recent years that include the Toner & Cartridge Recycling program with Enviroserve, the Print Releaf program and other internal Recycling initiatives.
In a press release received by Packaging MEA, the company stated, “For generations, Xerox has stood for innovation, quality, and excellent customer experience with a passion for protecting the environment and reducing their carbon footprint in the world, and they have managed to honour their heritage with the launch of their sustainability initiatives for a better future.”
In keeping with this commitment, Xerox has fast-tracked their net zero goal by 10 years and established 2040 as their new goal year.
Enviroserve Partnership
The Toner and Cartridge Recycling program has been in effect since 2010 where Xerox Emirates customers can recycle their used Xerox branded toners and cartridges using a voucher-based system in the UAE. After each collection, the organization gets a ‘Green Certificate’ which adds to their corporate sustainability goals. With over 200 customers registered on this program, they collect almost 1800+ Kgs of toners and cartridges every year for recycling.
Stuart Fleming, Managing Partner at Enviroserve added, “The UAE’s sustainability objectives have made recycling a top priority. We are incredibly proud of the collaboration with Xerox Emirates that started over 10 years ago and were the first to fully establish a recycling program in the UAE and its pursuant long-term viability. With every toner and cartridge, we collect and process at The Recycling plant, we reduce the amount of hazardous waste that is destined to landfill and the impact of mining unnecessary resources from nature. We will expand our recycling management efforts with our dedication to multi-stakeholder collaboration and faster recycling infrastructure.”
Print Releaf Program
Launched in November 2021 in the UAE, the partnership with Print Releaf allows Xerox Emirates customers to have the opportunity to contribute to the reforestation of global forests and reduce their overall carbon footprint. Based on a theme of “You print one, we’ll plant one,” paper usage reporting is used to equate the number of trees that are reforested into geographic areas of need. The Print Releaf program has offset 16,280,773 customer pages equivalent to 1,954 trees being reforested to date, contributing to a more sustainable world.
According to the latest CSR report released by Xerox, their vision was to transform Xerox manufacturing, operations, offices, and facilities into waste-free workplaces. In 2021, 95% of non-hazardous solid waste was reused in equipment repairs or remanufacturing, recycled, or used to produce energy, up from 92% in 2020. Xerox commits to reuse or recycle nearly 100% of the equipment and parts received from the clients and field service returns. With an aim to adhere to the highest standards for sustainability, Xerox invests and designs products to be environmentally responsible, from parts selection to efficiency in operation, while extending the life of parts and enabling reuse in manufacturing.
The Xerox Emirates internal recycling program launched in 2020 that collected over 14,000+ plastic bottles is equivalent to over 280 KGS for recycling.
In addition, Xerox is committed to lowering their carbon footprint of their equipment meeting ENERGY STAR® requirements and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Between the first baseline year of 2002 and 2016, they eliminated 320,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). In 2021, Xerox Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions totalled 133,617 metric tons of CO2e, a 43% reduction from the 2016 baseline. In 2021, calculated Scope 3 emissions decreased by 18% compared to 2020.
Simon Howells, General Manager at Xerox Emirates LLC said: “At Xerox Emirates, sustainability is core to our business. We align our goals for the environment, in key areas, to make an impact for our people and our customers. Our sustainability initiatives have demonstrated incredible success since its launch, and we hope to continue to contribute to the greener lifestyle needs of our customers whilst helping to make the UAE a leading sustainable destination.”
“In addition to this, we look at how we can simplify work, deliver more personalized experiences, and improve productivity through our software and technology. Our Digital Services offerings in automation and content management, help our customers be more productive, profitable, and sustainable whilst contributing to conservation of natural resources. We will continue to ensure a keen focus remains on lowering the energy intensity of our operations,” concluded Howells.
Other Xerox Corporate initiatives include:
- CareAR: In one year, CareAR – a Xerox company, created the industry’s first end-toned Service Experience Management platform to digitally transform service experience and this has enabled the brand to reduce client site visits by more than 21,000, with more than 269,000 metric tons of Co2 avoided as a result.
- Ocean of Things: OOT, a partnership between PARC® and the Défense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), developed low-cost drifters to deploy at scale in the ocean for the purpose of collecting information on environmental and human impacts. This data is used to have a significant impact in a variety of areas, including transportation route optimisation, aquafarming, coastal security, and clean-up of ocean pollution.
- Managing Energy and Greenhouse Gases: Given that energy sources account for most of the GHG emissions, Xerox focused on reducing energy consumption in their own operations and in their clients’ consumption. In 2021, their energy consumption decreased by 12.8% from 2020 and energy intensity normalized to revenue decreased by 13.0%.
- Toxic chemical release and transfers: The company evaluates the disposition of materials used in their global operations annually and reports to government agencies under national toxic chemical release reporting regulations. Toxic chemical releases decreased by 15% in 2021 compared to 2020 levels and were 85% lower than 2007 levels. In 2021, approximately 2% of the total toxic chemical releases from Xerox operations were emitted into the air. About 68% of all chemical releases were recycled or fuelled energy recovery initiatives.
Xerox plans to achieve net-zero emissions through projects that improve operational efficiency, create new technology innovations, and neutralize residual GHG emissions through carbon compensation mechanisms.