Which Network Equipment OEMs Are the Most Sustainable?

As the world increasingly depends on digital infrastructure, it's important to consider the environmental impact of the equipment that powers it. Equipment, like servers, routers, and switches, are critical components for enterprise networks and data centers. They are produced by a variety of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). 

However, not all OEMs are created equal when it comes to sustainability. Some have significantly invested in renewable energy, while others have focused on reducing waste and improving supply chain transparency. 

This article will examine which network equipment OEMs are the most sustainable and what steps they're taking to minimize their environmental impact. By understanding the sustainability practices of these companies, we can make more informed decisions about the technology we use and help build a more sustainable digital future.

Why Consider Sustainability When Buying Hardware?

The technology industry accounts for two percent of the world’s total carbon emissions. While that number seems smaller compared to the impact of transportation or agriculture, it’s still incredibly important for stakeholders in the tech industry to pay attention to their carbon emissions. 

Enterprises that rely on hardware to power their business should value a product's and its manufacturer's sustainability as much as performance or cost.

Not only does it help you reduce your carbon footprint, but it also ensures that OEMs are pushed to strive for even more sustainable solutions. In other words, it helps keep the momentum for sustainability efforts in the IT industry. 

More importantly, as the IT footprint of your company grows, you’ll be able to offset emissions by purchasing equipment manufactured sustainably. 

So partnering with a manufacturer that has spent time and money offsetting or reducing their emissions is one way to make your organization more sustainable. 

6 Top Sustainable OEMs

So which IT OEMs are sustainable? Here are six of them:

Dell

Dell is among the leaders in IT sustainability, as the company is tackling emissions on multiple fronts. It has set ambitious goals for itself and has so far delivered on them.

For instance, it has delivered on its goal of saving 90 percent of its waste from landfills and recycling it in its products.  

One of the areas Dell has focused its efforts on sustainability is packaging. Their 2030 goals include making packaging materials from 100 percent sustainable sources. This is why the company is actively investing in materials innovation for packaging. Furthermore, they have also made progress in reducing the packaging for their products. 

Dell aims to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions across all three scopes by 2050. They are already on their way to reducing it by 60 percent by 2030. They plan to use renewable energy across 75 percent of their facilities to achieve that. 

Dell is committed to improving supply chain sustainability. The company has set a goal to ensure that all of its suppliers have a sustainability plan and is working with suppliers to improve their sustainability practices. 

The Texas-based company has also launched a closed-loop recycling program, which uses recycled materials from old products to create new products.

Cisco

Cisco, one of the leaders in network equipment manufacturing, has recently picked up the pace with its sustainability efforts. In 2021, the company announced its net zero emissions goals across all scopes by 2040. For Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, it has set a deadline for 2025, which is quite ambitious.

It’s investing in renewable energy, energy efficiency measures, and other strategies to reduce its carbon footprint. For example, the company has implemented various energy-saving measures in its buildings, including LED lighting, motion sensors, and building automation systems.

The OEM is also pushing for changes to its product designs, allowing consumers who buy and use Cisco products in their enterprises to be more sustainable. For instance, it has set a goal to reduce the carbon footprint of its product lines by 25 percent by 2025 (from 2019).

To achieve this goal, it’s incorporating sustainability into the design process, using lifecycle assessments to identify opportunities for improvement, and exploring better eco-friendly materials.

(Data: source)

Cisco is a member of several organizations dedicated to saving the planet from climate change, including the United Nations Global Compact, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and the Green Grid. 

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) was one of the first companies to align its policies with the historic Paris Climate Agreement in 2015. It’s also the first OEM of servers to produce servers certified for sustainability by TCO. 

As for its carbon emission goals, it plans to reduce all Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 55 percent by 2025 (using 2016 as a baseline). Of course, the real challenge lies in reducing Scope 3 emissions, but HPE is also active in making its supply chain more environmentally responsible. So it plans to ensure that three-fourths of its suppliers have a rigid sustainability plan by 2025. 

HPE has also emerged as a stalwart in the circular economy. The company has set a goal to achieve a circular economy for its products and solutions by 2030, which means designing products that can be reused, repaired, or recycled at the end of their life. 

(Date: source)

Lenovo

The multi-national company Lenovo has made great strides in reducing emissions. It’s doing so by focusing on its own offices and facilities, reducing the waste these properties generate, and increasing the reuse and recycling of materials and products. As a result, all of its facilities have leading sustainability certifications. 

Lenovo is a signatory supporter of the United Nations Global Compact, leveraging its global presence to promote more sustainable solutions. Their progress speaks for their efforts. In 2010, they pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2021. However, they were able to reduce emissions by a whopping 92 percent. 

Like Dell, Lenovo also focuses on reducing packaging, opting for more eco-friendly materials like bamboo over plastic. 

Juniper Networks

While many IT equipment vendors have set targets for becoming carbon neutral by 2030 or even 2040, Juniper Networks, a leading network equipment OEM, wants to achieve this goal by 2025. It plans to become carbon-neutral across its operations in the next two years.

(Data: source)

Their efforts to be more sustainable include adopting renewable energy. The Juniper Networks facility in Bangalore, India, is powered by solar energy by as much as 93 percent. 

Juniper Networks are increasingly focusing on designing long-lasting, energy-efficient, and recyclable products. It’s one of the many ways it's forwarding its mission to reduce emissions. They integrate their corporate social responsibility into their business strategy, which results in even more innovation.  

Furthermore, the company uses compostable materials for packaging products that weigh less than 70 lbs. 

Procure Sustainably With PivIT!

If you want to procure hardware from any OEMs above, make PivIT your partner. With years of expertise in procurement and a global network of vendors, PivIT can source the equipment you need from major reputable and sustainability-promoting manufacturers. 

If your enterprise takes sustainability seriously and evaluates the environmental consequences of every purchase, PivIT can help you find sustainable solutions from reliable OEMs at discounted prices. 

Learn more about how PivIT and its procurement specialist can help you find both the best equipment and savings!