Environmental 
Progress 
Report
Covering fiscal year 2022
Last updated October 2023
Behind every 
Apple product
is a plan for 
the future

Contents
Introduction
	
3	
Letter from Lisa Jackson
	
4	
Report highlights
	
5	
Our environmental strategy
	
6	
Goals
Climate Change
	
8	
Goals and progress
	
9	
Our approach
	
14	
Low-carbon design
	
17	
Energy efficiency
	
20	
Clean electricity
	
26	
Direct emissions abatement
	
27	
Carbon removal
Resources
	
32	
Goals and progress
	
33	
Our approach
	
34	
Materials
	
48	
Water
	
52	
Zero waste
Smarter Chemistry
	
57	
Goals and progress
	
58	
Our approach
	
59	
Mapping and engagement
	
62	
Assessment and management
	
64	
Innovation
Engagement and Advocacy
	
68	
Our approach
	
68	
Listening
	
69	
Achieving change together
	
71	
Supporting communities
Appendix
	
76	
A: Environmental data
	
85	
B: Corporate facilities energy supplement
	
94	
C: Supplier Clean Energy Program supplement
	
99	
D: Assurance and review statements
	
108	
E: Environment, Health and Safety Policy
	
110	
F: ISO 14001 certification
	
112	
Report notes
	
113	
End notes
Cover photo: Our goal is for all Apple products 
to have net-zero carbon impact by 2030.
2023 Environmental Progress Report
2

Reflections
Apple is on a journey to 2030. 
In 2020, we reached carbon neutral for our corporate operations, but 
we always knew we could do more. So we set an even more ambitious 
goal — to make our products carbon neutral by 2030, across our entire 
supply chain and the lifetime energy use of our customers’ devices. 
Teams across Apple quickly got to work, and thanks to their innovations, 
we’ve made extraordinary progress.
In this year’s report, you’ll find the most detailed portrait yet of where we 
are today and where we’re headed. Here’s the big picture: Since 2015, 
we’ve reduced our emissions by over 45 percent. We did it while reaching 
more Apple users than ever before. And, in doing so, we demonstrated 
that the choice between a thriving business and a thriving planet is a 
false one.
This was also the year we called on our suppliers to accelerate their 
work to address their emissions. We’ve sent a clear message that the 
companies who manufacture our products must decarbonize their entire 
Apple footprint by 2030, including the use of 100 percent renewable 
electricity. And today, over 250 of our suppliers — accounting for over 
85 percent of Apple’s direct manufacturing spend — are a part of our 
Supplier Clean Energy Program.
We share our progress — and our goals — because transparency and 
accountability are two sides of the same coin. We do the work and we 
show our work, because we want to be the ripple in the pond that creates 
a broader change.
This year, we’ve also made it easier to understand the carbon impact of 
your Apple devices, and the extraordinary steps we’re taking to reduce 
their emissions. In our Product Environment Reports, you can learn about 
recycled gold in your iPhone, the energy demands of your iPad, and the 
packaging around your Mac. We’re transforming so many aspects of the 
way we make our technology, and with our Product Environment Reports, 
you’ll see where we’ve made progress and where the hard work remains.
One thing is clear: We’re closer than ever to the day you can hold your 
Apple device and be confident in the knowledge that it has net-zero 
carbon impact. There are few companies that can make that claim — let 
alone ones that set our high standards and transparently show their 
progress along the way.
As we move closer to our goals, we’ve continued to push the pace by 
bringing new clean energy online to power our supply chain. And we’re 
investing in a growing number of renewable energy projects to balance 
the electricity our customers use to charge their devices.
Recycled materials are also a key focus of our innovations, and another 
way we’re driving down our emissions. Today, about 20 percent of the 
materials in our products are from recycled or renewable sources. Our 
goal is to one day reach 100 percent, and to end our reliance on mining 
altogether. Where we continue to extract materials, we maintain the 
highest standards in our due diligence and respect for human rights. And 
we’re accelerating our work with new goals to use 100 percent recycled 
cobalt, tin, gold, and rare earth elements in key components by 2025. 
The strides we’re making play a huge role in driving down our emissions 
even further, reducing our reliance on energy-intensive mining, smelting, 
and refining.
We’ll keep pursuing creative ways to reduce our footprint, and only use 
high-quality carbon offsets to balance emissions we can’t zero out. That’s 
why we launched the Restore Fund, which aims to help businesses invest 
in high-quality, nature-based solutions that restore the forests, wetlands, 
and grasslands that remove carbon from our atmosphere.
Equity remains a central focus of our investments in clean energy and 
green technology. We continue to grow our Impact Accelerator, which 
invests in the next generation of innovative, diverse entrepreneurs in fields 
like clean energy, recycling, and green chemistry. We’ve also expanded 
our Power for Impact program, which brings renewable projects to 
communities around the world — from neighborhoods in rural South 
Africa to underresourced schools in the Philippines. We believe the best 
way to fight climate change is to engage communities on their front lines, 
and every day, we put the action to those words.
I’ve worn a few different hats over my career — including as Administrator 
of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and leading this work at 
Apple. It’s taught me that tackling climate change is possible only when 
we bring government, industry, and communities together. We have to 
meet a global challenge with global solutions — solutions that center 
on people.
I have so many talented, passionate colleagues who share in this mission. 
Thanks to their tireless work, we’ve hurdled barriers that once seemed 
impossible to clear. We have no illusions about the challenges ahead, but 
whatever comes, we’ll keep marching forward.
Apple is on a journey — and we’ll share the road with as many people as 
we can. We hope you’ll join us.
Lisa Jackson
Lisa Jackson
Vice President, Environment, 
Policy & Social Initiatives
2023 Environmental Progress Report
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Climate Change
Resources
Smarter Chemistry
Engagement and Advocacy
Appendix
Introduction

Report 
highlights 
Carbon neutral for 
corporate emissions
Since April 2020, we’ve achieved 
carbon neutrality for our 
corporate emissions1 by sourcing 
100 percent renewable electricity 
for Apple facilities, implementing 
energy efficiency, and securing 
high-quality carbon offsets for 
remaining emissions. While 
corporate emissions represent 
only a small portion of our overall 
emissions, this is an important 
step toward our broader goal of 
achieving carbon neutrality for all 
our products.
Read more on page 13.
Reduced value chain 
emissions by over 
45 percent 
We reduced our overall emissions 
across scopes 1, 2, and 32 by 
over 45 percent compared 
with our 2015 baseline year. 
We avoided over 28 million 
metric tons of emissions 
through reduction initiatives like 
transitioning our supply chain to 
renewable electricity and sourcing 
recycled content for our products.
Read more on page 7.
Called on 
Apple suppliers 
to decarbonize 
In October 2022, we urged 
our worldwide supply chain 
to decarbonize their entire 
Apple-related footprint by 
2030, including their scope 1 
and 2 emissions associated 
with Apple production. We also 
communicated that progress 
toward these goals will be 
a crucial part of the criteria 
we consider when awarding 
future business.
Read more on page 19.
Increased our use of 
recycled materials
We’re making progress toward 
our goal of transitioning to 
100 percent recycled and 
renewable materials in our 
products. In 2022, 20 percent of 
the materials we shipped in Apple 
products came from recycled 
sources, including recycled 
aluminum, rare earth elements, 
tin, cobalt, gold, tungsten, steel, 
brass, copper, and plastic.3
Read more on page 34.
Introduced our 
comprehensive 
water strategy
This year, we’ve evolved our 
existing water stewardship 
strategy into a holistic, enterprise-
wide approach that addresses 
water availability, quality, and 
equity. Our five-pillar approach 
is grounded in understanding 
the local conditions of the 
watersheds in which we operate.
Read more on page 48.
Reduced plastic 
content in packaging
In 2022, plastics accounted 
for only 4 percent of our 
packaging — down from 
21 percent in 2015 — marking 
significant progress toward our 
goal to eliminate plastics from our 
packaging by 2025.
Read more on page 39.
Drove the creation of 
a new standard for 
green cleaners
In 2022, Apple continued to serve 
as chair of the Green Cleaners 
for Electronics Manufacturing 
task group — along with more 
than 20 industry partners — and 
submitted the draft version of 
IPC-1402, Standard for Green 
Cleaners Used in Electronics 
Manufacturing, for public review. 
This new standard will help 
suppliers across the electronics 
supply chain select cleaners 
that are safer for employees and 
the environment.
Read more on page 66.
Received the 2022 
Impact Award from 
the GC3
The Green Chemistry & 
Commerce Council awarded 
Apple the 2022 Impact Award for 
our commitment to sustainable 
chemistry and the transparency 
we’ve demonstrated in our 
smarter chemistry goals 
and progress.
Read more on page 58.
Advanced the 
Impact Accelerator
Apple welcomed the 
second cohort of Black-, 
Hispanic/Latinx-, and Indigenous-
owned businesses on the cutting 
edge of green technology and 
clean energy to participate in 
Apple’s Impact Accelerator — 
a unique program designed to 
expand opportunities within 
Apple’s supply chain and beyond. 
Read more on page 73.
Committed 
an additional 
$200 million to 
nature-based projects
In 2023, Apple announced 
a commitment of additional 
funds — up to $200 million — 
to expand the Restore Fund 
to be managed by Climate 
Asset Management, a joint 
venture between HSBC Asset 
Management and Pollination. 
The new investment will broaden 
the portfolio of nature-based 
projects, including agricultural 
and agroforestry projects, that 
scale up carbon removal while 
aiming to achieve a financial 
return on investment.
Read more on page 27.
Throughout 2022, we’ve 
achieved progress across our 
environmental goals as an 
organization. Our employees, 
suppliers, industry partners, 
and other stakeholders have 
each played an integral role in 
helping us to reduce our impact, 
create equitable solutions, 
and drive broader change 
across industries and our 
communities. These efforts have 
yielded positive results across 
our business. And where we’ve 
encountered challenges, we’ve 
also identified opportunities to 
continue to make a difference.
2023 Environmental Progress Report
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Appendix
Introduction

Our environmental strategy
The environmental challenges 
we face today are significant, and 
we’re responding with urgency and 
innovation. We approach our work by 
focusing on fundamental questions. 
What matters most? And where 
can we make the greatest impact? 
These questions — and the data 
underlying their answers — guide 
our work across our strategic pillars 
of climate change, resources, and 
smarter chemistry. We know we’re 
not alone in working to reduce our 
environmental footprint. So we’re 
engaging with others to support our 
efforts and find opportunities to move 
our industries forward.
Climate Change
We’re already carbon neutral for our 
corporate operations, and we’ve set 
a goal to become carbon neutral for 
our entire product footprint by 2030. 
We plan to get there by reducing our 
emissions by 75 percent compared 
with 2015, then investing in high-
quality carbon removal solutions for 
the remaining emissions.
Low-carbon design
Energy efficiency
Clean electricity4
Direct emissions abatement
Carbon removal
Resources
We aim to make durable, long-lasting 
products and packaging using only 
recycled or renewable materials, as 
well as enhance material recovery. 
At the same time, we’re committed 
to stewarding water resources and 
sending zero waste to landfill.
Materials
Water
Zero waste
Smarter Chemistry
Through chemistry innovation and 
rigorous controls, we design our 
products to be safe for anyone who 
assembles, uses, or recycles them — 
and to be better for the environment.
Mapping and engagement
Assessment and management
Innovation
Engagement and Advocacy
Engaging with others — from industry partnerships to policy advocacy — is integral to advancing our environmental 
work and to achieving an even greater impact that considers communities around the world. We learn from feedback, 
and we work with partners to influence change in our industries. And we’re transparent about our challenges and 
achievements to inspire others to take their own action.
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Introduction

Goals
We create products and services to 
enrich the lives of our customers. 
And we strive to do so in a way 
that sustains the ecosystems and 
resources that we all depend on. 
Setting ambitious goals is essential 
to this — to drive the innovation 
and collaboration that make change 
possible and to be transparent about 
and accountable for our progress.
Climate Change
Achieve carbon neutrality for our entire 
carbon footprint by 2030, and reach our 
emissions reduction target5
Create all products with net-zero 
carbon impact by 2030
Transition our entire product value 
chain, including manufacturing and 
product use, to 100 percent clean 
electricity by 2030
Resources
Use only recycled and renewable 
materials in our products and packaging, 
and enhance material recovery
Eliminate plastics in our packaging 
by 20256
Reduce water impacts in the 
manufacturing of our products, use 
of our services, and operation of 
our facilities
Eliminate waste sent to landfill from our 
corporate facilities and our suppliers 
Highlight
We’ve reduced the emissions 
across our value chain by over 
45 percent since 2015. 
Highlight
20 percent of all materials 
shipped in products in 2022 came 
from recycled sources. 
Smarter Chemistry
Drive comprehensive reporting of the 
chemicals used in our supply chain to 
make our products
Integrate smarter chemistry innovation 
into the way we design and build 
our products
Avoid exposure to chemicals that 
could be harmful to human health or 
the environment
Highlight
We’ve made new commitments to 
phase out PFAS from our products and 
manufacturing processes.
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Appendix
Introduction

Climate 
Change
We aim to make all 
our products carbon 
neutral by 2030
2023 Environmental Progress Report
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Introduction 
Climate Change

Goals and progress
Key
Achieved
Ongoing
Not achieved
Highlight 
Achieved carbon neutrality 
since April 2020 by implementing 
energy efficiency initiatives, sourcing 
100 percent renewable electricity 
for Apple facilities, and securing 
carbon offsets for the remaining 
corporate emissions.
Highlight
Over 45 percent emissions 
reduction since 2015 across our 
value chain.
Goal
Become carbon neutral for 
our corporate operations.
Goal
Achieve carbon neutrality for our 
entire carbon footprint, including 
products, by 2030, reducing related 
emissions by 75 percent compared 
with 2015.
Goal
Transition our entire product value 
chain, including manufacturing and 
product use, to 100 percent clean 
electricity by 2030.
2010
2030
2022
2010
2030
GOAL
2022
2010
2030
GOAL
2022
Highlight
As of March 2023, over 250 suppliers have 
committed to transitioning to 100 percent 
renewable electricity for their Apple production, 
with over 85 percent of Apple's direct 
spend for materials, manufacturing, and 
assembly of our products worldwide included 
in those commitments.
2023 Environmental Progress Report
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Introduction 
Climate Change

