Firm withdraws Apple shareholder resolution on safer materials

[AppleInsider]

Thrilled with recent disclosures by Apple chief executive Steve Jobs on the company's plans for a greener future, Trillium Asset Management is retracting a previously filed resolution that would have pressured the Mac maker into releasing a corporate environmental report as part of its impending shareholders meeting.

The Trillium shareholder resolution, which helped draw Jobs' open letter on Apple's environmental goals, requested the Apple Board of Directors publish a report on the feasibility of adopting a policy to become a leader in the use of safe materials. It called upon the Cupertino-based company to eliminate from its products persistent and bioaccumulative toxic chemicals, in addition to all types of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics.

"With Apple's announced plan to eliminate BFRs and PVC in 2008 they have addressed the most specific issue raised by our resolution," Shelley Alpern, Vice President of Trillium Asset Management, wrote in a statement provided to AppleInsider. "Now, we're looking forward to seeing Apple move from aspiration to implementation, as its new, less toxic products enter the marketplace over the next year."

Apple's stated plan to rid its goods of BFRs and PVCs next year puts it well ahead of rival Dell, which by contrast has said it will not completely eliminate those chemicals from its personal computers until some time in 2009.

"Apple’s announcement makes its chemical policies far more transparent,” added Sanford Lewis, attorney and author of the Trillium resolution. "As a longtime Apple user myself, I'm looking forward to obtaining a greener Apple just as soon as they're available."

Lewis remarked that the company’s next frontiers will be to reinforce the steps announced by Jobs on Wednesday, with a "commitment to eliminate all persistent and bioaccumulative toxic chemicals" and to adopt the "precautionary principle" as an operative principle of design.

Trillium, which holds approximately $5.3 million in Apple shares, is a member of the Investor Environmental Health Network -- a group of financial managers and advisors who are actively monitoring the risks and opportunities posed by toxic chemicals in products of their portfolio companies.

While the firm's safer materials resolution continues to appear on the Apple proxy ballot, Trillium said it no longer intends to present the resolution at the company's May 10 shareholder meeting.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[melgross]

This makes it easier for me. Now I won't have to vote, which is good as my wife tore the proxy up already as she always does, since I never vote on these things.

[Ireland]

What does one expect from a company named after a plant.

[ajmas]

I wonder how long before computer products are required to carry labels indicating their 'green' rating with regards to materials used.

[mmmdoughnuts]

Originally Posted by ajmas

I wonder how long before computer products are required to carry labels indicating their 'green' rating with regards to materials used.

I think the EPA should consider this style of branding. It worked for monitors. In less than 1 buying season everyone was selling an EnergyStar certified monitor. Once there is some teeth to the certification then, it might have meaning. But, very quickly, every one had EnergyStar rated monitors.... They are on refrigerators and air conditioners. Computers and TVs are now the next most power hungry device in the home.

Guilt seems to be a good motivator. Just ask the Pope. But I'd like to have the information to at least be given the choice.

[vinea]

Originally Posted by mmmdoughnuts

I think the EPA should consider this style of branding. It worked for monitors. In less than 1 buying season everyone was selling an EnergyStar certified monitor. Once there is some teeth to the certification then, it might have meaning. But, very quickly, every one had EnergyStar rated monitors.... They are on refrigerators and air conditioners. Computers and TVs are now the next most power hungry device in the home.

Guilt seems to be a good motivator. Just ask the Pope. But I'd like to have the information to at least be given the choice.

I think the Fujitsu computers has an internal Green Product standard that they apply to their own products and sells a Green PC...in Europe anyway. Looks like sales in the US are so minimal you have to call Fujitsu US directly to get some.

Vinea

[monkeyastronaut]

Originally Posted by Ireland

What does one expect from a company named after a plant.

huh??

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by monkeyastronaut

huh??

Just a bit of harmless fun.

[quinney]

Originally Posted by melgross

This makes it easier for me. Now I won't have to vote, which is good as my wife tore the proxy up already as she always does, since I never vote on these things.

You should look into getting electronic delivery of proxy materials.
It is quick and easy to vote online, plus it saves paper and energy
(by eliminating physical delivery). Most brokerage firms have the option.

[monkeyastronaut]

Originally Posted by Ireland

Just a bit of harmless fun.

thanks!

[melgross]

Originally Posted by quinney

You should look into getting electronic delivery of proxy materials.
It is quick and easy to vote online, plus it saves paper and energy
(by eliminating physical delivery). Most brokerage firms have the option.

They send these with the statements. No big deal. I don't normally bother to vote, so my wife, who's an attorney for a bank, tears them up. She's concerned about identity theft.

[MacCentric]

Originally Posted by melgross

They send these with the statements. No big deal. I don't normally bother to vote, so my wife, who's an attorney for a bank, tears them up. She's concerned about identity theft.

I hope she recycles them, otherwise I am going to launch a campaign to 'green' the melgross household. We should be able to expect more from a premier forum poster such as melgross.

I do think it's funny though that you declared your intent to read and then possibly vote for the Trillium proposal a few days ago, but now you say that you never vote proxies.

Not that I am much better, with the volume of annual reports I get all at once, it takes me a few months to look through them all, and very often the meeting is over by then.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by MacCentric

I hope she recycles them, otherwise I am going to launch a campaign to 'green' the melgross household. We should be able to expect more from a premier forum poster such as melgross.

I do think it's funny though that you declared your intent to read and then possibly vote for the Trillium proposal a few days ago, but now you say that you never vote proxies.

Not that I am much better, with the volume of annual reports I get all at once, it takes me a few months to look through them all, and very often the meeting is over by then.

I'm in NYC, we HAVE to separate the garbage. One bag is for regular garbage, another is for paper, another is for certain metals and plastics, and then we have to tie up newspapers, magazines and cardboard boxes separately into their own piles.

Almost never vote proxies.

[MacCentric]

Originally Posted by melgross

I'm in NYC, we HAVE to separate the garbage. One bag is for regular garbage, another is for paper, another is for certain metals and plastics, and then we have to tie up newspapers, magazines and cardboard boxes separately into their own piles.

Almost never vote proxies.

I know, I was just kidding lol.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by MacCentric

I know, I was just kidding lol.

I figured you were, but I thought I'd post it anyway to show that it's pretty rigorous here.