According to Advanced Energy Economy, 71 of Fortune 100 companies set renewable energy or sustainability targets at the end of 2016. And with seven of the top 10 U.S. companies as customers, SunPower knows firsthand the growing market need for an experienced, trusted solar advisor to help corporations efficiently and cost-effectively meet such goals. SunPower’s 2015-2016 Sustainability Highlights Report provides an overview of the company’s own notable sustainability achievements, as well as its progress affecting sustainability-driven business practices in the solar industry and in corporations around the world.
“We’re proud to lead the solar industry in sustainability, which in turn creates immense value for SunPower’s customers—many of whom are the top corporate solar users in the U.S.—as they work toward greening their businesses for the betterment of employees, customers and local communities,” said Erin Mulligan Nelson, SunPower executive vice president. “As leading corporations continue to push sustainability boundaries in their own organizations, SunPower is committed to providing them with reliable, clean solar solutions that positively affect their bottom line while reducing their impact on the environment.”
Global automaker Toyota is one SunPower customer focused on achieving carbon neutrality. “Toyota has set a goal to eliminate carbon emissions from global operations by 2050,” said Kevin Butt, regional director, North American Environmental Division, Toyota. “SunPower’s high efficiency, sustainably manufactured solar solutions are helping Toyota reach this goal.”
In August 2016, SunPower celebrated its first ever “triple-certified” factory in Mexicali having secured three of the industry’s most stringent and prestigious certifications: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold® certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, Landfill-Free Verification from NSF Sustainability, and Cradle to CradleCertified™ Silver designation for its X-Series and E-Series direct current solar panels from the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.
Additional highlights from the report:
- All SunPower [®] X-Series and E-Series DC solar panels manufactured at four facilities across Mexico, France and the Philippines carry the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Silver designation. Products that receive this recognition from the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, are ranked against strict standards in material health, material reuse, renewable energy use, water stewardship, and social fairness.
- SunPower’s Mexicali facility attained LEED Gold [®] certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in August 2016 for sustainable practices in materials selection, water efficiency, energy performance, site management and more. The SunPower Mexicali facility is the only manufacturing facility in Mexico to be LEED Gold-certified for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance.
- Facilities across Mexico and France earned the solar industry’s first and only Landfill-Free Verification from NSF Sustainability, ensuring each location diverts more than 99 percent of its waste from landfills.
- Recently obtained the Declare Label for X-Series and E-Series DC solar panels. Issued by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), the label details a product’s origins, materials and end-of-life options.
- Empowered local community and education organizations through our SunPower Giving™ program, which includes philanthropic initiatives such as a new product discount program, dollar-for-dollar nonprofit donation matching for employees and Volunteer Time Off (VTO) benefits for U.S. employees.
For more on how SunPower is raising the bar for environmental and social sustainability in the solar industry, visit the related infographic here. And for an infographic on the top eight things sustainable businesses care about, visit the SunPower Business Feed here.
News item from SunPower