Our sustainable packaging strategy has three focus areas, aiming to enhance customer experience while driving progress toward a circular and net zero carbon economy:
- Eliminate unnecessary packaging material, space, and hard-to-recycle materials such as plastic foam
- Innovate packaging designs to use materials with lower environmental impact, such as sustainable fiber and recycled plastics
- Prioritize high recycled content and easily recyclable materials that can readily circulate through the economy
In 2019, we introduced a goal to eliminate 75% of single use plastic packaging by 2025, compared to 2018.1 These efforts help to advance the circular economy. We continue to roll out easily recyclable, fiber-based packaging cushions created from recycled content. In 2023, we reached a 62% reduction in single-use plastic packaging, moving from an average of 221 grams of plastic/unit in 2018 to 85 grams/unit in 2023.
Since 2016, HP brand paper has been derived from recycled or certified sources, and since 2020 this has also been the case for paper-based packaging for home and office printers and supplies, PCs, and displays.2 93% of fiber in HP-brand paper, by weight, was Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®)-certified or from controlled sources in 2023.
The HP Sustainable Forests Collaborative, launched in 2019, is driving progress toward our 2030 goal to counteract deforestation for non-HP paper used in our printing products and print services. This commitment builds upon our ambition for HP Consumer Printing worldwide to be forest positive by 2025.3 This is part of our plan to scale up investment in forest restoration, protection, and other initiatives under the HP Sustainable Forests Collaborative.
HP’s Sustainable Paper and Wood Policy was the first forestry policy published by an IT company. We require our suppliers and licensees to follow this policy for the paper, packaging, and wood incorporated into HP products that they provide.
Furthermore, suppliers are required to follow the manufacturing process standards outlined in the HP General Specification for the Environment (GSE), which requires suppliers to restrict substances of concern in our packaging, and requires 100% of materials used in HP packaging to be recyclable, except where specifically approved by HP.
To see a copy of the HP Sustainable Paper and Wood Policy, please go to https://h20195.www2.hp.com/v2/getpdf.aspx/c05352448%20.pdf.
To learn more about the HP General Specification for the Environment program, see http://www.hp.com/go/sustainability_gse.
More information is available in the 2023 HP Sustainable Impact Report at www.hp.com/go/report.
1 Calculated as the percentage of primary plastic packaging (by weight) reduced per unit shipped. Excludes secondary and tertiary packaging components. Includes HP personal systems and printer hardware packaging. Does not include packaging for the following: Graphics Solutions hardware other than PageWide XL and DesignJet printers; 3D printing hardware; print supplies; refurbished products; and accessories such as third-party options, drop in box, and aftermarket options.
2 All HP brand paper is derived from certified sources; paper-based packaging for PCs, displays, home and office print, and supplies is reported by suppliers as recycled or certified, with a minimum of 97% by volume verified by HP. Packaging is the box that comes with the product and all paper-based materials inside the box. Packaging for commercial, industrial, and 3D products, scanners, personal systems accessories, and spare parts is not included.
3HP Forest Positive Framework goes beyond existing HP sustainable fiber sourcing programs. It includes NGO partnerships targeted to conserve forests, improve responsible forest management, and help develop science-based targets for forests. Our vision is that printing with HP will counteract deforestation regardless of what brand of paper customers use. This is applicable to the entire installed base of HP printers.