Climate change continues to define 
the world around us in ways that 
impact our daily lives. Shifting 
weather patterns threaten the food 
we eat. Widespread wildfires and 
flooding devastate the communities 
we live in and the ecosystems 
we depend on. These dangers 
are felt around the globe and are 
developing at an unprecedented 
pace. The stakes are fundamental: 
Human rights like life, health, food, 
and an adequate standard of living 
face grave risks, disproportionately 
affecting low-income and historically 
marginalized communities. The worst, 
and potentially irreversible, impacts 
of climate change can be prevented 
with global, comprehensive, and 
immediate action. 
As a large global company, we believe it’s our 
responsibility to take strong, decisive, and inclusive steps 
to mitigate our impact on the climate. We’ve committed to 
achieving carbon neutrality across our entire value chain 
by 2030 — reducing emissions by 75 percent compared 
with 2015 and balancing the residual emissions with 
high-quality carbon removal.7 This means that our goal 
to be carbon neutral also extends to all our products. This 
goal is more aggressive than the Intergovernmental Panel 
on Climate Change’s recommendation for global carbon 
neutrality within 20 years.8
Apple is also committed to working toward reaching a 
90 percent reduction in emissions from our 2015 baseline 
by 2050. Attaining this deep decarbonization target will 
require a different focus and a collective, global effort. 
Entire industries and economies must decarbonize. And 
while reaching a 90 percent reduction in emissions is 
outside Apple’s or any one company’s control, Apple is 
committed to supporting action as part of this global shift: 
to push for better policies, invest in new technological 
innovations, and engage in new and expanded 
partnerships, both public and private.
Our goals are ambitious — and they come with many 
challenges. But we’ve already made progress by cutting 
emissions across our value chain by over 45 percent 
since 2015.
We began by making the transition to sourcing 
100 percent renewable electricity at our offices, retail 
stores, and data centers, which we achieved in 2018. 
And in 2020, we achieved carbon neutrality for our 
corporate emissions.9
Our philosophy for achieving carbon neutrality follows 
these principles:
Calculate our footprint across our value chain: Our 
responsibility extends beyond our direct operations to 
our product-related emissions. That’s why we model our 
emissions across the entire life cycle of our products — 
including the sourcing of raw materials, manufacturing, 
shipping, product use, and end-of-life processing.10 
We use the results of our detailed carbon accounting to 
adjust our 2030 Climate Roadmap, which lays out our 
plan to become carbon neutral.
Set ambitious targets: Our plan to reach carbon 
neutrality by 2030 centers around our strategy to reduce 
emissions by 75 percent, relative to our 2015 carbon 
footprint. This reduction aligns with what current climate 
science shows is necessary to limit warming to 1.5° C.11 
We plan to invest in high-quality carbon removal projects 
to address the remaining emissions, prioritizing nature-
based solutions. And by focusing on emissions reduction, 
we’re tackling the transformative work of making 
low-carbon products.
Match solutions to sources: For each activity within our 
value chain, we seek out decarbonization actions that tie 
to the source of those emissions. For example, we’ll look 
to reduce emissions from electricity by using renewable 
or low-carbon electricity and decrease emissions from 
transportation by using alternative fuels and lower-
carbon modes of transport. By matching solutions to 
carbon sources, we’ll do our part to help decarbonize 
the economy.
Make environmental progress good for our business: 
We’re proving every day that there doesn’t need to be a 
trade-off between what’s good for the planet and what’s 
good for business. This means that we seek out climate 
solutions that are cost competitive, offer a financial return, 
benefit our customers, or achieve more than one of these 
outcomes. For example, we’re working with investment 
managers who are creating investment funds for clean 
energy and nature-based carbon removal solutions, 
which aim to deliver both environmental benefits and 
financial returns. And when we design products to be 
energy efficient and use recycled content, we view these 
as product features that add value for our customers. By 
underpinning our climate strategy with strong business 
principles and innovation, we aim to harness the power 
of markets to replicate our solutions at scale, creating the 
impact necessary to meet global reduction targets.
Our approach
$4.7B
We’ve issued $4.7 billion 
in green bonds to model 
how businesses can drive 
investments to reduce 
global emissions. In our 
latest Annual Green Bond 
Impact Report, we share 
progress on the projects 
funded in 2022. Read our 
latest Annual Green Bond 
Impact Report (PDF).
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Introduction 
Climate Change

Explore all solutions: Reaching our 2030 carbon goal 
will require scaling proven solutions that are available 
today, as well as exploring the solutions of the future. This 
includes facilitating the development of new technologies, 
like direct carbon-free aluminum smelting, adopting novel 
financial approaches such as the Apple Restore Fund, 
advancing policies that support a low-carbon economy, 
and continuing to invest in research and development to 
enable decarbonizing our products by 2030.
Be open: We’re committed to disclosing our carbon 
footprint as well as our climate strategy and progress. 
By sharing our approach, we aim to send clear signals to 
others and invite them to work with us. We also hope to 
empower our peers in their pursuit of carbon neutrality 
and engage investors through financing options, such as 
green bonds. This means sharing both challenges and 
successes. Our annual Environmental Progress Reports, 
as well as our response to the global disclosure nonprofit 
CDP, provide details on our progress.
Support underrepresented communities: Low-income 
and historically marginalized communities too often 
bear the brunt of the effects of climate change. So we’re 
pursuing ways to directly support these communities 
in our climate program — like with the Apple Impact 
Accelerator, which aims to bolster equity and foster 
opportunity for Black-, Hispanic/Latinx-, and Indigenous-
owned businesses in the environmental sector. We’re 
advocating for greater access to clean energy, and we’re 
investing in renewable energy projects in emerging 
markets. And our carbon removal projects often benefit 
the livelihoods of local and Indigenous communities.
Our 10-year Climate Roadmap addresses Apple’s 
carbon footprint through five pillars:
Low-carbon 
design
Energy 
efficiency
Clean 
electricity
Direct 
emissions 
abatement
Carbon 
removal
Design products and 
manufacturing processes 
to be less carbon-intensive 
through thoughtful 
material selection, 
increased material 
efficiency, and greater 
product energy efficiency.
Increase energy efficiency 
at our facilities and in our 
supply chain by finding 
opportunities to reduce 
energy use, such as 
retrofitting outdated or 
inefficient equipment 
and systems.
Transition our entire 
product value chain — 
including manufacturing 
and our customers’ use 
of our products — to 
100 percent clean 
electricity by 2030.
Reduce direct greenhouse 
gas emissions in our 
facilities and our supply 
chain through process 
innovation, emissions 
abatement, and moving 
away from fossil fuels. 
In parallel with our 
emissions reduction 
efforts, scale up 
investments in carbon 
removal projects, including 
nature‑based solutions 
that protect and restore 
ecosystems around 
the world.
>75 percent 
emissions reduction
<25 percent of 
footprint
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Appendix
Introduction 
Climate Change

This past year, we’ve continued our 
efforts to reduce Apple’s emissions. 
In 2022, our environmental programs 
avoided over 28 million metric tons of 
emissions across all scopes. Initiatives 
that we’ve been growing for years — 
like sourcing 100 percent renewable 
electricity for our facilities, transitioning 
suppliers to renewable energy, 
and using low-carbon materials in 
products — have yielded clear results. 
Thanks to this work, we’re decoupling 
business growth from emissions: 
While our revenue has grown by over 
68 percent since 2015, our gross 
emissions have decreased by over 
45 percent. 
Apple’s comprehensive 
carbon footprint
20.3 million metric tons 
net carbon emissions**
*	
Low-carbon materials represents emissions savings from transitioning to recycled materials in our products, or use of low-carbon aluminum, as described on page 14. 
**	
Net carbon emissions represents our total gross footprint minus carbon offsets applied to each category. Percentages shown for each emissions category represent the share of Apple’s gross footprint. Totals add up to more than 100 percent due to rounding.
†	
Beginning in fiscal year 2022, we’re including transmission and distribution losses as part of scope 3 emissions, which are matched with renewable electricity.
‡	
Beginning in fiscal year 2022, we’re incorporating emissions associated with employees working from home as part of Apple’s new hybrid work model, as well as emissions from third-party cloud services — the electricity from both of which is addressed using renewable energy.
 	

Avoided emissions
	

Gross emissions
	

Emissions offset
Corporate footprint
Product footprint
<1% 
Direct emissions
(Scope 1)
<1% 
Electricity†
(Scope 2)
1%
Business travel, 
commute, work from 
home, upstream 
impacts from scope 1 
fuels, and third-party 
cloud services‡
(Scope 3)
65%
Product manufacturing
(Scope 3)
24%
Product use
(Scope 3)
9%
Product transport
(Scope 3)
<1%
End-of-life product 
processes
(Scope 3)
Emissions
Offsets
Emissions 
categories 
(% of gross 
emissions)
Corporate energy 
efficiency: 
0.09 million metric 
tons avoided 
Use of renewable electricity:
1.2 million metric tons avoided
Product Use RECs:
0.2 million metric tons avoided
Supplier clean energy:
17.4 million metric tons avoided
Low-carbon materials*:
7.8 million metric tons avoided
Supplier energy efficiency:
1.4 million metric tons avoided
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Introduction 
Climate Change

Our plan to become carbon neutral 
by 2030 centers around a 75 percent 
emissions reduction target compared 
with our 2015 footprint. We’ve 
already reduced our gross carbon 
footprint12 by over 45 percent since 
2015. And we plan to address 
residual emissions through high-
quality carbon removals. 
Progress toward 
net-zero emissions
*	
Error bars: We’re continuously refining our methodology to improve our carbon footprint estimate. But there’s uncertainty inherent to modeling product-related carbon emissions, which we’ve illustrated through error bars in this graphic.
**	
Future emissions: Future emissions, including offsets and removals, are displayed as a linear trend to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. Actual future emissions will likely not be linear.
Historical emissions
 	Gross emissions
 	Avoided emissions
 	Emissions offset/removal
 	 Emissions range from modeling uncertainty*
 	Projected gross emissions
 	Projected emissions offset/removal
Future emissions (illustrative only)**
Gross emissions
Carbon offsets/removal
Net emissions
29.5
29.5
–
25.2
25.2
–
38.4
38.4
–
27.5
27.5
–
25.1
25.1
–
22.6
23.2
20.6
22.5
0.7
20.3
0.3
(million metric tons CO2e per fiscal year) 
22.5
0.1
2018
2024
2020
2026
2019
2025
2016
2021
2027
2029
2017
2023
2022
2028
2030
2015
Baseline 
year
75% reduction 
in gross emissions 
from 2015 
net-zero carbon 
emissions by 2030
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Introduction 
Climate Change

Carbon neutrality for our 
corporate emissions
Since April 2020, we’ve been carbon neutral for our 
corporate operations, including direct emissions (scope 1); 
indirect emissions from purchased electricity, steam, heat, 
or cooling (scope 2); and emissions from business travel 
and employee commute (scope 3). In 2022, we expanded 
the scope 3 emissions we include in our corporate 
footprint and are now also carbon neutral for work from 
home, third-party cloud services, electricity transmission 
and distribution losses, and upstream impacts from 
scope 1 fuels. To reach neutrality, we focused on driving 
energy efficiency improvements and transitioning our 
facilities to 100 percent renewable electricity, which we 
achieved in 2018. These programs have reduced our 
scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by 67 percent since 2011, 
when we first began procuring renewable electricity, even 
as our business grew. We’ve addressed the remaining 
scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions (for a total of 324,100 metric 
tons) by securing high-quality carbon credits from 
projects that protect and restore forests, wetlands, 
and grasslands.
Measuring our footprint
We account for our carbon footprint by following 
internationally recognized standards, like the World 
Resources Institute (WRI) Greenhouse Gas Protocol 
and ISO 14040/14044. For our corporate footprint, we 
calculate emissions based on consumption data when 
available; when it’s not available, we rely on reasonable 
assumptions and methodologies to estimate emissions, 
which we revisit and improve on regularly. For our product 
hardware carbon footprint, we use a life cycle–based 
approach. Apple-specific data drives many of our 
most critical calculations; in cases where that data isn’t 
available, we rely on secondary sources, including industry 
We’re committed to 
managing regulatory, 
reputational, and market risks 
related to climate change. 
For more information on 
these climate-related risks 
and Apple’s governance 
of these risks, read our 
CDP Climate Change 2022 
submission (PDF).
Corporate Emissions
Business travel
Scope 3
265,840 metric tons CO2e
Employee commute
Work from home
Offices
Retail stores
Data centers
Scope 1 and 2
58,220 metric tons CO2e
Carbon Removals
324,100 metric tons CO2e
High-quality carbon 
offset projects
averages. We continually refine our model to include new 
sources of product life cycle data — and offer a more 
accurate and transparent assessment of our footprint. Our 
comprehensive carbon footprint and our methodology are 
assessed by a third party each year to confirm accuracy 
and transparency (see Appendix D). Improving the 
accuracy of our carbon footprint is an ongoing process — 
as we learn more, we refine our carbon models and 
adjust our climate road map. We also regularly revisit the 
boundary of our footprint to best reflect our impact. For 
example, in 2022, we expanded our corporate footprint 
to include work from home emissions, third-party cloud 
services, electricity transmission and distribution losses, 
and upstream impacts from scope 1 fuels. 
Evaluating climate risks
In 2020, we conducted a climate scenario analysis to 
help us better understand the potential physical and 
transition effects of climate change. To align with the 
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures 
(TCFD) recommendations, we considered a range 
of future scenarios, including a scenario below 2° C. 
Our assessment had a global scope to capture all our 
corporate facilities — including offices, retail locations, 
and data centers — as well as 200 supplier facilities, 
based on spend. The analysis highlighted how our 
renewable energy program and carbon neutrality goals 
could contribute to our corporate resilience. It also 
provided environmental data that we considered when 
developing business strategies, including around supply 
chain diversification, and when safeguarding our global 
assets. The results of the scenario analysis contributed to 
a larger body of internal assessments on the physical and 
transition impacts of climate change on our business.
carbon neutral 
for our corporate 
operations
*	 We’ve reduced corporate emissions through energy efficiency, renewable electricity, and low-carbon fuels, and we’re applying carbon offsets to the remaining emissions.
(having already reduced scope 1 and 2 emissions by 67% since 2011*)
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Each Apple product represents an 
opportunity to reduce our carbon 
footprint — even small changes 
can yield significant results. Our 
carbon footprint helps us identify 
opportunities to reduce the carbon 
intensity of our product designs. 
We prioritize the materials and 
components that account for 
significant portions of our carbon 
emissions. This means that the 
choices we make product by product 
can scale toward reducing our overall 
footprint. These priorities inform our 
work to design for material efficiency 
and increased use of recycled and 
renewable materials.
Improving material and 
manufacturing efficiency 
Less means more when it comes to our approach 
to materials and how we process them. Making our 
manufacturing processes more efficient creates less 
waste and helps us make the most of the materials we 
source. We’re also working to design our products so that 
they require less material in the first place. Combined, 
these efforts help reduce emissions from transporting 
and processing materials. And as we progress toward our 
2030 carbon neutrality goal, we continue to investigate 
new materials and new ways to manufacture efficiently. 
We’ve continued to improve the carbon efficiency of 
the integrated circuits that we use in our products — 
components we’ve prioritized because they’re carbon-
intensive. Integrated circuits perform vital functions 
in electronic devices but require significant energy 
to manufacture. We also continued our work with 
the sustainable semiconductor technologies and systems 
research program of imec, a world-leading research 
and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital 
technologies, of which we were the first public company 
to join in October 2021. Our goal in collaborating is 
twofold: to improve the data associated with integrated 
circuit production, from end to end, and to use improved 
data and shared expertise to identify carbon reduction 
opportunities for the entire integrated circuits industry. 
Low-carbon design
And we keep investigating new opportunities for 
improved efficiency across our product manufacturing 
processes. In 2022, we continued to invest in research 
and development projects aimed at: creating less waste 
in processing materials, reducing machining time and 
associated energy use, more efficiently transforming 
material into the shapes we need, and maximizing 
recovery and reprocessing of manufacturing scrap. Once 
these improved processes are successfully developed, 
we plan to work with our suppliers as they deploy them at 
scale at our supplier facilities.
Using recycled materials to lower 
our product carbon footprint 
Materials selection is another way to reduce the carbon 
footprint of our products. Our strategy is to transition to 
materials manufactured using low-carbon energy and 
recycled content. We’ve prioritized the materials and 
components that make up a large part of our product 
carbon footprint to move us closer to our goal of product 
carbon neutrality. And to accelerate collective efforts, 
we signed on to the First Movers Coalition’s near-zero 
emissions primary aluminum commitment for 2030 
(see more on page 26).
Undertaking a comprehensive life cycle analysis for the materials and components 
in our products led us to prioritizing low-carbon aluminum. In 2018, Apple created 
an aluminum alloy made of 100 percent recycled aluminum and a reduced 
carbon footprint.
Low-carbon 
design addresses 
emissions from:
Product 
manufacturing 
(scope 3)
Product use 
(scope 3)
Product 
transport 
(scope 3)
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Climate Change

