Nokia - questions still to be answered on the climate
Protests during the COP15 Global Day of Action in Copenhagen. IT companies such as Nokia have potential to be a big part of the solution to climate change, but many have failed to raise to the challenge. © Kristian Buus/Greenpeace
Nokia’s in the hot seat this week. The telecoms giant has agreed to answer readers’ questions on its environmental record at the Guardian newspaper’s website – what better chance to ask the company what it really thinks about the challenge of catastrophic climate change?
Until now, Nokia has been found a little wanting when it comes to speaking up about the most pressing environmental issue of our time.
Its CEO, Olli Kallasvuo, might have written an article ahead of the December Climate Summit in Copenhagen (Who didn’t talk about the climate in those days?), but these comments are still something of an exception. Until then, all we had were six words on the company’s website.
Our Cool IT ranking also shows that Nokia still doesn't offer much in terms of political advocacy on the issue; it scored just four out of 25 points here. When it comes to presenting solutions, all we could give was one meager point (out of 50).
Granted, Nokia is working hard to cut its emissions and its use of renewable energy is impressive, but is it really too much to ask from a company as publicly present as Nokia to come out with strong and clear words on climate change?
If rival Ericsson can do it, what is holding Nokia back?
In his article, Kallasvuo has acknowledged that business has an important role to play in finding solutions, but when will he tell us what exactly Nokia’s part will be in that process? Go to the Guardian's forum now and pose the question.
So far in the discussion, the climate is losing out to talk about Nokia’s mobiles, where the company is very good – it has again emerged number one in the Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics. But, as the team answering questions is happy to admit: “That doesn’t let us off the hook.” Indeed.
And why not put it positively?
Nokia – just like the rest of the IT industry – has all the potential to play a big part of the solution to climate change, as the Greenpeace Cool IT Challenge keeps pointing out. For that, though, the company has to stop hiding behind its (laudable) emission reduction targets and step forward properly.
The hot seat is on until Friday - tell them that you want them to right now.
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Comments
I make resarch about electronic waste it's horible what alot of rabish and people who try to take the thing they think it's good and useful...but some materail are not good for their health....? it's need a think to do and these huge companies know just to win money not the human needs and health don't ..stop asking for an answering and if they don't throw their instroments to them to do what they have to do ?! return back what's not rebair to them put their rabish in their yards from all over the world I think they will find an answer
Posted by: Fatma Jamal | March 14, 2010 9:00 AM