IBM announced a new framework for the company’s environmental, social, and governance activities titled ‘IBM’s impact’, which reflects the company’s approach and strategy to create a more sustainable, equitable, and ethical future.
IBM’s impact, according to the 2021 report that was published on Wednesday, has three main components — an environmental impact, an equitable impact, and an ethical impact.
IBM’s strategy revolves around these values, which made it able to provide many successful businesses over the past century that are in line with the interests of its employees, customers, and the world.
“IBM employees have always put their time, talent, and technology to make a positive impact around the world, as well as evolving their work over time to meet the needs of society,” said Arvind Krishna — IBM’s Chairperson and CEO.
Marwa Abbas — General Manager of IBM Egypt — said: “Today we are proud to announce the IBM Impact Framework, which consolidates our commitment and principles to support sustainable development and create positive impacts in all the communities in which we operate. Through its presence in the Egyptian market for more than 68 years, IBM has been keen to dedicate its expertise and technology to meet market needs and create a more sustainable, equitable, and ethical future for all.”
The IBM Report on the company’s environmental, social, and governance activities for 2021 includes the IBM Impact Framework and a set of commitments to achieving accountability and transparency, which include:
Environmental Impact
IBM is committed to conserving natural resources, reducing pollution, and minimising climate-related risks. This is evidenced by IBM’s commitment to:
- Achieve near-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
- Divert 90% of non-hazardous waste away from landfills and incinerate them by 2025.
- Starting 100 customer engagement or research projects with environmental benefits by 2025.
Equity Impact
IBM creates space and opportunity for all to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion by:
- Equipping 30 million people of all ages with new skills needed to fill future jobs that will be available by 2030.
- Record four million volunteer hours by 2025.
- Invest $250m in vocational training programmes and develop new employee programmes by 2025.
- Allocate 15% of total first-tier supplier expenditures to black suppliers by 2025.
Ethical Impact
IBM also aims to promote innovation, policies, and practices that prioritise ethics, trust, transparency, and above all accountability by:
- Including 1,000 ecosystem partners trained in technology ethics by 2022.
- Continuing to involve 100% of suppliers in good practices.
- Continuing to diversify by adjusting pay for senior leaders.
The report aims to establish a framework that demonstrates that trust, transparency, and ethical leadership are the values that underpin the company in its commitment to creating sustainable positive impact.
These goals and efforts illustrate how IBM is pursuing its goal of encouraging the world to do better, providing more impactful solutions to the environmental, social, and governance challenges facing businesses and society.