71%
Switching to recycled and 
low-carbon aluminum has 
decreased our carbon 
emissions associated with 
aluminum by 71 percent 
since 2015. Read more 
about how we plan to 
address emissions from our 
customers’ use of Apple 
products on page 24.
Aluminum is a great example of Apple’s comprehensive 
approach: We’re transitioning to recycled content, and 
where we haven’t yet, we’re moving to low-carbon 
suppliers and technology innovations to further 
decarbonize. In 2015, aluminum represented over a 
quarter of our product manufacturing footprint. Since 
then, we’ve continued to introduce 100 percent recycled 
aluminum in the enclosures of Apple products: All iPad 
models in our lineup use 100 percent recycled aluminum 
in their enclosures — joining Apple Watch Series 8, 
Apple Watch SE, MacBook Air, Mac mini, and the 14-inch 
and 16-inch MacBook Pro computers. In addition, the 
new Studio Display contains a 100 percent recycled 
aluminum stand, and the Mac Studio enclosure and Apple 
TV thermal module both contain 80 percent recycled 
aluminum. And with iPhone 14, we’ve increased recycled 
content by using recycled CNC chips with Apple’s 
strongest aluminum alloy for the first time.
For products shipped in 2022 that had enclosures 
made with primary aluminum, we prioritized the use 
of aluminum smelted using low-carbon sources of 
electricity rather than fossil fuels, for a lower carbon 
impact. We also shipped iPhone SE enclosures that 
contained ELYSIS aluminum, which was smelted without 
generating greenhouse gas emissions (see page 26 for 
more information). 
We also continue to make progress in how we source 
recycled aluminum. Our first priority is to recover any of 
our own scrap at high quality. Then, to augment this, we 
look to other postindustrial and postconsumer sources for 
high-quality recycled aluminum, which emits less carbon 
than newly mined materials. And we’re expanding our 
sourcing to include postconsumer recycled aluminum 
from building and construction scrap that meets the high 
standards that our products require. These emissions 
reduction efforts have reduced our aluminum-related 
emissions by 71 percent since 2015 and now represent 
less than 8 percent of our product manufacturing 
footprint, compared with 27 percent in 2015.
In 2022, we began shipping products with certified 
recycled steel and expanded our use of certified recycled 
gold — two materials that typically have significant 
carbon footprints. We introduced certified recycled steel 
for the first time in the MacBook Air with M2 chip, which 
has 90 percent recycled steel in the battery tray. And we 
significantly expanded the use of certified recycled gold 
in our products — from the gold plating on the main logic 
board on iPhone to other product main logic boards and 
flexible printed circuit boards — increasing recycled gold 
content from 1 percent in 2021 to approximately 4 percent 
across all product lines in 2022.
iPad Mini
iPad Pro (11-inch 
anD 12.9-inch)
All these products 
contain 100% recycled 
aluminum enclosures
MacBook Air
MacBook Pro 
(14-inch and 16-inch)
Apple Watch SE
IPAD
iPad Air
Apple Watch 
SERIES 8
Mac mini
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Driving product energy efficiency 
Product energy use accounts for 24 percent of our gross 
carbon footprint — and it has an impact on the individual 
energy use of each of our customers. This is why we’ve 
set aggressive targets to reduce our products’ energy 
usage. We approach this challenge in the earliest phases 
of design, taking a holistic view of each product — from 
how efficiently the software operates to the power 
requirements of individual components. 
With each generation of products, we strive to improve 
energy efficiency. For example, the transition to Apple 
silicon on Mac devices continues to drive these 
improvements. The latest generation of our Pro chips is 
enabling more Mac devices to run with improved energy 
efficiency. For example, MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and 
M2 Max made significant progress in reducing energy 
use in 2022, and the new Apple TV 4K is designed to 
minimize its impact on the environment, using nearly 
30 percent less power than the previous generation 
while achieving more powerful performance.13 The 
efficiency gains of the A15 Bionic chip eliminate the 
need for an internal fan, resulting in a more compact 
design and contributing to a 25 percent reduction in 
carbon footprint over the previous generation. Through 
our energy efficiency improvements, we’ve cut overall 
product energy use across all major product lines by 
more than 70 percent since 2008.14 And Apple products 
are consistently rated by ENERGY STAR, which sets 
specifications that reflect the 25 percent most energy-
efficient devices on the market. In 2022, all eligible Apple 
products received an ENERGY STAR rating for superior 
energy efficiency.15 They also met the requirements for 
EPEAT registration,16 another environmental rating system 
for electronic products, which considers energy efficiency 
and a number of other environmental topics.
Product energy efficiency
Apple TV 4K is designed 
to use nearly 30 percent 
less power than the 
previous generation 
while achieving more 
powerful performance.17
Over the course of a year, 
Mac Studio uses up to 
1000 kilowatt-hours 
less energy than a high-
end PC desktop.18
iPhone 14 uses 
57 percent less 
energy than the U.S. 
Department of Energy’s 
requirements for battery 
charger systems.19
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Our energy efficiency goals extend 
well beyond our products. We’re 
focused on using less energy across 
our operations, beginning with how 
we design, operate, and maintain 
our facilities. And we continue these 
same efforts into our supply chain. 
Energy efficiency is also essential to 
meeting our 2030 carbon neutrality 
goal. So we track and monitor 
energy use across our operations 
and supply chain, conducting audits 
to find opportunities to work more 
efficiently. And we view our energy 
use holistically, from the point of 
design to the point of manufacture.
Operating Apple 
facilities efficiently
While our data centers, retail stores, and offices all use 
100 percent renewable electricity, we are focused on 
reducing the energy we use in the first place. We consider 
natural gas and electricity usage at each of these types of 
sites — as well as research and development facilities — 
auditing how we perform and, when needed, using 
best practices for energy management to reduce our 
loads. And we tailor the design of new buildings to our 
occupants’ and lab users’ specific needs. This approach 
helps us use our facilities efficiently and productively.
Existing buildings: There are significant opportunities to 
save energy in retrocommissioning buildings that Apple 
already occupies or operates, including energy-intensive 
facilities like data centers. We audit the performance of 
buildings around the world, and then deploy identified 
reduction measures. Retrocommissioning focuses on 
building controls to emphasize energy use reduction and 
operational efficiency. We are prioritizing reducing natural 
gas usage and replacing natural gas equipment with 
electrical equipment. While we’ve already transitioned to 
renewable electricity for our facilities, minimizing natural 
gas is also an important element of working toward 
decarbonization. We are focused on reviewing and 
benchmarking our most natural gas–intensive buildings to 
look for reduction and fuel switching opportunities. 
Data centers: Data centers are traditionally energy-
intensive, requiring significant resources to cool the heat-
generating equipment. That’s why we’re continuously 
monitoring and improving upon the controls for our 
Energy efficiency
cooling systems. This retrospective view often enables 
us to increase cooling capacity of our existing facility, 
thereby maximizing the amount of servers within our data 
center footprint. 
In 2022, we further improved energy efficiency at data 
centers by deploying our own server design, developed 
with a focus on energy and computing efficiency, resulting 
in over 56.7 million kilowatt-hours per year in energy 
savings. This work builds on previous efficiency efforts 
in our data centers, including developing a specification 
requiring our servers to be powered by high-efficiency 
power supplies — exceeding even the efficiency 
requirements for ENERGY STAR certification — which 
was deployed to hundreds of thousands of servers in 
2021, resulting in over 4 million kilowatt-hours per year in 
energy savings.
New facilities: When designing new facilities, we 
incorporate energy efficiency principles early in the 
process. We look at each location’s conditions, planning 
for local temperature, humidity, and light. As each 
site becomes operational, we monitor how well we’re 
performing and make needed adjustments. For example, 
in designing our new campus in Austin, we put in a water-
cooled air-conditioning system, rather than air-cooled, 
because of its increased energy efficiency. At the same 
time, it was critical to consider the water stress of the 
area, therefore the cooling system will be supplied with 
recycled water, which will also be used for toilet flushing. 
The first phase of our work on the Austin campus is 
saving 5.7 million kilowatt-hours per year.
Apple’s Reno data center, opened in 2012, takes advantage of the mild climate 
by cooling its servers with outside air whenever possible.
Energy efficiency 
addresses 
emissions from:
Direct emissions 
(scope 1)
Indirect 
emissions 
(scope 2)
Product 
manufacturing 
(scope 3)
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Retail stores: In 2022, we were especially focused on our 
efficiency measures in European retail stores as the region 
navigated energy shortages. Beyond aligning with all 
mandates in place, we established a task force to exceed 
them, identifying and rolling out additional measures — 
related to LED lighting, temperature, and even keeping 
doors closed — in retail stores across the continent.
Measurement and accountability: Measurement is 
critical to maintaining building energy performance. We 
continue to develop our system of energy tracking and 
benchmarking, which includes data from utility meters 
that continuously monitor 15-minute electricity and daily 
natural gas energy consumption. This method helps us 
identify performance issues at our sites early. We can 
then take corrective action to restore building system 
efficiencies and actively manage our energy footprint.
Finally, across Apple, “energy champions” play an 
important role in achieving our efficiency outcomes. 
These employees sit in facilities roles across the company, 
proactively identifying opportunities for efficiencies and 
bringing their teams and colleagues along to put them 
in action.
In 2022, our energy efficiency program avoided  
69.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, which includes 
savings from the efficient servers, and 161,000 therms 
of natural gas per year through adjustments made to 
9.3 million square feet of new and existing buildings. 
Together, these new initiatives reduced total energy use 
by 4 percent in the targeted buildings (including data 
centers with high loads) and will avoid an additional 
27,500 metric tons of CO2e per year. Combined with 
ongoing energy savings from past years, we saved over 
89,000 metric tons of CO2e in 2022.
69.4M
We reduced Apple’s 
facilities energy use by 
69.4 million kilowatt-hours 
through efficiency efforts 
implemented in 2022.
1.3M
Suppliers in our Supplier 
Energy Efficiency Program 
avoided more than 1.3 million 
annualized metric tons 
of supply chain carbon 
emissions in 2022.
Improving energy efficiency 
in our supply chain
The manufacturing of Apple products accounts 
for 65 percent of Apple’s gross carbon footprint. To 
address this impact, we’re collaborating closely with our 
suppliers to prioritize energy reductions as an important 
element of our strategy. Together, we work to use clean 
energy as efficiently as possible at every point in our 
supply chain, creating leaner, more efficient factories all 
over the world. The Supplier Energy Efficiency Program, 
launched in 2015, exists to help our suppliers optimize 
their energy use. Implementing energy efficiencies 
reduces the energy intensity of manufacturing, which 
translates to reduced carbon emissions.
Energy efficiency gains and subsequent carbon savings 
are often found at the facility level — for example, by 
replacing outdated and inefficient lighting and equipment 
or capturing waste heat for reuse. Honing manufacturing 
processes using smart controls and monitoring can 
also offer opportunities to complete the same work with 
less electricity. 
We support our suppliers’ energy efficiency projects by 
helping to identify optimization opportunities and design 
solutions through assessments, and providing extensive 
education and training opportunities that include 
technical assistance and connections to external funding 
for energy efficiency projects, which can be an obstacle 
to making improvements. As suppliers become more 
knowledgeable in this space, they become more able to 
tackle deeper decarbonization challenges.
We continue to expand the support we provide to 
suppliers as they build more energy-efficient systems, 
through new training and educational materials, and 
increased access to funding opportunities — like the 
Asia Green Fund, which Apple launched in 2019 to help 
provide energy efficiency expertise and finance capital-
intensive energy efficiency projects. In 2022, $8.9 million 
of investments have been made in supplier efficiency 
projects using the Asia Green Fund.
In 2022, more than 100 supplier facilities participated 
in our energy efficiency program, achieving over 
1.6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity savings and about 
2,039,000 MMBtu in additional energy savings, which 
together avoided over 1.3 million metric tons of CO2e, 
representing a 17 percent increase since 2021.
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Reducing energy use begins with 
measuring and understanding the 
carbon footprint of a business. Since 
2019, as part of Apple’s Supplier 
Code of Conduct, we’ve required our 
suppliers to regularly identify sources 
of emissions, measure their scope 1 
and scope 2 carbon emissions, and 
make this information available to 
Apple as needed. By understanding 
a supplier’s carbon emission sources 
and quantity, we can provide 
resources that help the supplier 
create an action plan to decarbonize 
and maximize energy efficiency 
opportunities. Further, we empower 
our suppliers to utilize the trainings, 
resources, and tools provided 
through our programs to extend their 
efforts beyond Apple to their own 
supply chains and customers. 
Feature
Apple calls on global supply chain 
to decarbonize by 2030
Apple has made significant progress in reducing 
emissions in our supply chain through work on energy 
efficiency and renewable energy (see page 22). At the 
same time, we’ve set — and continue to advance — clear 
expectations for our suppliers on the decarbonization 
required to meet our 2030 goal in the years to come.
In October 2022, we urged our materials, manufacturing, 
and assembly partners to decarbonize their entire 
Apple footprint by 2030, including all their scope 1 and 
2 emissions associated with Apple production. We’ll 
evaluate our suppliers’ work to decarbonize their Apple-
related operations — including running on 100 percent 
renewable electricity — and we’ll track yearly progress. 
Progress toward these goals will be a crucial part of the 
criteria we consider when awarding future business.
Additionally, we encourage suppliers to address 
the greenhouse gas emissions beyond their Apple 
production, prioritizing clean energy. To help suppliers 
meet their commitments and go even further, we offer 
a suite of free learning resources and trainings, and we 
work closely with our suppliers and local partners to 
identify effective solutions for renewable energy and 
carbon removal. 
Over 250 suppliers have committed to 100 percent renewable electricity for Apple production, as part of Apple’s Clean Energy Program. Holmen Iggesund in Sweden (pictured) joined the 
program in 2023.
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We’re at a pivotal moment in 
addressing climate change. 
Renewable energy is poised to 
replace fossil fuels as the future of 
electricity. Its adoption means cleaner 
air and lower carbon emissions. 
Apple has generated or sourced 
100 percent renewable electricity for 
its corporate operations since 2018,20 
and we’re swiftly progressing toward 
transitioning our entire manufacturing 
supply chain and product use to 
100 percent clean electricity, too.
As we grow, we continue to bring new renewable 
electricity projects online around the world. In the long 
term, we believe that these projects provide more cost-
effective energy with less price volatility. Renewable 
electricity can offer a competitive advantage by providing 
power to our operations, as well as to those of our 
suppliers, with greater control over energy supply and 
reduced exposure to cost fluctuations. And supporting 
our suppliers to adopt renewable energy technologies 
helps put them in a unique position to drive environmental 
action in their respective regions and significant progress 
toward our goal of carbon neutrality by 2030.
Clean electricity
At 200-megawatts, the Montague Wind Power Facility in Oregon is one of Apple’s 
largest renewable projects to date.
Clean electricity 
addresses 
emissions from:
Indirect 
emissions 
(scope 2)
Product 
manufacturing 
(scope 3)
Product use 
(scope 3)
To address gaps in our 
renewable energy needs 
beyond what’s provided by 
Ultimately, we find ways to optimize energy use, and we 
seek renewable sources to supply that energy in support 
of our goal of 100 percent clean electricity across our 
operations, manufacturing supply chain, and charging 
of Apple products. With the renewable energy that we 
source, we aim to achieve positive impacts. Before we 
engage in an energy project, we consider its potential 
environmental and social impacts. When possible, we 
focus on creating new renewable electricity projects, 
going above and beyond what might be available on the 
local grid. We also follow stringent assurance standards21 
to verify our clean energy projects.
Maintaining 100 percent renewable 
electricity for Apple facilities
Our retail stores, data centers, and offices around the 
world currently source 100 percent renewable electricity. 
We’re proud of this accomplishment — and as we grow, 
we’re working diligently to maintain this benchmark. 
We’ve focused our efforts to source renewables around 
several key pillars: creating new renewable energy 
projects, undertaking projects that deliver clear benefits 
to local communities, and supporting renewable 
energy innovations.
Creating new projects
New renewable electricity projects require 
investment — whether in the form of direct ownership, 
equity investments, or long-term power purchase 
agreements. In total, Apple-created renewable sources 
account for about 90 percent of the renewable electricity 
that our facilities use — currently around 1.5 gigawatts.
Apple-created projects include:
•	
Direct ownership
(~9 percent of Apple‑created projects)
We build our own projects — including solar, biogas 
fuel cells, and low-impact hydro projects — to provide 
renewable electricity, where feasible.
•	
Equity investment
(~3 percent of Apple‑created projects)
We invest capital in new solar PV or wind projects 
in some markets, matching the renewable energy 
generated with our energy use.
•	
Long-term renewable energy contracts
(~88 percent of Apple‑created projects)
Through long-term power purchase agreements, 
virtual power purchase agreements, and other forms 
of long-term commitments, we help support new, 
local, and primarily solar PV and wind projects in line 
with our renewable energy–sourcing standards.
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Apple-created projects, we directly purchase renewable 
electricity through available utility green energy programs 
(about 5 percent of our total corporate load in 2022). 
Colocation and distribution facility vendors supply about 
3.2 percent of our total load of renewable energy. And 
in certain situations, we purchase Renewable Energy 
Certificates (RECs).22 These RECs, which account for 
about 3.5 percent of our total load, share the same 
power grid as the Apple facility that they support, where 
available. These purchases are subject to the same 
standards as our Apple‑created renewable energy 
projects. Appendix B provides additional details on 
Apple’s renewable energy solutions.
Supporting social impact
We launched our Power for Impact program in 2019 
to help provide local communities with needed energy 
resources. With funding from Apple, local communities 
and organizations gain access to cost‑effective 
energy. At the same time, Apple retains the projects’ 
environmental attributes, benefiting the community, 
our company, and the environment. Apple is currently 
supporting 20 renewable electricity projects around the 
world, including in the Philippines, Thailand, and South 
Africa. Read more about Power for Impact on page 25.
90%
Apple-created renewable 
sources account for 
about 90 percent of the 
renewable electricity that 
our facilities use.
Apple has invested in the California Flats energy storage project, which retains generated clean energy from intermittent 
renewable sources, including the adjacent 130-megawatt California Flats Solar Project (pictured).
Advancing renewable electricity 
through innovation
We’ve continued to pursue innovations in how we 
create and use renewable electricity, including through 
investments in energy storage.
To help address the intermittency in renewable electricity 
production, we’ve invested in utility-scale storage 
in California and in research on new energy storage 
technologies. The California Flats storage project — 
an industry-leading grid-scale battery energy storage 
system capable of storing 240 megawatt-hours of 
electricity — became operational in 2021. This project 
supports the 130-megawatt California Flats solar 
farm, which provides most of our renewable energy in 
California, by storing excess energy generated during the 
day and deploying it when it’s most needed.
We’re also continuing to support biological methanation 
research at Aarhus University, Denmark, which explores 
the production of synthetic methane for storage in the 
existing gas grid. In this process, bacteria consumes 
both hydrogen produced from excess renewable energy 
and captured carbon dioxide to produce methane, the 
principal component of natural gas. Methane produced 
from renewables is a versatile energy carrier that can 
be used as a fuel source in households, industry, 
and transportation.
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Transitioning our suppliers 
to renewable electricity
The electricity that our manufacturing suppliers use 
represents the largest single source of carbon emissions 
throughout our manufacturing supply chain. That’s why 
our efforts to facilitate the transition of our entire supply 
chain to 100 percent renewable electricity are essential 
to reaching our 2030 goal of carbon neutrality. And the 
benefits extend beyond Apple. Suppliers are able to 
implement best practices in advocating for and procuring 
renewable energy across all their operations and to 
share them with their own partners. At the same time, 
transitioning to 100 percent renewable electricity presents 
challenges: technical and regulatory barriers, need for 
capital investment, and lack of awareness about where to 
find and access high-quality and cost-effective solutions.
Our Supplier Clean Energy Program helps enable 
suppliers’ transition to clean, renewable electricity through 
policy advocacy, providing information and access to 
renewable energy procurement options, and creating 
engagement opportunities with renewable energy 
experts. To cover emissions from suppliers that we don’t 
contract with directly, we plan on investing in additional 
renewable electricity projects. To date, we’ve directly 
invested in nearly 500 megawatts of solar and wind 
projects in China and Japan.
As of March 2023, over 250 suppliers making up 
over 85 percent of Apple’s direct spend for materials, 
manufacturing, and assembly of our products worldwide 
have committed to using renewable electricity for 
their Apple production. In total, the Supplier Clean 
Energy Program now has over 20 gigawatts of clean 
energy commitments, of which nearly two-thirds are 
already operational. 
In 2022, the 13.7 gigawatts of renewable energy 
procured by suppliers and online in Apple’s supply chain 
generated 23.7 million megawatt-hours of clean energy, 
avoiding 17.4 million metric tons of carbon emissions — 
a 23 percent increase over 2021.23 Appendix C includes 
more information about which suppliers have joined Apple 
in transitioning to 100 percent renewable electricity.
In many cases, our suppliers are leading the way with 
the efforts they’re undertaking. We work closely with our 
suppliers to identify innovative methods of creating and 
accessing cost-effective renewable energy. And we work 
together to break down barriers by advocating for clean 
energy–friendly policies. 
Supply chain clean energy progress
Renewable electricity operational and committed in gigawatts (GW)
How suppliers are responding
Long-standing energy policies and infrastructure that 
incentivize the use of fuels like coal can make it difficult 
to bring new renewable energy online in some regions, 
prompting some of our suppliers to rely on less impactful 
solutions, like one-time purchases of energy attribute 
certificates from existing renewable energy projects. 
These options represent an annual cost for buyers 
and offer no opportunity for cost savings or a return on 
investment. To overcome these challenges, suppliers are 
leveraging new purchasing methods, creating renewable 
energy businesses, and even participating in some of the 
world’s largest and most innovative renewable energy 
deals. Suppliers are also adapting to changing renewable 
energy markets by finding new solutions, including first-
of-their-kind procurement structures in specific regions 
that include more corporate procurement options. 
In China, this includes the Green Power Trading Platform 
and cross-provincial power purchasing agreements that 
have provided suppliers with more options. South Korea 
has expanded its options for green power, including 
power purchase agreements and the ability to purchase 
renewable energy credits. Japan has also introduced new 
renewable energy options, including power purchase 
agreements and price-competitive nonfossil credits that 
have the potential to scale access to renewable energy 
across the market. While we’ve seen progress in key 
markets, we continue to advocate for policies that enable 
renewable energy to compete fairly with fossil fuels, 
opening more avenues for our suppliers to make the 
transition (see page 29).
In the past two years, 
together with our suppliers, 
we've more than tripled 
the amount of renewable 
electricity online in our 
supply chain. 
 	Operational
 	Committed
FY16
FY17
FY18
FY19
FY20
FY21
FY22
Gigawatts
4
8
16
20
12
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How we support our suppliers
Galvanizing internal champions
We’ve been able to quickly scale the Supplier Clean 
Energy Program by involving supplier-facing Apple 
employees. Apple employees are passionate about the 
environment and are driven to help meet our 2030 carbon 
neutrality goal. We empower supplier-facing Apple 
employees — those who often travel to supplier sites or 
have direct, consistent cadence with suppliers — with 
the tools they need to help speed a supplier’s transition 
to 100 percent renewable electricity. This starts with 
data and transparency. We track the electricity use and 
renewable procurement of our suppliers, including those 
just beginning to learn about renewable electricity and 
others that are well on their way to using 100 percent 
renewable electricity, and we help them measure progress 
and gain access to solutions. We’ve also created internal 
trainings and crafted a simple engagement process, 
backed by resources for both Apple employees and 
suppliers. By connecting our suppliers with resources and 
providing transparency on supplier progress, our teams 
are scaling impact across our supply chain.
Supporting supplier capacity
We share the experience gained through our transition 
to 100 percent renewable electricity with our suppliers 
because knowledge empowers them to identify and 
pursue opportunities to decarbonize as their businesses 
evolve. For this reason, we invest heavily in providing 
education and training across our supply chain through 
platforms such as our Clean Energy Academy. 
More than 170 supplier participants in China, Korea, 
Japan, and Vietnam participated in our Clean Energy 
Academies in 2022. The academies offer updates on 
available energy procurement options in suppliers’ 
markets, help suppliers prepare to participate in upcoming 
renewable energy pilots, and provide guidance from local 
experts on implementation. This program supplements 
our Clean Energy Portal, which is available to all suppliers 
and provides training materials, resources, and country-
specific information to guide suppliers in their transition to 
100 percent renewable electricity. In 2022, we announced 
plans to donate these resources to create a first-of-
its-kind public training platform that will be available to 
businesses across many different industries. This platform 
will give companies of all sizes — in Apple’s supply chain 
and beyond — access to the resources and advocacy 
networks we’ve cultivated for nearly a decade. 
We also educate suppliers through advanced and 
customized trainings with leading experts. And we 
support the creation and growth of renewable energy 
industry associations that our suppliers can join to learn 
about local opportunities.
Expanding access to renewable electricity
To support our suppliers’ transition to renewable 
electricity, we help them find high-quality solutions so 
they can decide how best to address their specific needs. 
When we face barriers to accessing cost-effective clean 
electricity, we innovate. One such innovation, the China 
Clean Energy Fund, enables Apple and our suppliers to 
invest in clean energy. As of March 2023, the fund has 
invested in over 650 megawatts of renewable electricity 
projects, with nearly 100 percent of those investments 
online. We also connect suppliers with opportunities to 
buy renewable energy directly from project developers 
and utilities as those models emerge around the globe.
Advocating for policy change
Our collective ability to procure and enable high-quality 
renewable energy is often influenced by local policies. 
Effective government policies and rules can remove 
significant barriers to low-carbon solutions and enable 
solutions to rapidly scale. We recognize that to transition 
to renewable energy effectively, clean energy investments 
need to make financial sense. But carbon-intensive 
energy sources, like coal and gas, often have an unfair 
price advantage because of explicit subsidies and the 
ignored costs of externalities, such as air pollution and 
carbon emissions. We’re encouraging governments not 
to subsidize or expand carbon-intensive infrastructure 
that will inhibit competition and discourage the 
development of new technologies, like renewable energy 
and advanced energy storage technologies. We also 
encourage governments to keep pace with the speed of 
technological innovation, consider life cycle emissions of 
energy solutions, and support new energy solutions that 
effectively reduce global emissions.
We lend our voice and stand with other companies and 
NGOs to break down policy barriers to achieve thriving 
clean energy markets. Across regions where our suppliers 
operate, we engage with policy makers to support 
renewable energy that’s cost-effective, accessible to 
companies, and sourced from high-quality projects 
with a material impact on local markets. For example, 
with RE100, an initiative that brings together the world’s 
most influential businesses through commitments to 
use 100 percent renewable electricity, we’ve identified 
country-level policy barriers to procuring renewable 
electricity. RE100 collates the challenges that member 
companies face and advocates for changes on our behalf. 
We also cofounded the Asia Clean Energy Coalition, 
which convenes a diverse coalition of leading renewables 
private sector actors to enact critical policy shifts in 
Asia that will enable a variety of corporate procurement 
options for renewable energy. 
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Climate Change

