US tech giant Apple has just received a major award in China for its contributions in promoting environmental-friendly practices in both its manufacturing and supply chain. The Cupertino-based tech firm received the new Green Supply Chain CITI Master award from China's Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs for its continued green supply efforts.
In a statement released after it had received the award from the Chinese government agency, Apple stated that it will continue to promote a green supply chain in the coming years. The company assured the country that it will sustain its level of supply chain excellence and that it is committed to helping drive environmental stewardship throughout the industry.
Apple is the first company to receive the newly established award from the environmental agency. The award itself is meant to be given to companies that have shown to be role models in environmental leadership throughout various industries.
Apart from the environment-related award, Apple had also been ranked in the number one position on China's corporate information transparency index this year; a position it has retained in the last five years.
Apple's managing director for Greater China, Isabel Ge Mahe, mentioned in a statement that the company is working tirelessly to make new advancements in smart and sustainable manufacturing. The company hopes to influence other manufacturers to follow in their footsteps and to create a greener and more sustainable supply chain across all supply chains.
To further promote a greener supply chain across China, Apple has partnered with the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs to initiate a number of projects aimed at accelerating environmental development across China. These projects include seminars to teach companies some best practices to promote sustainability and environmental friendliness.
Last year, Apple announced that it will be investing close to $300 million over the next four years in the country's China Clean Energy Fund. As part of its investment, Apple had partnered with 10 of its major suppliers to help Chinese businesses tap into renewable energy and greener manufacturing technologies.
The China Clean Energy Fund was established to develop various clean energy projects across the country. The fund hopes to initiate green projects that will generate more than 1 gigawatt of renewable energy in the coming years. So far, the fund's first project has managed to generate around 134 megawatts of clean energy, which has been added to China's national power grid.
Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs Director Ma Jun stated that the award given to Apple should become a benchmark for other companies to aspire to given the rapid growth in China's tech industry.
