IBM has made a significant step in cleaning up its global operations. It's now requiring all of its suppliers in 90 different countries to install management systems to track environmental data like energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste and recycling levels. All suppliers must set environmental goals and publicly report their progress.
For large global companies like IBM, turning over a greener leaf starts with gathering environmental data on all parts of your supply chain. Once armed with that information, IBM will know where and how to make changes.
IBM is also requiring any subcontractors of their suppliers to track the same data if they're a significant part of the supply chain. The company says their goal with this project is to systemize environmental management and sustainability so that all of its global partners are working with the same type of information and are easily able to set and reach environmental goals.
All suppliers will need to have these systems installed by early 2011. If they don't comply, IBM says it will no longer do business with them.
via NY Times
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written by Wendy, April 15, 2010
So IBM passes the buck down the line to its suppliers, thus obviating itself of the need to do so in the short to medium term.
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written by Matt, April 15, 2010
Come on, what portion of IBM products do you think they make themself. Most of their product is made by sub-contracters. Also they didn't say they were not tracking their portion of the data, and even include the contractors to thier contractors. Yes gathering data is only the first step, but it is a BIG frist step, for without it you get no where. Let me guess if IBM had said they were going to track and reduce all in house environmental data, you would have complained that they were not covering the biggest portion of the problem; the impact from their suppliers.
I say, Great begining IBM. But remember it is just a begining and keep going.
I say, Great begining IBM. But remember it is just a begining and keep going.
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written by Vicki Peters, April 20, 2010
I agree with Wendy. Requiring your suppliers to track their data is not only work avoidance, tracking data is meaningless unless you analyze it & set goals. IBM has PLENTY of opportunities to reduce resource consumption in-house. Shouldn't they clean up their own operations before moving on to their suppliers?
Furthermore, who is going to pay for those management systems? IBM? What will happen is they will make this requirement, US companies will insist that IBM share the financial burden (as they should)and when IBM refuses and local companies cannot comply or refuse to be strong-armed, IBM will send work to over seas subcontractors...who will be much harder to track. IBM will get to showboat at the expense of US companies. I have seen this sort of thing before...and am not impressed with their lip service.
Furthermore, who is going to pay for those management systems? IBM? What will happen is they will make this requirement, US companies will insist that IBM share the financial burden (as they should)and when IBM refuses and local companies cannot comply or refuse to be strong-armed, IBM will send work to over seas subcontractors...who will be much harder to track. IBM will get to showboat at the expense of US companies. I have seen this sort of thing before...and am not impressed with their lip service.
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written by Chris, April 20, 2010
It does sound like a hefty investment and the IBM requirement to be met seems quick. After all 2011 is in all reality not the far away. There is going to be some substantial benefit to the actual value of the data which is gathered and this is quite possibly a huge point behind this requirement by IBM.
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written by Johnny, April 20, 2010
...get a grip guys.
" Requiring your suppliers to track their data is not only work avoidance, tracking data is meaningless unless you analyze it & set goals."
OK how do you analyse data and set goals if you don't have any data? And how are IBM supposed to track the data of all their suppliers in 90 countries?
" IBM has PLENTY of opportunities to reduce resource consumption in-house. Shouldn't they clean up their own operations before moving on to their suppliers? "
They ARE cleaning up their operations all the time. The suppliers SHOULD BE doing this too, whether or not IBM requires them to. The fact that a big customer demands green practice from those it chooses to buy from is cause for celebration.
"What will happen is they will make this requirement, US companies will insist that IBM share the financial burden (as they should)..."
Why should IBM "share the financial burden"? They have the perfect right to choose who they buy from, on their own terms.
"...and when IBM refuses and local companies cannot comply or refuse to be strong-armed, IBM will send work to over seas subcontractors...who will be much harder to track."
(1) There are no "local companies" when you are a multibillion $ global corporation;
(2) It's not strong arming;
(3) See point one - probably most of IBM's work is done "overseas";
(4) They require the same level of data-tracking from all their suppliers, whether in the US or not.
"...IBM will get to showboat at the expense of US companies. I have seen this sort of thing before...and am not impressed with their lip service."
If these hypothetical "US companies" are unwilling to clean up their act and provide transparent environmental audit data when one of their biggest customers asks them to, they deserve the consequences, which most likely will be going out of business. Companies like IBM do not "showboat", because (1) they're not people they're corporations and (2) they exist to make a profit, if they show some interest in environmental justice that is great.
" Requiring your suppliers to track their data is not only work avoidance, tracking data is meaningless unless you analyze it & set goals."
OK how do you analyse data and set goals if you don't have any data? And how are IBM supposed to track the data of all their suppliers in 90 countries?
" IBM has PLENTY of opportunities to reduce resource consumption in-house. Shouldn't they clean up their own operations before moving on to their suppliers? "
They ARE cleaning up their operations all the time. The suppliers SHOULD BE doing this too, whether or not IBM requires them to. The fact that a big customer demands green practice from those it chooses to buy from is cause for celebration.
"What will happen is they will make this requirement, US companies will insist that IBM share the financial burden (as they should)..."
Why should IBM "share the financial burden"? They have the perfect right to choose who they buy from, on their own terms.
"...and when IBM refuses and local companies cannot comply or refuse to be strong-armed, IBM will send work to over seas subcontractors...who will be much harder to track."
(1) There are no "local companies" when you are a multibillion $ global corporation;
(2) It's not strong arming;
(3) See point one - probably most of IBM's work is done "overseas";
(4) They require the same level of data-tracking from all their suppliers, whether in the US or not.
"...IBM will get to showboat at the expense of US companies. I have seen this sort of thing before...and am not impressed with their lip service."
If these hypothetical "US companies" are unwilling to clean up their act and provide transparent environmental audit data when one of their biggest customers asks them to, they deserve the consequences, which most likely will be going out of business. Companies like IBM do not "showboat", because (1) they're not people they're corporations and (2) they exist to make a profit, if they show some interest in environmental justice that is great.
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written by Sungirl, April 21, 2010
IBM's initiative will be great only if it really helps in bringing down the emissions and systematically recycle the waste. Lets hope that everything goes in favour of environment and hope that it inspires other corporations also to take such environmental measures for cleaner and greener future
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