Clean energy projects
As we expand on our strategy to cover product use 
with clean electricity, we’re considering a number of 
factors in selecting projects. In accordance with global 
greenhouse gas accounting standards, we’ll match the 
electricity consumption of our products with 100 percent 
clean electricity on an annual basis. While we’ll source 
the majority of our clean electricity from the region, we’re 
maintaining geographic flexibility for a portion of the 
emissions so that we can target grids with higher carbon 
intensity. This approach allows us to balance focusing 
on areas where our customers use our products and 
maximizing the social and environmental benefits of 
additional renewable energy. For example, while California 
is a large market for Apple, we might build new renewable 
energy projects in other locations with lower clean energy 
percentages on their grids, where the same renewable 
energy capacity can have a more significant impact.
As a first phase of this work, we’re working toward 
developing large-scale solar and wind projects in the 
U.S. and Europe. In the U.S., we’ve invested in the 
320-megawatt 2300-acre IP Radian solar project in 
Brown County, Texas, and plans for additional projects in 
the U.S. are underway. In Europe, we plan to engage in 
projects that range between 30 and 300 megawatts, with 
an initial request for proposals issued in 2022.
Engaging with our customers
In many places, electricity comes from clean sources like 
the sun or wind at certain times of the day. Customers 
play an important role in deciding when to pull electricity 
from the grid. We’re building programs to make those 
decisions easier for customers. Clean Energy Charging, 
which became available in the United States in fall 2022 
through iOS 16, enables customers to help decrease the 
carbon footprint of iPhone. The new feature looks at the 
sources of electricity during expected charge times, and it 
optimizes to reduce carbon by charging when the grid is 
using cleaner energy sources (learn more here).
Beyond the work that we do on our products, we 
collaborate with others to continue advancing climate-
smart decision-making for customers across their 
household energy usage, as well as for our employees 
and partners. As an example, Apple has joined the 
CoolClimate Network, a research partnership of the 
University of California, Berkeley, that motivates and 
empowers individuals and organizations to make low-
carbon choices. 
Apple is investing in renewable energy worldwide — including this large-scale solar project in Brown County, Texas — to help 
address the electricity customers use to charge their Apple devices.
Product use
The electricity that our customers use to charge their 
Apple devices represents 24 percent of Apple’s gross 
carbon footprint. Increasing the energy efficiency of 
our products helps drive down emissions from product 
use, and we’re taking steps to address the emissions 
that remain.
When Apple committed to running our business on 
100 percent renewable electricity in 2013 — a goal we 
met for our facilities in 2018 — we were early leaders 
in this transition. As we address emissions tied to the 
electricity that our products use globally, our guiding 
principles focus on three areas: exploring innovative 
solutions to minimize carbon emissions from product 
use, including energy efficiency (see page 14); building 
clean electricity projects aimed at maximizing carbon 
reductions and social impact; and engaging with our 
customers to educate and provide opportunities to 
support decarbonizing the grid. 
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Climate Change

Power for Impact is driven by the idea 
that access to clean energy creates 
opportunities within communities 
while benefiting our climate. Apple 
launched the initiative in 2019 to 
provide underresourced communities 
with renewable power while 
supporting economic growth and 
social impact.
The program funds clean energy projects that 
are mutually beneficial — local communities and 
organizations get access to cost-effective energy, and 
Apple retains the environmental attributes of each project. 
We currently support 20 renewable projects around the 
world, including:
Colombia: Apple helps bring a rooftop solar power 
system online at the Hospital Infantil Santa Ana. The 
money saved on energy bills will allow the hospital to 
purchase more equipment and medications. A rooftop 
solar installation at Ciudad Don Bosco, a nonprofit that 
provides educational and social services for under-
resourced youth, helps the group advance its sustainable 
development goals.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Apple provides 
access to renewable energy for the Malaika School, which 
empowers Congolese girls and their communities through 
education, agriculture, water projects, health outreach, 
sports, and vocational training. To support Malaika 
students and teachers, this solar initiative builds on other 
Apple collaborations, including virtual Today at Apple 
sessions on coding with Swift, photography, filmmaking, 
and design, as well as other events with Apple Retail 
teams and Diversity Network Associations.
Israel: Apple supports the Nitzana Educational Eco-
Village, a community for at-risk youth, with a 260-kilowatt 
solar system to help lower electricity costs. The savings 
help enhance educational experiences for youth from 
various backgrounds.
Nigeria: A remote mini-grid project is under development 
to provide energy access to community members and 
replace fossil fuels for some businesses. Apple will 
also continue to support the development of a solar 
power system to serve primary healthcare centers in 
the state of Ondo, as well as 200 households in the 
surrounding region.
Philippines: Apple helps fund an educational institution 
that provides scholarships to high-achieving, under-
resourced students by offsetting electricity expenses 
through a new rooftop solar installation in Bataan.
South Africa: Apple will fund new rooftop solar 
installations at a vocational school and at a home for 
senior citizens. Along with the four operational projects, 
these installations will reduce electricity costs, and 
the savings will help fund operating costs and expand 
programs to support underserved groups. Apple will 
continue to bring electricity to over 3500 households that 
previously lacked access with local street lighting. 
Thailand: Apple helped establish a solar energy system 
to replace the use of polluting diesel fuel for a remote 
fishing village that relies on refrigerators to maintain the 
quality of its fish products. We increased local renewable 
energy production and battery storage to improve reliable 
access to electricity.
Vietnam: Apple helps provide solar electricity for 20 
schools around the country, and helps teach thousands of 
children about sustainable development and STEM.
Zambia: A microgrid supported by Apple will provide 
power to hundreds of households that are currently 
without electricity. The project will reduce reliance and 
costs associated with imported diesel and gasoline for 
generators, and it will increase the amount of power 
available to community organizations and businesses.
Power for Impact is expanding access to clean, affordable 
power in different parts of the world. Apple will continue 
to focus on uplifting communities as it pursues its 
environmental goals.
FEATURE
Increasing access to clean 
energy around the world 
With access to electricity in their homes through one of the South Africa projects, kids can now do homework at night and 
families can cook meals indoors.
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Climate Change

