8. April 2022
Julia Kriegel
In the implementation process of our sustainability strategy, the analysis of our supply chain plays an important role, as many future steps in our implementation process are built on supply chain criteria and priorities.
As a digital service provider and 100% remote organization, we work with different hardware and software on a daily basis – they form our most important tools in day-to-day projects. Not only in VAST FORWARD-founding Maren’s super-mobile environment in her “floating office”, but also in our team’s daily working routine, reliable hard- and software play a crucial role: it’s all about durability, maximal user orientation and functionality, seamless interaction with all devices, collaboration in our VAST FORWARD cloud and an eye on cybersecurity in our everyday internet work-life.
So, there are many important criteria for the tools we rely on.
For the implementation of our VAST GREEN strategy, we took a closer look at our hardware. Since the early 2000th we have worked with APPLE devices. And although our hardware already has a long life span, e.g., by passing it on to new team members or, as an extended life, even to family members, we have to take a closer look especially on the sustainability measures of this manufacturer.
In the implementation process of our sustainability strategy, the analysis of our supply chain plays an important role, as many future steps in our implementation process are built on supply chain criteria and priorities.
We use Apple products in our daily business, as they fit our set criteria perfectly and also come with a super simple user orientation. All devices can be paired quickly with each other, this simplifies data and media transfer, and the replacement and exchange of a device can be done by each employee herself. These simplicities make Apple devices the most efficient and easiest to use hardware for VAST FORWARD.
In our “Supply-Chain-Management” working group we tried to find out which measures Apple takes to engage in sustainability. The production of components and devices will always have a negative environmental footprint and producing in countries with low wages and lack of workers’ rights is simply a fact for most hardware manufacturers.
In our research we found that Apple has been trying to become Co2-neutral for some years, and among other things, relies on renewable energies (Environment).
Specifically for us, we find Apple’s recently announced self-repair service for Europe interesting (Apple announces Self Service Repair), which is to start in 2022. Since the Iphone 12, recycled raw materials are being used in manufacturing and also the environmental footprint of each Apple product can be tracked directly on the Apple website.
Similar to our motto “we do not just compensate”, Apple also takes a holistic approach to sustainability: “There is always more to do. Our commitment to the environment goes beyond CO2” (Environment).
Certainly, Apple’s “push” to stop including chargers with new iPhones cannot only be attributed to a sustainable mindset only. As one of the “most valuable companies in the world” (May 2021: “Global Top 100” 2021: Apple ist wertvollstes Unternehmen) Apple also follows the maxim of profit maximization.
While conducting our research on Apple and sustainability, we’ve read a lot of marketing promises and also some exciting developments. Especially the repair service seems to be going in the right direction. So we can not be 100% happy with the result, and we keep this company “under observation”.
we will continue to use our current existing hardware. Currently we believe that there are no better tools on the market for our small, self-organized team – but in the future, there will certainly be more sustainable & local alternatives for us, such as the fairphone.
We will continue to use our current existing hardware. Currently we believe that there are no better tools on the market for our small, self-organized team – but in the future, there will certainly be more sustainable & local alternatives for us, such as the fairphone.
