Four Key Takeaways from SunPower’s 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance Report

Electric Fleet and Green Logistics

SunPower’s focus on sustainability extends to our logistics, freight network and vehicle fleet, with specific goals established to reduce carbon emissions. The targets we’ve set to maximize a positive environmental impact includes converting at least 90% of our U.S. fleet of vehicles to electric or hybrid vehicles by 2030. Additionally, SunPower is working to reduce carbon emissions from our downstream freight, establishing programs to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030. SunPower products and services -- along with the efforts of our homeowners -- already make a palpable difference in the fight against climate change, and these new operational efforts further amplify this effort. 

SunPower’s 25x25 Pledge and Supplier Diversity

In September 2021, SunPower launched a 25x25 Initiative with a series of new commitments established to accelerate diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in the solar industry by 2025. The 25x25 Initiative outlines pledges to increase workforce diversity, expand solar energy access for historically marginalized communities and ensure industry equity through new dealer and subcontractor diversity. The obligations in the 25x25 Initiative will be measured in our annual ESG report moving forward.

Part of this initiative is the commitment that by 2025, 25% of SunPower’s U.S. residential homeowners (single and multi-family) will be made up of people who live in historically under-represented communities. To reach this goal, SunPower is establishing a new program to provide homeowners with no-interest loans. Solar power provides a variety of benefits to consumers including decreased energy costs, backup during power outages and the opportunity for energy independence, and we believe these opportunities should be available to all Americans regardless of economic background.

Waste Management and Product Recycling

SunPower utilizes a national network of approved recyclers for our solar panel, electrical and mechanical waste to maintain environmentally responsible disposal of inventory. Components with remaining life are tested, reused or resold. The portion of inventory that is unusable is shipped to Responsible Recycling, a group of recyclers specializing in precious metal salvaging as well as the circular use of raw materials. SunPower also helps to provide homeowners with more accessible module recycling, partnering with PV recyclers regionally to lessen the freight mileage of waste streams.

Additional details about SunPower’s focus on sustainability -- including our efforts towards supplier diversity, health and safety culture and innovative new product offerings -- can be found in the full report by visiting our ESG page.

This post originally appeared on the SunPower Resources Blog