Direct emissions 
abatement
Some materials that are integral to 
our products result in significant 
emissions. The same is true for 
certain manufacturing processes and 
the transportation of our products. 
To address these emissions, we 
seek technological solutions and 
emissions abatement, and we’re 
moving away from fossil fuels. 
Rethinking how aluminum is made
As part of Apple’s commitment to reduce our products’ 
environmental impact through innovation, we’ve partnered 
with aluminum companies and the governments of 
Canada and Quebec to invest in ELYSIS — a joint venture 
to commercialize patented technology that eliminates 
direct greenhouse gas emissions from the traditional 
smelting process. This is a revolutionary advancement 
in the manufacturing of one of the world’s most widely 
used metals. Since our collaboration began in 2018, we’ve 
helped accelerate the development of this technology by 
facilitating the joint partnership and providing initial funding 
and ongoing technical support. 
In 2022, Apple shipped iPhone SE devices using ELYSIS 
aluminum, building on our 2019 purchase from the 
first-ever commercial batch of aluminum resulting from 
the joint venture, used in the production of the 16-inch 
MacBook Pro.24 The commercial-purity aluminum used 
in these products is the first to be manufactured without 
creating any direct carbon emissions during the smelting 
process. Throughout the past year, ELYSIS has also 
Aluminum is one of the world’s most widely used metals, and ELYSIS’ innovative 
direct carbon-free smelting process has the potential to reduce the climate impact 
of the production process.
Direct emissions 
abatement 
addresses 
emissions from:
Product 
manufacturing 
(scope 3)
Product 
transport 
(scope 3)
continued to make progress within its industrial research 
and development center in Quebec — enabling the venture 
to begin producing commercial-purity primary aluminum at 
industrial scale — and continued construction of its larger 
commercial-scale prototype cells.
Addressing fluorinated greenhouse 
gas emissions
One of the largest contributors of direct emissions in 
our supply chain is the use of fluorinated greenhouse 
gases (F-GHGs). F-GHGs are used in the electronics 
manufacturing of semiconductors and flat-panel 
displays, and they have global warming potentials that 
are thousands of times more than those of CO2. We’re 
partnering closely with key manufacturers as they work 
to prevent these gases from being released into the 
atmosphere. So while the use of F-GHGs in certain 
manufacturing processes today is difficult to avoid, 
emissions can be abated by switching to alternative input 
gases, by optimizing production processes to use and emit 
fewer F-GHGs, and by installing gas abatement tools.
Transporting products
To transport our products from our manufacturers to 
our customers, we’re shifting to shipping modes that 
are less carbon-intensive than air transport, such as by 
ocean, whenever possible. In 2022, we launched three 
new products — Mac Studio, Studio Display, and AirPods 
(3rd generation) — that leveraged ocean shipping by 
enabling an ocean supply chain from our manufacturers. 
On average, shipping an item by ocean instead of on an 
airplane reduces transportation-related emissions by 
95 percent.25
We’re also seeking out technical innovations for transport, 
including working with our suppliers to use alternative fuels 
and electric vehicles. For example, in Europe we piloted 
a heavy-duty truck fueled by hydrogen, an emerging 
low-carbon fuel for trucks that travel long distances. And 
we’re continuing to evaluate carriers that offer carbon-
neutral deliveries using electric vehicles, including e-bikes 
and e-cars. These innovations help reduce our impact 
in the communities where our customers purchase our 
products. And by preferring vendors that offer low-carbon 
options, we signal the value of these options to us and 
reward those driving decarbonization in their industry. We 
are also combining multiple products into one delivery 
when possible, reducing packaging and reducing 
emissions though efficiency on the last leg of the journey. 
At the same time, Apple is working to spur entirely new 
solutions, for example by supporting analyses by Carbon 
Direct identifying pathways for developing sustainable 
aviation fuels.
Improving employee travel 
and commute
And we’re exploring ways to reduce our carbon footprint 
from employees commuting to work. For example, we’re 
helping our employees transition away from single-
occupancy vehicles through mass transit, coach services, 
and campus bicycles. To incentivize the use of electric 
vehicles, we offer more than 1670 EV charging stations 
and 3200 ports across our U.S.-based campuses. For the 
commute-related emissions that remain, we’re applying 
high-quality offsets.
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Climate Change

Carbon removal
Our 2030 Climate Roadmap aims to 
reduce our emissions by 75 percent 
compared with 2015 levels, as 
well as scale up carbon removal 
strategies to address the remaining 
emissions that we can’t yet avoid. 
We’re exploring a range of carbon 
removal solutions to do so, which is 
consistent with the Intergovernmental 
Panel on Climate Change’s position 
that all pathways limiting warming 
to 1.5° C require carbon removal for 
unavoidable emissions.26
Carbon removal projects take carbon dioxide out of 
the atmosphere and store it in long-term carbon sinks, 
whether nature-based — like forests, wetlands, and 
grasslands — or geologically, in formations such as saline 
aquifers or other suitable geological sites. In addition to 
removing carbon, nature-based carbon removal projects 
also offer important ecological and social benefits, such 
as preserving biodiversity and enhancing the resilience of 
ecosystems while often providing economic development 
opportunities for local communities.
Investing in nature
The earth’s trees, plants, and soils provide some of the 
greatest capabilities to remove and store carbon from 
the atmosphere. Carbon credits provide an opportunity 
to invest in these solutions, but carbon markets haven’t 
yet scaled to remove the carbon needed to limit global 
warming to 1.5° C. That’s why we’re expanding nature-
based investments to support our goal of achieving 
carbon neutrality across our full product life cycle 
by 2030. 
In 2021, we partnered with Conservation International 
and Goldman Sachs to launch the Restore Fund, which 
has closed over $100 million in projects that forecast to 
remove over one million metric tons of carbon starting 
in 2025. This fund is unique because it aims to change 
carbon removal from a cost to a potentially profitable 
investment. By creating a fund that generates both a 
financial return as well as real and measurable carbon 
impact, we aim to drive broader change — encouraging 
capital investment in carbon removal around the globe.
Through the first phase of the Restore Fund, we’re working with forestry managers to create sustainably managed forests that are optimized for both 
carbon and wood production, creating revenue from timber and generating high-quality carbon credits. Photo credit: Arbaro Advisors.
Carbon removal 
projects to address 
nonelectricity 
emissions — up 
to 25 percent of 
2015 emissions 
(all scopes) 
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Climate Change

The expanded fund will target two types of investments: 
sustainable agriculture and other ecosystem assets, 
and a pipeline of landscape restoration projects that 
aim to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Together, 
this unique blended fund structure will continue 
to demonstrate that we can invest in high-quality 
nature-based projects to achieve both financial and 
carbon returns.
Integrity and a rigorous approach are central to how 
we designed the Restore Fund with our partners. 
The projects aim to become certified to international 
standards developed by organizations such as Verra, 
Gold Standard, the Climate, Community & Biodiversity 
Alliance (CCBA), and the Forest Stewardship Council 
(FSC). Use of these international standards helps confirm 
that the carbon stored in forests is measured and 
reported to the highest standards and that projects have 
the most up-to-date safeguards in place. The projects 
we choose will also seek to have a positive impact on the 
livelihoods of local communities by bringing economic 
opportunities to often underserved rural economies. And 
we’ll continue to focus on projects that protect lands with 
high conservation values.
The first phase of our innovative fund has focused on 
blending responsible forestry practices with carbon 
removal. We’re working with forestry managers to create 
sustainably managed forests that are optimized for both 
carbon and wood production in order to create revenue 
from timber and generate high-quality carbon credits. 
The projects also seek to maximize environmental 
impact, including carbon, hydrology, and habitat 
restoration. In October 2022, Apple announced three 
new projects through the Restore Fund. In partnership 
with Conservation International and Goldman Sachs, 
Apple has invested with three high-quality forestry 
managers in Brazil and Paraguay with the goal of restoring 
150,000 acres of certified sustainable working forests 
and protecting around 100,000 acres of native forests, 
grasslands, and wetlands. Together, these initial forestry 
projects are forecast to remove one million metric tons of 
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere starting in 2025. 
To improve the accuracy of monitoring, reporting, and 
verification of the projects’ carbon removal impact, Apple 
is deploying innovative remote sensing technologies 
using Space Intelligence’s Carbon and Habitat Mapper 
and Upstream Tech’s Lens. Using high-resolution 
satellite imagery from Maxar and other providers, this 
initiative enables us to view detailed habitat and forest 
carbon maps for our Restore Fund projects. Through 
our engagement with the MIT Climate & Sustainability 
Consortium, Apple is jointly funding research with 
PepsiCo and Cargill on improving the measurement of 
soil carbon in nature-based carbon removal projects. And 
Apple is separately exploring the use of LiDAR data using 
iPhone to improve field measurements of forest carbon.
Based on our learnings with these projects and the 
growing global need for more nature-based solutions, 
Apple announced an expansion of the Restore Fund in 
2023. Apple has committed additional funds — up to 
$200 million — that will be managed by Climate Asset 
Management, a joint venture between HSBC Asset 
Management and Pollination. The commitment will 
support a broader portfolio of high-quality nature-based 
projects that scale up carbon removal while seeking to 
achieve a financial return on investment.
High-quality carbon offsets 
as an interim solution
We plan to reach our goal of becoming carbon neutral 
across our entire value chain by 2030, using a wide 
range of solutions at our disposal, prioritizing significant 
emissions reductions and long-term carbon removal 
initiatives like the Restore Fund. But as the projects in the 
Restore Fund come online, we’re also working to address 
difficult-to-avoid emissions in the short term. 
We’ve been carbon neutral for our corporate emissions 
since April 2020. We started by reducing our corporate 
emissions through the use of 100 percent renewable 
electricity and energy efficiency efforts at our facilities. 
But emissions remain difficult to avoid in some 
activities — including the natural gas used in some of 
our buildings and emissions from business air travel and 
employee commute. 
For the emissions we can’t avoid, we use high-quality 
offsets as an interim solution. We’re intentional about 
identifying avoided deforestation and removal projects 
that are of the highest standard and that achieve 
meaningful impact. We often originate our own projects 
working with a reputable partner, like Conservation 
International, or we carefully select projects from third-
party certified registries. For more details about our 
purchases of carbon offsets, see Appendix A. 
$200M
Apple committed up to 
$200 million in additional funds 
to expand the Restore Fund.
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Climate Change

The scientific community has laid 
out a clear rationale for mitigating 
the impacts of climate change by 
reducing emissions — and they’ve 
provided stark warnings for the 
consequences of inaction. In addition 
to strong actions by businesses 
and individuals, we need strong 
government policies that support a 
just climate transition. That’s why 
Apple believes that advocating for 
strong climate policies is a core part 
of our climate strategy. 
Apple has a long history of advocating for strong climate 
policies. And in 2022 Apple, joined by other companies, 
submitted an Amicus Brief, urging the Supreme Court to 
uphold the U.S. EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse 
gases from power plants. 
FEATURE
Advocating for strong 
climate policies
Our climate policy advocacy centers on the 
following principles:
Setting strong science-based targets
Policy makers need to set strong science-based targets 
to reduce emissions in line with the Paris Agreement and 
limit warming to 1.5° C.
Rapidly decarbonizing through economy-wide 
and sectoral policies
Rapid decarbonization requires every sector of the 
economy to adopt new zero-carbon technologies as 
fossil fuels phase out. We not only support economy-wide 
policies but also acknowledge that each sector responds 
to different signals and the maturity of technologies 
to decarbonize them isn’t equal. Apple’s advocacy for 
sectoral approaches includes these principles: 
•	
Promote economy-wide carbon pricing programs 
with strong interim and long-term targets and 
accountability mechanisms. 
•	
Advocate for policies that make it easier and more 
cost-effective to deploy renewable energy.
•	
Support policies that promote energy efficiency 
across all sectors, including for manufactured goods.
•	
Invest in mature and new zero-emission technologies 
to cut emissions, particularly in hard-to-
decarbonize sectors. 
Encouraging and enabling high-quality measurement 
and disclosure of emissions
Governments should require that companies measure 
their emissions along the entire value chain and disclose 
those emissions publicly. Developing clear rules for 
disclosure across all scopes of emissions will create best 
practices, enhance the transparency and integrity of 
claims, and promote competitive innovation. Governments 
should align to have the same high-quality standards.
Ensuring high-quality solutions 
Governments should establish or oversee systems 
to track and verify renewable energy credits and 
carbon credits to avoid double-counting, to incentivize 
participation, and to ensure environmental integrity. These 
credits should be transparent and verified to provide 
confidence to the public, and they promote energy 
solutions that significantly reduce emissions, including 
consideration of the full value chain impact.
Centering equity and justice in climate solutions 
Climate policies should support the development of 
the new green economy, with new job opportunities 
focused on advancing clean innovation. Equity should be 
a guiding principle of policies supporting this economy. 
Communities that have been disproportionately impacted 
by climate change should benefit from the economic 
opportunities of potential solutions.
[We] believe that both corporate 
and regulatory action are 
necessary to prevent the worst 
impacts of climate change and 
have a strong interest in the 
implementation of sound public 
policies to reduce greenhouse 
gas emissions.
Brief Amici Curiae of Apple et al., 
West Virginia vs EPA (2022).
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Climate Change

2015 (U.S.): Apple joined the White House’s 
American Business Act on Climate Pledge, in 
which participating companies voiced support 
for a strong outcome at the COP21 in Paris 
and demonstrated an ongoing commitment to 
climate action.
2016 (U.S.): Apple joined Google, Microsoft, and 
Amazon to sign an Amicus Brief in support of the 
U.S. EPA’s Clean Power Plan.
2016 (World): Apple addressed 700 senior 
government, business, and community leaders at 
the seventh Clean Energy Ministerial, where we 
called for governments across the world to put a 
price on carbon to address climate change.
2017 (U.S.): Apple urged the White House 
to remain in the Paris Agreement and take 
meaningful action on climate change.
2017 (China): Apple hosted a roundtable with 
the Green Electricity Consumption Cooperative 
Organization (GECCO) to create a platform 
for buyers in China where they can discuss 
renewable energy procurement challenges and 
opportunities and inform future policy.
2018 (China): Apple submitted formal 
comments to China’s National Development 
and Reform Commission about the 
implications of draft policy on corporate clean 
energy procurement.
2018 (South Korea): Apple met with 
government officials in Korea to discuss the 
need for increased renewable generation and 
retail choice, whereby consumers can select 
their power source. 
2018 (Japan): Apple was among the first 
multinational companies to join the Japan 
Climate Leaders’ Partnership, a coalition of 
companies that align business objectives with 
environmental goals.
2019 (Vietnam): Apple urged the 
government to reform the electricity market, 
allowing businesses to purchase power 
directly from renewable power plants.
2019 (World): Apple participated in the 
UN Environment Assembly and conducted 
bilateral discussions with a number of 
countries to advocate for policies that enable a 
circular economy and bold action on climate.
2020 (EU): Apple called on European leaders to 
increase their climate ambition to achieve targets 
of at least 55 percent greenhouse gas emissions 
reductions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. 
The EU adopted these targets. 
Key milestones in our climate 
policy advocacy
2017 (Vietnam): Apple joined other companies 
urging the government of Vietnam to make 
regulatory changes allowing businesses to 
procure renewable energy through direct power 
purchase agreements.
2018 (U.S.): Apple filed comments to the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, urging 
it not to finalize a rule that would subsidize fossil 
fuels, which would limit the ability of renewables 
to compete in the electricity market. FERC chose 
not to finalize that rule.
2018 (Japan): Apple filed comments with 
the Japanese government, calling for the 
development of a robust and verifiable renewable 
energy trading system.
2018 (U.S.): Apple filed individual comments 
to the U.S. EPA, urging it not to repeal the 
Clean Power Plan because of its importance in 
reducing emissions.
2021 (U.S.): Apple was one of the first large, 
public U.S. companies calling on the SEC to 
require disclosures of global greenhouse gases 
across all emissions scopes.
2021 (Vietnam): Apple and other companies 
vocalized our support to the government of 
Vietnam for the ambitious Power Development 
Plan prioritizing clean energy.
2021 (U.S.): Apple became the first company 
to voice support for the enactment of the Clean 
Energy Standard (CES) that would decarbonize 
the power grid by 2035.
2022 (South Korea): Apple spoke at the 
carbon neutrality conference calling for Korea’s 
2030 energy plan to set a higher target for 
renewable energy, a more fair competitive market 
for renewables, and improved transparency for 
renewable energy solutions. 
2022 (Japan): Apple joined a letter calling 
for a level of carbon pricing that provides an 
incentive for emissions reduction.
2022 (U.S.): Apple filed comments 
to encourage more rapid integration of 
renewable energy to the transmission 
grid, a key bottleneck to renewable 
energy deployment.
2022 (U.S.): Apple led an Amicus Brief 
supporting the U.S. EPA’s authority to regulate 
greenhouse gases from power plants.
2022 (U.S.): Apple, along with Meta and 
Google, advocated for greatly expanded 
renewable generation to achieve a 70 percent 
reduction in emissions in the state through 
intervention in the North Carolina Carbon 
Plan proceeding.
To reach our global climate 
goals, governments must 
create policies that support 
a just climate transition. 
We've been actively advocating 
for strong climate policies for 
many years.
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Climate Change

