Long-Term Resolution Dedication to Green Energy Use
Acer has a long track record of being dedicated to optimizing energy efficiency. Since 2008, it has taken up the CDP’s global disclosure system to control the environmental impacts of its supply chain and even extended the system to two tiers of supplier engagement. In 2012, Acer began setting carbon reduction targets through energy management and the use of green energy, taking 2009 as the baseline year. Through continuous efforts and drive, Acer, including its global operations and subsidiaries, successfully achieved its 2020 target of bringing down its carbon emissions by 60% globally.
Setting a new resolution to source renewable energy for all of its energy use by 2035, Acer also revealed that it has joined RE100, a global corporate renewable energy initiative that bands together hundreds of large and ambitious businesses dedicated to 100% renewable electricity. Green energy has been utilized by various Acer subsidiaries since as early as 2013, with some locations even utilizing solar panels to generate their own solar power. In 2020, Acer achieved 44% renewable energy use.
Earthion - Bringing together Strengths Across the Supply Chain
Acer decided to take its environmental resolutions further with Earthion, a platform that binds together the strengths of the company, consumers (channels), its supply chain partners, and their employees. “Earthion” is a blend of the words “Earth + Mission,” and is the name Acer has minted to signify its mission to help overcome environmental challenges through imaginative and integrated solutions. The driving force behind Earthion is each member’s trust that its mutual collaboration can effectively create a positive impact on the environment.
Earthion's Primary Focus
Energy – using 100% renewable energy, as a goal
Product Design – green innovations
Packaging Design – using less packaging and more recycled materials
Production – minimizing the impact on the environment
Logistics – leaving a smaller carbon footprint
Recycling – recycling, reusing, and repurposing resources
Acer Earthion is the collective result of multiple years of efforts and will continue to develop. The initial idea was to do more as a responsible company and corporate citizen and fight against both the increasingly urgent impacts of climate change and the digital divide. It was this idea which led to the inception of Project Humanity, a company-wide step to raise awareness of amplifying global issues and to motivate each Acer employee to contribute toward beneficial changes. Project Humanity began at an individual level, hoping to inspire employees to suggest new ideas in their professional capacity and also collectively contribute to the goals of reducing, reusing, recycling, and repurposing.
In 2020, all of Acer’s notebooks have used recycled paper for packaging, and these environment-friendly innovations have saved 8,750 kg of paper pulp and avoided the usage of 20 million plastic bags. From Acer’s internal recycling activities, over 50 metric tons of batteries were recycled and remanufactured into new ones. More than 75% of Acer employees across 50 countries participated—driven by their spirits.
With Earthion, this mission has expanded again: Acer aims to share this culture with its partners and suppliers, creating a huge platform and creating an even larger amount of impact.
Today, the company has a clear goal of utilizing clean energy and eco-friendly materials, culminating in a concerted effort with its suppliers and partners to build its Earthion platform, starting with the Aspire Vero, a sustainability-focused notebook.
Acer Aspire Vero - a Sustainability-focused Notebook
The first product within the Earthion platform, the Aspire Vero by Acer is a step towards rethinking what the computer manufacturing process looks like. Post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic is used all through the device’s keyboard caps and chassis. Eco-friendly packaging takes this further: the Aspire Vero is shipped in a box made from 80-85% recycled paper pulp, and plastic packaging for adapter protection is avoided by using paper sleeves instead. Moreover, the laptop bag and the sheet between the keyboard and screen are made with 100% recycled plastic.
This importance given to sustainability carries over to the design elements, too. All graphics on the shipping box are printed with soy ink, and the notebook itself contains zero paint on the chassis, reducing its footprint on the environment. It is held together by easily accessible, standardized screws for an easier disassembly process. The laptop stands out with unique yellow and volcano grey accents on its bumpers and the text on the R and E keys has been reversed, calling out the 3 Re’s: reduce, reuse and recycle.
Behind all of this is a computer that is both attractive and impressive. The latest 11th Gen Intel Core processor with Intel Iris Xe graphics lets it power through everyday productivity tasks and more, while up to 1 TB of M.2 SSD storage gives users ample amount of space to store movies, music, and files. This display boasts a lifting-hinge design that slightly lifts the notebook when opened, allowing for a more comfortable typing experience, while AI noise suppression offers clarity during video calls. The notebook also comes with Intel Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+), a USB Type-C port, two USB 3.2 ports and an HDMI 2.0 port for video-out.
Global Accolades on Sustainability
Acer’s transparent reporting efforts have been acknowledged by global sustainability indices, and the company has been awarded industry accolades for ESG performance. In 2020, Acer was listed on three global sustainability indices: the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) Emerging Markets Index for the seventh consecutive year, the MSCI ESG Leaders Indexes with an “AA” rating, and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index for the fifth year. Moreover, Acer was ranked among the 100 most sustainable companies in the world by The Wall Street Journal.
