At Apple's shareholders meeting Feb. 25, the computer giant shot down two shareholder proposals related to sustainability management and reporting, reports PC World.
One proposal called for Apple to establish a "sustainability" report on the company's environmental policies and the impact climate change has on the company, while the other called for Apple to establish a board-of-directors sustainability committee.
Al Gore's re-election to the board was another highlight of the meeting. Gore had to face both harsh critics as well as supporters who said that he needed to urge Apple to do more in terms of setting public environmental commitments, reports CNET.
However, the meeting also gave Apple the opportunity to tout its recent report on supplier sustainability, claiming that it is the first company to work directly with suppliers on issues such as environmental impact, reports PC World. Apple conducted onsite audits of 102 suppliers in 2009 but more than half said they had never been audited by a company.
Apple also noted that it has reduced the number of 747 cargo flights needed each year, and it leads in recycling, reducing toxins, smaller packaging, and workers' rights, reports PC World.
As an example, Apple's Macbook Pro is made of highly recyclable aluminum and glass, and contains no hazardous chemicals, like arsenic, BFR, mercury, and PVC.
Apple also has reduced the packaging of its 13-inch Macbooks by 40 percent between 2006 and 2009, which translates into 50 percent more boxes per airline shipping container.