Resources
It takes recycled 
guts to reduce our 
footprint
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Introduction 
Resources

Goals and progress
Key
Achieved
Ongoing
Not achieved
Highlight
In 2022,20 percent of the material 
we shipped in our products came from 
recycled or renewable sources.27 
We’ve accelerated our work through 
new commitments to transition to 
100 percent recycled cobalt, tin, gold, 
and rare earth elements in select 
components by 2025.28
Highlight
Our product packaging contains 
only 4 percent plastic — 
down from 21 percent in 2015.
Highlight
Our Prineville, Reno, and Mesa 
data centers and 17 supplier 
facilities have been certified to 
the Alliance for Water Stewardship 
standard for leading water 
management practices. 
Goal
Use only recycled and 
renewable materials in our 
products and packaging, and 
enhance material recovery.
Goal
Eliminate plastics in our 
packaging by 2025.29
Goal
Reduce water impacts in 
the manufacturing of our 
products, use of our services, 
and our facility operations. 
Goal
Eliminate waste sent to 
landfill from our corporate 
facilities and our suppliers. 
Highlight
Our corporate facilities waste 
diversion rate increased to 
71 percent, driven by progress 
at our data centers. 
2021
2023
2022
2021
2023
2022
2021
2023
2022
2021
2025
GOAL
2022
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Our approach 
Each of our products and services is 
made possible by natural resources. 
We’re committed to sourcing, using, 
and recycling the materials that we 
rely on in a way that meets our high 
standards for labor, human rights, 
and environmental stewardship. 
This commitment extends across our operations and 
supply chain, so we use materials in a manner consistent 
with our values, we responsibly manage freshwater usage 
so that these resources will be available and safe for 
others in the community, and we work to eliminate waste 
at our facilities and those of our suppliers. This serves 
our objective to minimize the overall resource footprint 
supporting our products. And we know that we can’t 
do this alone — it requires collaborative stewardship of 
shared resources.
In the future we envision, our products are made solely 
from responsibly sourced recycled and renewable 
materials — to our same rigorous standards of quality 
and durability. We aim to build durable, long-lasting 
products that make the best use of the resources 
required to make them. And recycling approaches and 
innovations make this achievable, helping us recover 
and use the materials that we rely on in our products to 
their full potential. We’re working with leading recyclers 
and academic institutions to realize this future through 
researching new technologies and identifying the 
challenges and opportunities to achieve positive change 
across industries.
Water is one of the most critical resources we need 
to build our products. It provides vital services at our 
offices, data centers, and stores — and it’s essential to 
our manufacturing processes. Water is also a community 
resource. For this reason, we prioritize our stewardship 
efforts — working toward the most efficient use of 
freshwater, using alternatives where possible, and 
managing our discharge responsibly. We also look beyond 
our facilities to the water basins where we operate. 
Through collaborations with local partners — including 
companies, NGOs, and government agencies — we’re 
working together to improve the quality of the water that 
our communities rely on.
Materials
Transition to only recycled or renewable materials in our products and 
packaging, and maximize material efficiency, product longevity, and recovery.
Zero waste
Minimize overall waste generated and eliminate waste sent to landfill from our 
manufacturing supply chain as well as corporate offices, data centers, and 
retail stores.
Water
Reduce water impacts in the manufacturing of our products, use of our 
services, and our facility operations. At the same time, transition to alternative 
solutions, improve the quality of water that we discharge, and protect shared 
water resources.
Within resources, we focus on 
three main areas of impact:
Another approach to conserving resources is by 
eliminating waste. We work to reuse and recycle across 
our operations and throughout our supply chain. We 
strive to eliminate waste where we and our suppliers 
operate. These efforts go beyond reducing the amount 
of waste that we generate. We’re innovating approaches 
to reuse and working with local businesses to create new 
recycling opportunities.
We can move ahead only by working with others. 
When we collaborate with suppliers, NGOs, recyclers, 
community stakeholders, and innovation leaders, we can 
do more while relying on less — and reduce our overall 
carbon and material footprint.
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Materials
We’re working toward a world where 
we create our products from, and 
where we contribute to, circular 
supply chains. This starts by building 
products that are circular by design 
and made from responsibly sourced 
recycled and renewable materials. 
This work will help us end reliance on 
mining, which is often both carbon-
intensive and detrimental to the 
communities and ecosystems where 
it takes place.
We aim to create products that make greater use of 
circular supply chains that don’t rely on mined resources. 
They do so while meeting our rigorous requirements 
for quality, durability, and performance. Part of what 
makes this possible are the recycling innovations we’re 
developing to enhance material recovery. While these 
innovations support circular supply chains for Apple, 
we also hope our actions are inspiring others to follow.
This progress can impact those who buy our products, 
can influence the markets where we work, and can create 
change for broader global communities. These are the 
opportunities that drive us through the challenging work 
of creating circular supply chains.
The following three pillars define our approach 
to achieving circularity:
Sourcing and efficiency
We source recycled and renewable materials for our 
products and packaging, and we use these materials 
more efficiently. We also source the materials responsibly, 
whether from primary, recycled, or renewable sources.
SOURCING
Source materials that are 
recycled and renewable
PRODUCTION
Make products that last through 
durability, repair, and refurbishing
EFFICIENCY
Design efficiency into our products 
and manufacturing processes
RECOVERY
Recover materials for use 
in new products
How we pursue circularity for our products
Sourcing and efficiency
We continue to progress toward our goal of relying solely 
on responsibly sourced recycled or renewable materials 
for our products and packaging. 
The source of the materials we rely on matters to us. 
We place a clear value on materials that don’t deplete 
the earth’s resources. As we move toward recycled and 
renewable content, we’re joined in our efforts by many 
partners. We look forward to engaging with many others 
as part of a broader global transition. As we design new 
products, we continue to source materials responsibly 
and continue to use materials efficiently and safely.
Product longevity
We make the most of the materials we use by designing 
long-lasting products. We design durable hardware, 
leverage software updates to extend functionality, 
provide convenient access to safe and high-quality repair 
services, and direct devices and parts to be refurbished 
and reused.
Collection and recovery
We improve how we collect end-of-life products and 
develop recycling innovations so that we and others can 
use old devices as raw material sources for the future.
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Expanding our use of recycled content
Our progress on materials continued in 2022 as we’ve 
moved closer to creating a circular supply chain for 
several materials. With tin, we first proved in 2017 that 
we could use 100 percent recycled tin for the solder on 
the main logic board (where the majority of tin is found) 
of iPhone 6s and in 2022, we’re now using 100 percent 
recycled tin on many flexible printed circuit boards used 
across almost all newly launched products. This resulted 
in the total shipped recycled tin increasing to 38 percent 
across all product lines in 2022 — up from 30 percent 
in 2021. We took a similar approach with gold. Across 
all products, we expanded our use of certified recycled 
gold — from the gold plating on the main logic board on 
iPhone to other product main logic boards and flexible 
printed circuit boards — increasing certified recycled gold 
content to approximately 4 percent across all products 
that shipped in 2022 — up from just 1 percent in 2021.30 
These and other innovations helped us increase our use 
of recycled and renewable content to 20 percent of all the 
material shipped in products in 2022.31
We’ve also achieved several milestones with copper 
and zinc. For iPad models introduced in October 2022, 
we’re using 100 percent recycled copper foil in the main 
logic board. For Mac Studio and Studio Display, we’ve 
developed a brass alloy using 100 percent recycled 
copper and zinc for use in the AC inlet and cable prongs. 
Finally, since last year, we’ve nearly doubled our use of 
recycled cobalt in batteries to 27 percent across iPhone, 
iPad, and Mac devices year over year, bringing the total 
recycled cobalt shipped in 2022 to 25 percent.32
Prioritizing our efforts
Our recycled and renewable efforts continue to focus 
on 14 materials that we’ve prioritized based on a broad 
range of environmental, social, and supply chain impacts. 
(These are outlined in detail in our Material Impact Profiles 
white paper.33) Some of the materials prioritized through 
this process include lower-mass but higher-impact 
materials. Our priority materials include aluminum, cobalt, 
copper, glass, gold, lithium, paper, plastics, rare earth 
elements, steel, tantalum, tin, tungsten, and zinc, and they 
account for 87 percent of the total product mass shipped 
to our customers in 2022.34 
Our teams are overcoming many obstacles to creating 
closed loop supply chains, including material performance 
and traceability. This is possible through our work with a 
diverse group of partners. We’ve been able to design a 
new, 100 percent recycled aluminum alloy that meets our 
rigorous performance standards. And we’ve improved 
our ability to track key materials like batteries within our 
supply chain, end-to-end.
Barriers to our progress remain — including challenges 
within our control and those outside Apple’s direct 
influence. Addressing these requires a collective 
response. But through collaboration within the material 
space, we can achieve impact felt beyond our business. 
The supply chains we’re helping create serve more than 
just our needs — they help promote the availability of 
competitively priced, quality recycled and renewable 
materials across geographies. 
Maintaining high standards for materials is an essential 
element of this work. Our recycled and renewable 
material specifications follow standards established by 
the international community.35 Through this process, 
we’re able to confirm that a material has been recycled 
or comes from a renewable source — one that can 
continually produce without depleting the earth’s 
resources.36 We approach materials from new sources 
with the same rigor, evaluating each for the safety of the 
materials’ chemistry. This process allows us to scale our 
use of materials that are better for the environment and 
safe for use in our products.
Responsible sourcing of materials
This diligence carries over to sourcing. We obtain our 
resources responsibly, regardless of whether we’re 
using primary or recycled materials. This approach is a 
necessary complement to our environmental efforts — 
and it draws from the same reliance on international 
standards. Our standards for Responsible Sourcing of 
Materials are based on leading international guidance, 
including the United Nations’ Guiding Principles on 
Business and Human Rights and the Organisation for 
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Due 
Diligence Guidance. In 2022, 100 percent of the identified 
tin, tantalum, tungsten, gold (3TG), cobalt, and lithium 
smelters and refiners in Apple’s supply chain completed 
assessments to verify compliance with our standards, and 
to aid in identifying social, environmental, human rights, 
and governance risks. We also map other materials in our 
products such as mica, copper, graphite, and nickel, and, 
before production, evaluate suppliers of new materials 
for compliance with our requirements. We also continue 
to map, conduct additional due diligence, and facilitate 
independent third-party audits on other materials used 
in our products, such as graphite, nickel, and copper. 
As we build supply chains for recycled materials, we’re 
also partnering with the smelters and refiners identified 
through this process.
Industry collaboration
As we focus on responsible sourcing and the use of 
recycled content, we continue to engage with multiple 
industry initiatives. These include our role on the steering 
committee of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI). 
This coalition is one of the most commonly used 
resources for companies — from a range of industries — 
that are working to address mineral sourcing issues in 
their supply chains. We are also a board member of the 
Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE) 
and co-lead the electronics program. PACE is a global 
collaboration platform for public and private decision 
makers to share a vision, best practices, and innovations 
toward a circular economy. Apple is a co-champion of 
the First Movers Coalition for Aluminum, whose focus 
is to aggregate demand signals for ultra low carbon 
technologies and materials. We also collaborate with 
other industry organizations, including the Aluminum 
Stewardship Initiative, to promote transparency across 
supply chains and implement additional commodity-
specific auditing and due diligence systems. 
Using recycled and renewable materials helps lower our 
carbon footprint, moving us closer to our climate goals. 
To fulfill the transition to these materials, we’re working 
with policy makers to support international standards that 
enable the use of these materials globally.
Apple is committed to 
setting the highest standards 
for responsible sourcing 
of the materials used in 
our products. For more 
information, read our 
“People and Environment 
in Our Supply Chain” 
progress report and our 
“Conflict Minerals Report” 
at apple.com/supplier-
responsibility.
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FEATURE
Our transition to certified recycled 
materials by product line
We're using more recycled 
materials than ever
*      Material is considered “not applicable” if it’s found only in small quantities dispersed across modules.
All products launched in the calendar year include certified recycled content
Some products launched in the calendar year include certified recycled content
No products launched in the calendar year include certified recycled content
Recycled content not applicable*
In 2022, the average recycled 
content shipped in Apple products 
increased to 20 percent. We’ve 
approached the work material by 
material, component by component, 
starting by introducing recycled 
content in one product and 
then expanding across Apple’s 
product lines. 
2017

