Photo via cache.gizmodo.com
News alert via China CSR:
China Mobile Ltd. has initiated a green packaging system adopting recyclable wood substitutes in the packaging process of its communication products.
Eleven GSM and TD-SCDMA mobile communication equipment providers — Huawei, Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Datang Telecom Technology, FiberHome, Motorola, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel Networks, China Potevio, New Postcom, and ZTE Corporation — were invited to attend the kick-off ceremony held in Beijing. They will call on global telecom businesses to join in Green Packaging for a greener world.
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It is estimated that China Mobile will reduce wood consumption by 57,000 cubic meters each year through Green packaging, equaling 670 hectares of forest, reduce fuel consumption by 1.37 million liters, and save 3.93 million kWh electricity, amounting to a carbon dioxide emission reduction of 120,000 tons.
Read more about China Mobile’s “green action plan” here.
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This is like an overweight person trying to get fit by running on a treadmill while eating cheeseburgers.
Yes, greening the packaging is nice. But the business model of every company in the consumer electronics industry is based on “planned obsolescence” or “perceived obsolescence,” whereby consumers are made to believe hat their perfectly functioning one year-old products are outdated so as to compel them to buy a new models, thereby keeping the revenue engines of these companies going.
The result? Mountains of toxic e-waste.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=3883026
The true measure of CSR is the ability of these companies to really close the loop on the life-cycle of their products. For starters, what are these companies doing to encourage electronics recycling?
But that is a digression. As long as the business model is based on “selling more stuff”, it really puts a ceiling to how green their operations can be, recycling or not. In other words, there is little incentive to dematerialize.
Another great perspective of this can be found on
http://www.storyofstuff.com/
This is the challenge as I see it–How can we effectively decouple the sale of products (all that stuff with embedded energy) from the sale of services (the end-use experience, which is really what the consumer wants)?
Thanks for your comments, Julian. I think you’re right on the mark. Packaging is just cosmetic. And frankly, “green” packaging is becoming more and more of a marketing gimmick.
Does anyone have any other info on China Mobile’s other CSR initiatives?
It looks like they publish a CSR report:
http://www.chinamobileltd.com/images/pdf/2008/crr/crr_2008_e_full.pdf
It seems there are four major components of their CSR program:
1) expanding coverage to remote rural areas of China
2) providing financial assistance to health and human services
3) promoting a “healthy” mobile communications culture and expanding educational programs
4) conserving energy and reducing waste
It’s actually not a bad plan. And publishing a report is the first step in raising employee and consumer awareness about the issues.
What do you think? What else can companies like China Mobile do to make CSR part of its business strategy, rather than an add-on feature of its marketing plan?
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