With the whole world focusing on the alerting signs of climate change, trying to figure out solutions to the catastrophic consequences of the cooking globe, the technology leading cooperation, Intel, couldn’t slip an eye on its responsibilities towards the greenery planet; leading a long, difficult, carved with obstacles road to bring the world innovative technological computing solutions that are also sustainable and planet friendly.
Earlier in December, Intel published its Climate Transition Action Plan, detailing the company’s vision to reduce its climate footprint, and further revealing its actions towards its goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across our global operations by 2040.
In a round table with a number of Egyptian journalists, Todd Brady, the Vice President, Global Public Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer at Intel Corporation, shared Intel’s journey for achieving its goals and further elaborated on the foremost tech-solutions hub to ultimately achieve net-zero upstream greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The Climate Transition Action Plan sets a list of milestones for Intel to follow in order to overcome the technology industry’s most complicated challenge, lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
As the world’s leading tech house, Intel is also championing collective action to achieve more sustainable computing.
Brady explained that the main initiatives, Intel currently intensifies its work on are the reduction of its carbon emissions, heavy investments in renewable electricity to enhance the supply chain, better use of water consumption, and waste reduction.
Acknowledging the “precious element of water and its close tie to climate”, the use of water is one of Intet’s biggest initiatives that is tied to climate change, which leaves a significant imprint on Earth.
“As manufacturers of the chips, we need to use natural resources including water, and moving chemicals. So, it’s critical that we manage that footprint as we grow,” he said.
As a resolution to the challenge, Intel adopted what is called a net water posit strategy.
“The net water posit the concept would be for every litre of water that we extract from a local aquifer or source of that water we’re returning a litre or more of water back to the aquifer,” he explained, adding “We made very good progress there we’ve achieved that goal in the US and India and we’re focused on and expanding around the world to all of our operations to ultimately net water posit.”
When it comes to the unavoidable manufacturing waste, the upfront innovation business targets achieving zero waste landfills.
“We aim to find ways to upcycle and reuse those waste and create circular economy solutions for those waste streams,” he explained.
Currently, almost 6% of Intel’s waste material goes to landfill, meanwhile over two-thirds of manufacturing operations get upcycled.
This also brings benefits to the corporation as the circular economy also allows them “ to extract value from those waste streams instead of simply discarding them. instead of getting rid of them at end of life, we’re actually able to extract value and upcycle and provide a benefit both to the company and to society so those are the three key areas in our operations for sustainability.”
Todd Brady is the Vice President of Global Public Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer at Intel Corporation