Apple Refuses to Publish Sustainability Report

We recently applauded Apple for its new energy efficient 17″ MacBook, but news that the company wants to stifle shareholder requests to publish a Corporate Sustainability Report has overshadowed our praise.

The shareholder resolution was proposed by an environmental group called As You Sow, and asks for detailed information about toxins, recycling, greenhouse gases, and more. This past Wednesday, Apple’s board of directors asked shareholders to vote against the resolution.

The most disturbing part? Al Gore is on the board. The company claims, however, that “an additional report would produce little added value while requiring unnecessary time and expense”. While that may be true, CSR reports are produced by over 2,700 companies, including Apple competitors Dell, IBM, and HP. And if the company really has nothing to hide, producing such a report shouldn’t be an issue.

This isn’t the first time Apple has come under fire for its environmental practices—the company has previously been criticized by Greenpeace for withholding information about green policies.

Photo Credit: CC licensed by Flickr user kevinthoule