2015 GEC Catalyst Awards

The Global Electronics Counciltoday announced Dell as the winner of its 2015 Catalyst Award. The Catalyst Awards are a global celebration of innovative solutions and tangible environmental accomplishments throughout the lifecycle of electronic technologies. Dell was recognized for its work to close the manufacturing loop by using 100% post-consumer recycled plastic for certain components.

Dell was presented the 2015 Catalyst Award during the Emerging Green Conference, the premiere international gathering of technology leaders in 2015 to discuss the advances, challenges and future of sustainable electronics. The Global Electronics Councilorganized both the Emerging Green Conference and Catalyst Awards.

Echoing the Conference theme, the 2015 Catalyst Award recognized electronics and related infrastructures’ positive impact on the circular economy. For Award purposes, circular economy was defined as “an economic system that is safe and restorative by intention and seeks to eradicate waste through the careful design, manufacture, use and handling of products and components.”

“The Catalyst Awards recognize practical projects whose impact can inspire further innovation in the electronics space,” said Kent Snyder, Global Electronics CouncilChairman of the Board. “Dell has long been an environmental leader, and their progress to advance the circular economy in electronics is impressive. We’re pleased to recognize Dell with the first Catalyst Award.”

A third-party Judging Committee managed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) selected Dell as the winner from among 10 Catalyst Award finalists. AAAS evaluated both qualitative and quantitative evidence to determine the winner.

“The American Association for the Advancement of Science was honored to support environmental leadership in the electronics industry by facilitating the rigorous, objective selection of this year’s Catalyst Award winner,” said Dr. Christine Burgess, project director with the AAAS Research Competitiveness Program. “We congratulate the winner of the 2015 Catalyst Award for their innovative work to positively impact the circular economy, and we commend the Global Electronics Councilfor its efforts to promote environmental leadership in the electronics sector.”

“Technology plays a key role in the shift to a more circular economy,” said Scott O’Connell, Director of Environmental Affairs, Dell. “Dell is committed to moving the IT industry toward more circular practices. We are honored to receive the Catalyst Award, which is a great recognition of our business practices and our collaborations to accelerate the circular economy transition across the industry.”

Dell’s Catalyst Award nomination outlined how the company uses recycled content from old electronic devices to make new Dell products, establishing a circular flow of materials. The company’s OptiPlex 3030 All-in-One, introduced in 2014, was the first of a growing list of Dell products to contain certified closed-loop, recycled-content plastic. Between January 2014 and August 2015, Dell used more than 10 million pounds of post-consumer recycled plastics in its products. Cumulatively, the company has used 4.2 million pounds of closed-loop recycled-content plastic across 34 products globally through its closed-loop supply chain, turning waste into a resource. The company also actively advocates for advancing the IT industry toward circular practices, looking beyond their walls to inspire better practices across the supply chain and support the transition for customers and partners.

The other 2015 Catalyst Award finalists, in alphabetical order, were:

• Arrow Electronics
• Autodesk, Inc.
• ENERGY STAR
• Hewlett-Packard
• Innovative Recycling
• LittleFootprint Lighting
• ReDeTec
• Toshiba America Business Solutions
• A collaborative effort featuring Acer, Best Buy, Dell, EPA, HP, Lenovo and Wal-Mart

The Global Electronics CouncilCatalyst Award for 2015 marked the debut of the Green Electronics Council’s international recognition program for advances in the sustainability of electronics.