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Corporate Social Responsibility
News
10.18.2005 ET
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Xerox Tracks Progress toward Sustainable Operations, Reports on Environment, Health and Safety Success
'Waste-free products' vision helps customers meet their environmental objectives
(CSRwire) ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Spotlighting the company's
environmentally-friendly product portfolio as well as its ongoing efforts
to deliver "waste-free products from waste-free facilities," Xerox
Corporation (NYSE: XRX) today released its 2005 Environment, Health and
Safety Progress Report, which details the year's accomplishments, new
initiatives and continuing challenges.
"Sustainable operations is a demanding goal but one that will ultimately
more than repay our efforts. We have demonstrated that you actually can
save money by investing in environmentally sound technologies and business
practices," said Patricia A. Calkins, Xerox vice president of Environment,
Health and Safety. "Sustainable strategies also ensure that Xerox products
answer the environmental expectations of customers, from large federal
agencies to small family-owned businesses."
Xerox's environmental program embraces the entire product life cycle, from
selecting raw materials to integrating product features that help people
work wisely in small offices, large enterprises and commercial print
operations worldwide. It includes sourcing paper from environmentally
sound suppliers, designing equipment with parts and subsystems that can be
reused, and eliminating hazardous substances in products.
In addition, Xerox products are designed to help customers meet their own
sustainability objectives. For example, equipment is energy-efficient and
includes features for automatic two-sided printing to conserve paper.
Toner cartridges and other supplies are designed for recycling. And
Xerox-exclusive technologies such as solid ink generate 95 percent less
consumables waste than comparable laser printers.
Notable new products include the WorkCentre® C2424, Xerox's first office
color multifunction system to bring customers the benefits of solid ink,
and Xerox Nuvera™ digital production systems with innovative
technologies that make machine components last longer and scan pages with
low-power, mercury-free lamps. Xerox's Premium Laser paper was among the
papers redesigned to add 30 percent recycled content.
Xerox is moving forward on a number of important goals, Calkins said,
including Xerox's pledge announced earlier this year to reduce absolute
greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent from 2002 to 2012, its program to
achieve benchmark safety levels, and its initiative to further control
chemicals used in Xerox products. Among the highlights in the report:
Ninety-seven percent of eligible new Xerox products met the
requirements of the international ENERGY STAR® and Canada's Environmental
Choice. By selling ENERGY STAR products and reusing parts in Xerox
remanufacturing operations, the company enabled energy savings equivalent
to 1.4 million megawatt hours of electricity in 2004, enough to light
about 1.1 million U.S. homes for a year.
Improvements in energy efficiency enabled Xerox to reduce its
greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 6 percent between 2002 and 2004, while
energy consumption decreased by 3 percent.
All new products achieved Xerox's rigorous standards for minimal use
of hazardous materials and noise, ozone and dust emissions.
In 2005, the company launched its first office products - such as the
WorkCentre M118/M118i basic multifunction systems - designed to meet the
requirements of the European Union's restriction on the use of hazardous
substances, which takes effect in July 2006. Xerox engineers continue to
innovate to ensure Xerox products meet the E.U. directive, called RoHS.
Reuse and recycling of Xerox equipment and supplies in 2004 kept 142
million pounds of material from entering landfills - the approximate
weight of 8,600 African elephants. Over the past 15 years, this program
has given new life to the equivalent of 2.5 million copiers, printers and
multifunction systems.
Ninety-six percent of returned parts ineligible for reuse were
successfully recycled by Xerox's worldwide equipment recovery and recycle
operations.
Xerox workplace injury rates are 54 percent lower than when the
company's Zero Injury program began in 1997, yet they fell short of
Xerox's goal of a 10 percent year-over-year reduction. The company has
launched a Lean Six Sigma project to identify strategies to reach its
goal.
Xerox is committed to the protection of the environment and the health and
safety of its employees, customers and neighbors. The company has received
major environmental awards worldwide, and it has pioneered conservation
and protective environmental policies well in advance of governmental
regulations. As part of its legacy as a leader in corporate citizenship,
Xerox recently joined the Business Roundtable's new "S.E.E. Change"
initiative, which calls for corporations to adopt or strengthen business
strategies that support sustainable growth.
The 11th annual Progress Report is available at www.xerox.com/environment.
Media Contacts: Kara Choquette, Xerox Corporation, 303-796-6420, kara.choquette@xerox.com Bill
McKee, Xerox Corporation, 585-423-4476, bill.mckee@xerox.com
NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information about Xerox and to receive its RSS
news feeds, visit www.xerox.com/news. XEROX®,
WorkCentre® and Xerox Nuvera™ are trademarks of XEROX CORPORATION.
ENERGY STAR and the ENERGY STAR mark are registered U.S. marks.
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