Google #1 Against All Other IT Companies in Greenpeace Leaderboard Rankings
A competition ranking IT behemoths awarding the top spot to the leader who confronts the problems of climate change and spearheads progress in influencing clean-energy solutions using their IT prowess. Does it sound like a great way to inspire mega enterprises toward greening the environment? You bet and Greenpeace has accomplished the feat designing and publishing the Cool IT Leaderboard for all to see. Today's rankings were released in New Delhi, India. Google took first place. Cisco came in second and Ericsson was third. Greenpeace listed 21 IT firms based upon the extent to which they employ clean-energy leadership. They also ranked them according to their klout in influencing energy decisions.
Greenpeace gave Google the top spot because of its support of a stronger US clean energy policy and its aid in strengthening the EU's current 20pc greenhouse gas target of 30pc by 2020. Softbank, the Japanese telecommunications company received the Leaderboard's highest political advocacy score because it was advocating a "rapid shift" toward renewable energy, away from nuclear power. This was after the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
In other standout categories, Google, Cisco and Dell are in the top range for sourcing more than 20pc renewable energy globally for their infrastructures, as reported by Greenpeace. On the other hand Oracle was at rock bottom for failing to disclose whether it used renewable or dirty energy.
Apple and Facebook were not included in this year's Leaderboard. Apple's efforts do not meet the Leaderboard criteria because as Greenpeace stated, it "has not demonstrated leadership or elected to pursue market opportunities to drive IT energy solutions that many of its competitors have, despite record profits and large cash reserves."
For a while, Apple had been receiving some negative media attention for failing to stop contracting with suppliers like Foxconn and others responsible for egregious and dangerous working conditions. The convoluted secrecy, inattention and lack of follow-up with regard to hiring suppliers and those who make parts for suppliers has affected Apple's ability to stop labor abuses in factories that contract with it. Overall, Apple's policies and practices show an indifference to the suffering of humanity as it delivers its products and profits. Is it not likely to assume that Apple is also revealing an indifference regarding cutting down on its dirty energy use and lack of will in this area?
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