2018

2019
2020
2021
2022
Copper
Zinc
Steel 
Gold
Tungsten*
Rare earth elements
Aluminum
Tin
Plastic
Apple Watch
Desktop
Notebook
iPad
iPhone 
Apple Watch
Desktop
Notebook
iPad
iPhone 
Apple Watch
Desktop
Notebook
iPad
iPhone 
Apple Watch
Desktop
Notebook
iPad
iPhone 
Apple Watch
Desktop
Notebook
iPad
iPhone 
Apple Watch
Desktop
Notebook
iPad
iPhone 
Products launched 
by calendar year
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We’re making progress toward our 
goal of sourcing only recycled or 
renewable materials in our products: 
in 2022, 20 percent of the material 
we shipped in products came from 
recycled or renewable sources.37 
We’re also accelerating our ambition: 
We recently announced that by 
2025, we plan to use 100 percent 
recycled cobalt in all Apple-designed 
batteries;38 100 percent recycled tin 
soldering and 100 percent recycled 
gold plating of all Apple-designed 
rigid and flexible printed circuit 
boards;39 and 100 percent recycled 
rare earth elements in all magnets 
across all products.40 
Below is an overview of our progress 
across the 14 materials that we’re 
prioritizing for recycled or renewable 
sourcing. As we work toward our 
goals, we’ll continue to be open about 
the challenges that we encounter.
Key challenges to developing circular supply 
chains include:
Technical properties
The properties of a recycled or renewable material 
may differ from the primary material. This needs to be 
accounted for during product design and manufacturing. 
For example, select recycled plastics differ in properties 
from other plastics. The composition of other recycled 
materials can also be impacted by some level of 
contamination during the recycling process.
Availability and access
Supply of recycled and renewable materials can be 
constrained by the limited availability of scrap sources 
or production of renewable content. When supply exists 
in some locations around the world, new suppliers need 
to be incorporated into supply chains for the material to 
be accessed.
Supply chains
Recycled or renewable content may not be easily 
accessible on the market, requiring the development of 
new supply chains.
FEATURE
Progress across our priority materials
Traceability
Information about the source of materials — whether 
mined, recycled, or renewable — might not be 
readily available. 
Scale
Materials for a single component can come from 
hundreds of different material suppliers, representing 
an exponential increase in effort as we scale the use 
of high-quality recycled or renewable materials across 
components and products.
Regulatory barriers 
Transboundary movement regulations — created 
to establish critically important community and 
environmental protections — can have the unintended 
consequence of inhibiting the ability to recover and 
move materials to best-in-class recyclers or refiners 
for use in new products. Read about our support of 
policies in our feature on circular economy policy that 
enable circular supply chains while improving social 
and environmental protections.
Aluminum
Regulatory barriers
Technical properties
Scale
We’re continuing to scale our new, 100 percent recycled aluminum alloy — which incorporates 
recycled content without compromising performance — across all products. Overall, in 2022, 
67 percent of the aluminum we shipped came from recycled sources — up from 59 percent in 
2021.41 Of the products introduced during this period, iPad Air (5th generation), Apple Watch 
Series 8, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), and MacBook Air with M2 all contain 100 percent 
recycled aluminum in their enclosures. Apple Studio Display contains 100 percent recycled 
aluminum in the stand, and Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) contains 80 percent recycled 
aluminum in the thermal module. Because recycled aluminum can have 1/40th the carbon 
footprint of aluminum from primary sources, this supports our pursuit of low-carbon design.42 
Our recycled material comes from several sources, including scrap from the manufacture of 
Apple products and other postindustrial sources. And our product claims are supported by 
suppliers who have taken the additional step of getting their recycled content certified by an 
independent, third party.
Cobalt
Regulatory barriers
Availability and access
Scale
In 2022, 25 percent of the cobalt shipped in our products — nearly double the amount shipped 
in 2021 — came from certified recycled sources on a mass-balance basis, including both 
postindustrial scrap and post consumer scrap from end-of-life batteries. The cobalt from 
iPhone batteries disassembled by Daisy is being returned to the market, making the material 
available to others. And in 2023, Apple committed to using 100 percent recycled cobalt in all 
Apple-designed batteries by 2025.43
Material
Key challenges
Progress
Copper
Technical properties
Supply chains
Scale
Electronics applications require the use of high-performance copper. Yet even as challenges 
remain in identifying quality scrap sources, we’re making progress. In March 2022, we 
introduced 100 percent recycled copper for the first time in any Apple product: Apple Studio 
Display and Mac Studio both use 100 percent recycled copper in the brass prongs of the 
power cord plug and AC inlet. We also continue testing 100 percent recycled copper in other 
applications to evaluate its technical properties and performance across product lines. Copper 
is also a key material in printed circuit boards. For iPad (10th generation), introduced in October 
2022, we’re using 100 percent recycled copper foil in the main logic board — Apple’s first use of 
standalone recycled copper.
Glass
Technical properties
Availability and access
Scale
Recycled sources are scarce for the quality of glass that we use in our products — and 
performance of this material is key to the durability of our final products. We’re working hard 
to identify recycled content and incorporate it into the material that we use to produce glass 
parts. The cover glass and back glass of all iPhone and iPad devices contain recycled glass. By 
incorporating quality scrap in our applications, we also help keep glass at its highest-purity use 
for future recovery.
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Gold
Regulatory barriers
Transparency
Scale
In 2021, iPhone 13 models were the first Apple devices to contain 100 percent certified recycled 
gold, used in the plating of the main logic board and wire of the front and rear cameras. In 
2022, we expanded our use to the wire of every camera of iPhone 14 and to the plating of 
the printed circuit boards of all newly released Apple Watch models, to iPad Pro 11-inch (4th 
generation), and to AirPods Pro (2nd generation), increasing our use of recycled gold to about 
4 percent in 2022 across all product lines — up from 1 percent in 2021. Because primary and 
secondary sources of gold are often commingled, to certify 100 percent recycled sources 
required pioneering industry-leading levels of traceability: we identified suppliers who were able 
to source and segregate recycled gold sources while meeting our due diligence requirements; 
then we elevated these suppliers as preferred vendors. This level of traceability helped us to 
build out a supply chain of exclusively certified recycled content. And in 2023, we committed 
to using 100 percent recycled gold plating in all Apple-designed rigid and flexible printed circuit 
boards by 2025.44 All gold in Apple products is responsibly sourced, whether it’s primary or 
recycled. For more information, see our Conflict Minerals Report.
Rare earth 
elements
Regulatory barriers
Availability and access
Scale
More than 73 percent of the total rare earth elements that Apple shipped in products in 2022 
came from certified recycled sources, a significant increase from 45 percent used in 2021. 
To reach this progress, we’ve focused on rare earth elements used in magnet manufacturing — 
praseodymium, neodymium, terbium, and dysprosium — and worked with our supply chain to 
build circular supply paths for the rare earth elements. And we’re featuring greater percentages 
of recycled rare earth element content across our latest devices: 100 percent in iPhone 14 and 
Apple Watch Series 8, 99 percent in iPhone 14 Pro Max and Apple Watch Ultra, and 98 percent 
in MacBook Air with M2. We’re also committed to using 100 percent recycled rare earth 
elements in all magnets across all products by 2025.46
Lithium
Regulatory barriers
Availability and access
Scale
We’re shifting toward recycled materials recovered from batteries as they become more 
viable and economical. We’ve worked to identify sources of recycled content and test the 
performance of the recycled material to see if it meets our requirements — both at the material 
level and in its application in batteries. This rigorous evaluation is key to maintaining our 
products’ performance as we transition to recycled content over the long term. In January 2023, 
Apple began using recycled lithium for the first time in some of our batteries for some products, 
and we’re in the process of getting this material third-party certified.45
Steel
Regulatory barriers
Technical properties
Scale
Since steel is a highly recycled material, we focus on keeping it in the highest-quality form 
possible, working to recover high-purity steel from our manufacturing scrap and our products 
at end of life. We’re collaborating with our supply chain partners on opportunities to expand the 
use of recycled content into components of our products. Scaling the use of recycled steel is 
a key challenge because there are multiple layers in the supply chain between the raw material 
and the many components that ultimately become part of our products. We’re making progress 
in realigning these supply chains to use more recycled material. In June 2022, we introduced 
90 percent recycled steel in the battery tray of MacBook Air with M2 — a first for Apple.
Paper
For information about our progress on paper, see our feature on packaging.
Tantalum
Regulatory barriers
Availability and access
Supply chains
We continue to address the challenge of sourcing 100 percent recycled content at the quality 
we need for capacitors. We’re actively investigating recovery approaches from end-of-life 
electronics to develop further use of this recycled material. Based on material recovery rates, 
our products may already contain some recycled tantalum. But, to reach our goal, we have to 
move beyond existing tantalum supply chains that mix primary and secondary content. This 
requires starting from the beginning by identifying new sources of quality tantalum scrap, then 
building traceable supply chains around exclusively recycled material so that we can verify its 
use in high quantities in our products.
Plastics
Technical properties
Availability and access
Scale
We use a broad range of plastics in hundreds of product components, from speakers to 
keycaps. Each plastic material has different performance requirements that we must maintain as 
we switch to recycled or renewable sources. And we continue to diligently pursue this effort. In 
2022, we introduced more than 100 parts with an average of over 40 percent recycled plastic. 
These include the Apple Watch Ultra antenna lines on the housing, which use plastic from 
bottles that have been transformed into a stronger, higher-performance material.
Material
Key challenges
Progress
Material
Key challenges
Progress
Tin 
Scale
With tin, we began our efforts to use recycled material on the main logic board for iPhone 6s in 
2017, and last year we expanded to many flexible printed circuit boards across many products. 
This resulted in our recycled tin use increasing to 38 percent on average across all product lines 
in 2022 — up from 30 percent in 2021. In 2023, we committed to using 100 percent recycled 
tin soldering in all Apple-designed rigid and flexible printed circuit boards by 2025.47 As we 
continue to scale use across even more components, we seek to engage an exponentially 
increasing number of suppliers in this effort.
Tungsten
Regulatory barriers
Technical properties
More than 95 percent of the tungsten used in 2022 came from recycled sources, a significant 
milestone from prior years. In 2022, all released iPhone models feature 99 percent recycled 
tungsten across the entire device, and all released Apple Watch models feature 100 percent 
recycled tungsten across the entire device. And with the help of our disassembly robots, 
Daisy and Dave, and our recycling machine, Taz, the tungsten from our Taptic Engine can be 
recovered and recycled.
Zinc
Technical properties
Supply chains
We continue to work to identify high-quality sources of recycled zinc. This is a challenge 
because the material is prone to accumulating impurities during the recycling process. 
Each source that we identify is rigorously tested so that recycled materials meet our high 
performance standards. In March 2022, we introduced 100 percent recycled zinc for the first 
time in Studio Display and Mac Studio, which use it in the brass prongs of the power cord plug 
and AC inlet.
How we source materials:
Recycled content
Certified recycled content is sourced from recycled 
materials that have been independently verified by 
third parties to a standard that conforms with ISO 
14021. We also account for recycled content that 
has been confirmed by suppliers but hasn’t received 
third-party verification.
Responsible sourcing
Apple’s Responsible Sourcing of Materials Standard 
covers all primary and recycled materials. Our standard 
aligns with leading international standards, including the 
UN’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights 
and OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible 
Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and 
High-Risk Areas.
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We’re closing in on our goal to 
eliminate plastics from our packaging 
by 2025.48 To get this far, we’ve 
addressed many packaging 
components that typically rely on 
plastic, including large product 
trays, screen films, wraps, and foam 
cushioning, replacing each with fiber 
alternatives. We’re now focusing on 
implementing innovative alternatives 
to the small uses of plastics across 
our packaging — like labels and 
lamination — which will help us 
address the remaining 4 percent of 
plastic in Apple’s packaging footprint. 
At the same time, we’re taking steps 
so that our packaging is recyclable 
and that the fiber we source comes 
from recycled sources or responsibly 
managed forests.
Improving the recyclability of our packaging helps reduce 
our overall environmental footprint. In 2022, we released 
a number of products with over 95 percent fiber-based 
packaging, including iPhone 14 Pro, MacBook Air with 
M2, and iPad Air (5th generation).49 And this year, we’ve 
continued this work with packaging innovations for 
iPhone, iMac, iPad, and Apple Watch to address the 
remaining plastic in the smaller parts of our packaging — 
labels and lamination.
To eliminate the need for labels on the latest iPhone 
models — iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro — we introduced 
digital printing directly on the back of boxes.50 We 
developed a custom high-resolution ultraviolet inkjet 
printer that can print on demand at the manufacturing 
facilities where iPhone is packaged. We estimate that 
eliminating the labels will avoid over 300 metric tons 
of plastic, over 150 metric tons of paper, and over 
3700 metric tons of carbon emissions.51
We’re also working to eliminate plastic lamination from our 
packaging. In 2022, iPad Air (5th generation), iPad Pro, 
and Apple Watch Series 8 replaced the polypropylene 
plastic lamination used on boxes and packaging 
components with an overprint varnish. This varnish, 
which we developed with rigorous qualification over three 
years, makes packaging more recyclable while retaining 
the design and feel that our customers expect when 
first opening their product. It’s also more efficient; the 
overprint varnish process requires a single step rather 
than the multiple steps needed previously. In 2022, this 
helped us avoid over 1100 metric tons of plastic and over 
2400 metric tons of CO2e.52
FEATURE
Reducing plastic and waste 
through packaging innovation
We carefully developed our new overprint varnish to replace the polypropylene lamination while meeting rigorous quality standards for our packaging recyclability and aesthetic. 
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We’re also working to improve the recyclability of our 
packaging. Apple’s packaging design guidelines factor in 
packaging recyclability, requiring the use of fiber-based 
materials that can break back down to pulp as part of 
mixed-paper recycling streams, alongside materials 
like cereal boxes.53 These guidelines are supported by 
third-party assessments from firms — including Western 
Michigan University’s Paper Pilot Plant and the U.S. Forest 
Each of these innovations has applications for our other 
products — and potential to eliminate plastics. We intend 
to implement these across our products to reach our goal 
of eliminating plastics in our packaging. For example, 
overprint varnish replaces the plastic lamination that 
accounts for approximately half the plastics remaining in 
our packaging.
Service’s Forest Products Laboratory — and we continue 
to monitor evolving international packaging standards.
As we eliminate plastic in our packaging, we continue to 
make sure that the wood fiber comes from responsible 
sources. Since 2017, all the wood fiber we use for our 
packaging comes from either recycled sources or 
responsibly managed forests. Through partnerships with  
*	
Beginning in fiscal year 2022, we expanded our packaging goal boundary to better reflect our impact, resulting in an increase of about 36 percent of our total packaging mass, as reported here. We’re now including retail bags, all finished goods boxes (including plastic content in labels and in-box documentation), packaging sent to our customers as part of Apple Trade In, AppleCare 
packaging for whole units and service modules (with the exception of plastics needed to protect items from electrostatic discharge), and secondary packaging of Apple products and accessories sold by Apple. Our goal boundary does not include the inks, coatings, or adhesives used in our packaging In addition to our packaging footprint. We also calculate the fiber used at our 
corporate facilities. In fiscal year 2022, this number was 632 metric tons.
**	
Beginning in fiscal year 2025, we plan to eliminate plastic from packaging. The boundary of Apple’s packaging footprint reflects the boundary of our plastic elimination goal. It includes retail bags, all finished goods boxes (including plastic content in labels and in-box documentation), packaging sent to our customers as part of Apple Trade In, AppleCare packaging for whole units and 
service modules (with the exception of plastics needed to protect items from electrostatic discharge), and secondary packaging of Apple products and accessories sold by Apple. Our goal does not include the inks, coatings, or adhesives used in our packaging. We plan to eliminate plastic from the packaging of refurbished products by 2027, once old product packaging designs are 
phased out.
†	
Responsible sourcing of fiber is defined in Apple’s Sustainable Fiber Specification (PDF). 
  14%
  30%
  56%
2017
169,000
  6%
  35%
  59%
2020
226,000
  4%
  30%
  66%
2022
276,000
  8%
  33%
  59%
2019
189,000
  10%
  32%
  58%
2018
187,000
  21%
  30%
  49%
2016
165,000
 Plastic
 Responsibly sourced virgin fiber**
 Recycled fiber	

21% 
plastic 
4% 
plastic 
2021
257,000
  4%
  33%
  63%
Packaging fiber and plastic footprint* (metric tons)
Our goal is to eliminate all plastics from our packaging by 2025.** In 2022, only 4 percent of our packaging 
footprint was from plastic, and 66 percent came from recycled fiber. Since 2017, 100 percent of the virgin wood 
fiber in our packaging has come from responsible sources.†
  21%
  31%
  48%
2015
172,000
The Conservation Fund and World Wildlife Fund, we’ve 
protected and improved forest management practices 
on more than one million acres of working forests in the 
U.S. and China. In 2022, these forests generated enough 
responsibly sourced fiber to balance all the virgin fiber in 
our packaging, while contributing to the global supply of 
responsibly sourced fiber.54
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Product longevity 
Our products are designed to last. Product longevity 
not only makes for a better customer experience but 
also is an important aspect of conserving Earth’s finite 
resources and meeting our 2030 carbon neutrality goal. 
Our approach combines hardware designed to endure 
the rigors of everyday use, regular software updates 
that unlock new features and functionality, and — when 
needed — high-quality repair services.
Apple Trade In plays an important role in product 
longevity. Longer-lasting devices provide our customers 
with options to access the value of their current device 
through Apple Trade In or third-party programs. 
Customers can upgrade to the latest products using a 
credit according to their device’s trade-in value. This also 
helps keep products in use for as long as possible so 
that new customers can experience Apple products and 
services with refurbished devices. Making more products 
and services available to more people is good for our 
business, and making those products last longer is better 
for the planet.
Products that are designed to last hold their value longer. 
iPhone, for example, has the slowest depreciation rate 
among the six leading smartphone manufacturers. And 
compared with flagship Android devices, iPhone holds 
an average of 30 percent more value over a four-year 
buy-back period.55 As of January 2023, iPhone 7, which 
was introduced in 2016, still had monetary value for Apple 
Trade In in the United States.56
 
We’re committed to building long-lasting devices, and 
part of achieving that is designing durable hardware. 
To minimize products’ need for repair, we refine features 
that improve durability, like water resistance and Ceramic 
Shield, which protects the display on iPhone. And we 
provide regular software support, so customers can 
update their devices to the most recent operating 
systems and unlock the latest features and functionality 
years after purchase. 
We’ve also expanded access to safe, reliable, and secure 
repair services to meet our customers’ needs. When 
products require repair, customers can more easily 
find repair options that work for them, such as Apple 
Authorized Service Providers, the Independent Repair 
Provider program, and, starting in 2022, Apple’s Self 
Service Repair.
Building products to last
Our customers use our products every day. Which is why 
we design our devices with the rigors of continuous use in 
mind — and to minimize the interruptions of maintenance 
and repair.
Durable hardware is central to our products. Engineers in 
our Reliability Testing Lab assess our designs against our 
strict durability standards that measure the performance 
of materials, components, and fully assembled products. 
They use testing methods that mimic realistic conditions 
in which our customers use their products, assessing 
many aspects of each device. In-depth user studies 
to understand how our customers use, and misuse, 
their products inform the durability standards that 
we’ve established.
During product development, we test numerous units 
of a product, relying on the results to inform each 
successive round of design. In 2022, Apple introduced 
Apple Watch Ultra, with a design developed for the 
highest level of durability to support the needs of our 
most adventurous and explorative customers. Apple 
Watch Ultra was designed for demanding conditions that 
required a series of new environmental and impact tests 
to maintain the device’s high level of reliability. Tests that 
our engineering team developed included a random 
impact test to simulate bike falls, a gravel impact test to 
evaluate durability in rugged stone terrain, and additional 
environmental tests to support compliance with MIL-STD-
810H — a standard used for military equipment that‘s 
also popular among rugged device manufacturers.57 This 
also included low-pressure testing to simulate a range of 
environmental conditions, from high altitude to extreme 
temperatures, temperature shock, chemical exposure, 
freezing and thawing, shock, vibration, submersion, and 
other assessments to emulate operations in rugged 
settings. Our engineers performed these tests in addition 
to other trusted reliability procedures developed through 
iteration across several generations of the Apple Watch 
product line.
iPhone retains its value over time*
Trade-in value
100%
0%
1 year
86.6%
67.9%
74.5%
44.1%
2 years
66.1%
32.1%
3 years
52.5%	
21.1%
4 years
 	iPhone
 	Average flagship Android
*	 According to the “2021–2022’s Phone Depreciation Report,” published by BankMyCell, a website that tracks trade-in and sale 
value of technology products.
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Improving access to repairs
We design our products to be used daily with minimal 
need for repair. But if a repair is needed, customers should 
have easy access to convenient, quality repair services 
to get their product back up and running as quickly 
as possible.
We’ve expanded our repair footprint in the past three 
years — nearly doubling the number of professional 
service locations that have access to genuine Apple 
parts, tools, and training. Repair options include Apple 
Store locations, Apple Authorized Service Providers, 
participating Independent Repair Providers, mail-in 
repair centers, onsite service, and Self Service Repair. 
This also includes more than 4000 Independent Repair 
Providers and a global network of more than 5000 Apple 
Authorized Service Providers, with more than 100,000 
service technicians, that offer support for customers to 
get repairs.
Since 2019, our Independent Repair Provider program 
has enabled independent repair businesses of all sizes 
to access genuine Apple parts, tools, diagnostics, and 
training. This program expanded from the U.S., Europe, 
and Canada to more than 200 countries worldwide. 
We also continue to expand coverage by offering 
repair service at our customers’ homes and offices in 
select cities across the United States, providing greater 
convenience to our customers. We train and certify 
service personnel to repair Apple products. This helps 
them correctly diagnose the issue, leading to successful 
service and repair and preventing damage to the device 
so that it works as it should.
In 2022 we introduced Self Service Repair, providing 
individuals with access to repair manuals and genuine 
Apple parts and tools through the Apple Self Service 
Repair Store. Self Service Repair is available in the U.S. 
and Europe — including in Belgium, France, Germany, 
Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the UK. The new 
online store offers more than 45 types of device repairs, 
intended to enable customers who are experienced with 
the complexities of repairing electronics to service certain 
iPhone models, MacBook and Mac computers, and 
displays themselves.
	 	 Apple Authorized Service Providers,
retail stores, and Independent 
Repair Providers
	 	 Self Service Repair
In 2022, Apple launched 
Self Service Repair 
program in Europe
Global repair locations
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Designing products with repairability in mind
We continue to make progress designing more durable 
products and offering customers more repair options. 
At the same time, we’re working to make repairs more 
accessible and affordable. iPhone, for example, has 
even more repairable modules than before, in addition to 
enhanced durability features and water resistance. iPhone 
14 and iPhone 14 Plus introduced an updated internal 
design that improved the repairability of the back glass 
and ease of access to internal components, making 
fixes easier. In the new internal design, the aluminum 
housing and back glass are no longer one enclosure, 
so repairs to the back glass don’t require replacing the 
housing. The 13-inch MacBook Air with Retina display 
(2018) and later models also allow for battery replacement 
with a stretch-release adhesive, facilitating component 
access. And iPad mini (6th generation) and iPad Air 
(5th generation) now support the same unit battery 
replacement in select locations. We’ve also expanded 
availability of repair parts in countries around the world 
to support vintage products for up to seven years. For 
example, a program for Mac notebooks makes battery 
repair available for up to 10 years after the product was 
last distributed. For more information, refer to the support 
page about availability of service parts past warranty. 
Keeping products current with 
software updates
Free software updates also support our product longevity 
goals. We provide these to enhance our customers’ 
experience by allowing them to access the latest features 
available to their device for as long as possible. This 
includes important security and privacy updates. As we 
continually improve the operating systems that power our 
products, we also make sure that each software release 
runs seamlessly on all supported devices. Customers 
can benefit from the latest software updates whether 
they’re using a brand-new device or one that’s several 
generations older.
iOS 16, our most recent release, extends support back 
to iPhone 8 (2017). iPadOS 16 compatibility goes back 
to the fifth-generation iPad (2017), and macOS Ventura 
supports MacBook models from 2017 and later. The 
updates in each operating system make the latest 
capabilities — from Messages and the Lock Screen to 
Continuity features — available to a broad user base. 
These updates also provide more customers with access 
to the newest security and privacy features.
Software updates are popular with our customers. By 
February 2023, more than 80 percent of all iPhone 
devices introduced in the last four years had updated to 
iOS 16, and iPadOS 16 was being used on 50 percent 
of devices introduced in the last four years. These 
continually high rates of adoption make it clear that 
our customers see value in software updates. We also 
offered customers using iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 the option 
to update only the security features on their device for 
a while — giving them more time, if they wanted it, to 
update the entire operating system.
Extending the life of products and parts 
through refurbishment and reuse
Products that last longer make the best use of the 
resources that go into them. Refurbishing and reusing 
products helps lower the impact that each device has on 
the environment — including carbon intensity per year of 
life. We extend the life of our products by building them 
to serve more than one owner — enabling customers to 
exchange devices for an upgrade.
We collect devices for refurbishing and reuse through 
several programs, including Apple Trade In, the iPhone 
Upgrade Program, AppleCare, and our corporate 
Hardware Reuse Program. In 2022, we sent more than 
12.1 million devices and accessories to new owners 
for reuse. The Apple Trade In program, available in 25 
countries, provides customers with product end-of-life 
options — they can access the value of their current 
device if they upgrade to a newer model, or they can 
trade in their device for free.
Our customers drive the success of our trade-in 
programs and those of third parties. Customers who 
use these options help realize the long-term value that 
we’ve designed and built into our products — whether 
through trading or passing down their devices or by 
purchasing refurbished products. Each product that‘s 
refurbished and reused contributes to reducing our overall 
environmental footprint.
Some device parts can also be reused. We’re finding 
new ways to access these valuable components within 
our devices. After recovery, these parts can be used 
to replace existing components or repurposed in new 
creative applications. We continue to expand the number 
of parts that can be recovered and refurbished to our 
high quality and performance standards, and reused as 
replacements. This enables us to reduce the need to 
create spare parts as we repair devices. We also remain 
focused on innovation opportunities to reuse accessories 
sent for recycling. For example, we send collected 
power cables and adapters that still function to our final 
assembly sites, where they power products used on 
production lines.
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iPhone (1st generation)
  SIM tray   
iPhone 4
  SIM tray 
  Battery
  Haptics
  Rear camera
iPhone 7
  SIM tray 
  Battery
  Haptics
  Rear camera
  Main logic board
  Display
  Splash, water, and dust resistant: IP67* 
  Sapphire crystal lens cover
iPhone X
  SIM tray
  Battery
  Haptics
  Rear camera
  Main logic board
  Display
  Bottom speaker
  Enclosure
  TrueDepth camera
  Splash, water, and dust resistant: IP67*
  Sapphire crystal lens cover 
  Surgical-grade stainless steel
  Ceramic Shield
iPhone 13
  SIM tray 
  Battery
  Haptics
  Rear camera
  Main logic board
  Display
  Bottom speaker
  Top speaker 
  Enclosure 
  TrueDepth camera
  Splash, water, and dust resistant: IP68* 
  Sapphire crystal lens cover
  Surgical-grade stainless steel
  Ceramic Shield
iPhone 14
  SIM tray 
  Battery
  Haptics
  Rear camera
  Main logic board
  Display
  Bottom speaker
  Top speaker 
  Enclosure 
  Back glass**
  TrueDepth camera
  Splash, water, and dust resistant: IP68* 
  Sapphire crystal lens cover
  Surgical-grade stainless steel
  Ceramic Shield
	Repairable at retail stores, Apple Authorized Service Providers, and central repair locations
 	Features to enhance durability
iPhone longevity journey
2007
2010
2017
2016
2021
2022
Increased durability 
and repairability enhance 
iPhone longevity
*	 iPhone 7, iPhone X, iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models are splash, water, and dust resistant and were tested under controlled laboratory conditions. iPhone 7 and iPhone X have a rating of IP67 under IEC standard 60529 (maximum depth of 1 meter up to 30 minutes). iPhone 14 has a 
rating of IP68 under IEC standard 60529 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes). Splash, water, and dust resistance are not permanent conditions and resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear. Do not attempt to charge a wet iPhone; refer to the user guide for 
cleaning and drying instructions. Liquid damage not covered under warranty.
**	 Back glass repair is available for iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. 
2023 Environmental Progress Report 44
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Product end of life
Even after a product reaches the end of its life, the 
materials within it can serve the next generation of 
products. Each time that we effectively recover materials 
from end-of-life products, we enable circular supply 
chains — and make the best use of finite resources. 
This takes collaboration — with customers who trade in 
their products when they’re done using them and with 
recyclers capable of recovering materials effectively 
from devices. This helps to reduce the need to mine 
new materials. It also saves the considerable energy 
expended in extracting and refining materials, driving 
down emissions and conserving resources.
Optimizing recycling through partnerships 
and innovation
Our recycling strategy is a key part of our efforts to 
create circular supply chains. We’re working to make 
it easier for customers to recycle our products. We 
provide or participate in product take-back and recycling 
collection programs in 99 percent of the countries 
where we sell products. Our customers can trade in 
devices they’re no longer using for reuse or recycling at 
retail locations and through recycling programs offered 
by local operators. They also have the option to do so 
online through platforms like Apple Trade In. In 2022, 
we directed more than 40,000 metric tons of electronic 
scrap globally to recycling with the help of customer and 
employee programs. Our customers play an important 
role in continuing the growth of these programs, and 
we encourage them to engage in these programs by 
returning devices after use.
We work with best-in-class recyclers to make sure we 
can maximize the potential of the recycling materials 
stream, as well as drive our efforts to close the loop on 
key materials. We define best-in-class recyclers as those 
capable of recovering materials at high rates, and doing 
so with the best environmental and safety performance. 
We verify recyclers’ compliance with our Code and 
Standards through independent third-party assessments. 
In addition, we look for our recyclers to maintain regional 
leading certifications such as Weeelabex, e-Stewards®, 
or R2.
As we expand our partnerships with recyclers across the 
globe, we’re maintaining the rigorous standards that we 
require of all suppliers. We assess our recyclers regularly 
for compliance with labor and human rights, security, 
and environment, health, and safety (EHS) standards, 
regulations, and best practices. In 2022, we conducted 
61 recycler assessments. We’ve increasingly sought out 
specialty providers capable of handling specific material 
streams to increase the quantity and quality of materials, 
and we’ve seen volumes handled by these suppliers 
grow by over 70 percent in 2022. This global footprint 
of recyclers also helps us build a more resilient recycling 
supply chain and innovate with more suppliers around 
the world.
Education and training can help us improve recovery rates 
from our products. We’ve invested deeply in this because 
it provides recyclers with the information to improve 
efficiency, quality, and capacity. We work with recyclers 
We work with best-in-class recyclers to drive our efforts to close the loop on key materials used in our products. 
to continue devising new recycling solutions that can be 
shared through training and ongoing support. We help 
these partners develop the ability to disassemble our 
products and recover as much material as possible while 
minimizing waste.
In 2022, we expanded our Apple Recycler Guides to 
include certain models of iPhone and the new Studio 
Display. These guides are developed by our engineering 
teams to help recyclers optimize recovery and make 
sure that the processes can be completed using tools 
and procedures available to a wide range of professional 
recyclers. The guides provide valuable insight into the 
recycling process, including recommendations for 
directing disassembled parts to the best downstream 
facilities for resource recovery. As we continue to improve 
material recovery through collaboration, we’re increasing 
the availability of high-quality recycled content on the 
market for all. 
Through the Apple Education Hub, part of our Supplier 
Employee Development Fund, we’ve also supported 
efforts to improve recycling capacity, quality, and 
efficiency with our U.S.-based recycling suppliers with a 
lean manufacturing educational program. Embracing lean 
methodologies and management systems can bolster 
employee engagement, mitigate safety issues, and 
improve recycling economics.
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Beyond our programs around the world, we continue 
to explore ways to make e-scrap recycling even more 
convenient for our customers. Through our membership 
with Corporate Eco Forum (CEF), we’ve collaborated with 
Amazon, Dell Technologies, Google, and Microsoft on a 
doorstep electronics waste recycling pilot program in the 
U.S. Launched in February 2022, it offers residents in the 
city of Denver, Colorado, direct pickup of e-waste from 
their homes upon request. This pilot will enable us to learn 
more about consumer behavior, with an ultimate goal of 
making recycling more convenient for users.
We’re also continuing our partnership with Atea — 
a leading provider of IT infrastructure solutions in the 
Nordic and Baltic region — to collect end-of-life iPhone 
devices for recycling with our Daisy robot in the 
Netherlands. We encourage more of our customers 
around the world to engage with Apple to return end-
of-life devices to us so that materials are returned to 
the circular economy. To learn more about our recycling 
programs, visit the Apple Recycling Programs web page.
Developing new approaches to disassembly 
and recovery
Innovation plays a key role in realizing the potential of 
recycling — not just for Apple products but throughout 
our industry. We continue to develop better, more 
efficient means of disassembling products that maximize 
material recovery while minimizing waste. Our Material 
Recovery Lab (MRL), an R2-certified facility in Austin, 
Texas, focuses on assessing the recyclability of our 
products, helping inform design decisions that support 
disassembly and recovery. The MRL’s work has led the 
way in automated approaches to material recovery with 
our robots Daisy, Dave, and Taz.
Daisy, our disassembly robot, is capable of quickly and 
skillfully taking apart 23 models of iPhone — including 
various models between iPhone 5 and iPhone 12 — into 
discrete components. This vital step helps improve 
material recovery and recycling and yields clear results. 
From just one metric ton of iPhone main logic boards, 
flexes, and camera modules recovered by Daisy, our 
recycling partner is capable of recovering the same 
amount of gold and copper as more than 2000 metric 
tons of mined rock.58 We hope other innovators follow 
suit. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued Apple 
five patents related to Daisy, and we’re willing to license 
these to researchers and other electronics manufacturers 
that are developing their own disassembly processes.59
Dave, a robot specializing in disassembling the Taptic 
Engine, enables the recovery of rare earth magnets as 
well as tungsten and steel. Taz, which helps recycle 
modules by separating magnets containing rare earth 
elements from audio modules, is designed as an 
alternative to the conventional shredder that many 
recyclers rely on. While rare earth elements are typically 
lost in conventional shredders, Taz is designed to 
access these valuable materials, improving our overall 
recovery rate.
We’re also developing new technologies at our Santa 
Clara Valley, California, asset recovery center that leverage 
automation and machine learning to facilitate recycling 
processes that typically require manual sorting, which 
can be time-intensive and error-prone. This work aims to 
create low-cost solutions that our suppliers can deploy 
to recover more materials, freeing up their employees for 
more complex tasks that can’t be easily automated. 
The benefits we’re trying to achieve aren’t strictly 
resource based. We’re also working to improve the 
material handling efforts of demanufacturing. In 2022, we 
began deploying overhead projector-based augmented 
reality systems to recyclers. This system projects 
instructions for demanufacturing processes onto the work 
surface. This innovation is designed to further improve 
safety, productivity, and efficiency.
Designing for the next generation of recycling
The greatest opportunities for recycling are yet to 
come. We’re committed to a long-term approach to 
recycling innovation, relying on and continually improving 
current approaches while nurturing new and emerging 
technologies. By fostering research and development, 
we can identify opportunities for transformative changes. 
We invest with this in mind. And we continue to support 
initiatives that set out to redefine disassembly and 
material recovery.
We’re investing in recycling innovations that can have 
industry-wide impacts. For several years, we’ve worked 
with Carnegie Mellon University’s Biorobotics Lab in 
the School of Computer Science’s Robotics Institute to 
identify and disassemble e-scrap. This innovation has 
the potential to enable recyclers to recover the materials 
at a higher quality. The software from this project will 
be open source and available to others in the industry 
that are working to maximize the recovery of recyclable 
materials. We’ve also worked with the lab to improve the 
accuracy of disassembly and the recovery of materials 
through X-ray imaging with RGB imaging. And we’re 
optimizing our robots’ abilities to handle objects and 
adjust to contact, enabling them to “feel” by using high-
frequency force feedback and machine learning. Through 
this work, we’re driving toward developing truly intelligent 
disassembly technology.
Learn more about Apple’s 
research with Carnegie 
Mellon University in our 
white paper.
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The responsible use of natural 
resources is a critical part of 
Apple’s environmental objectives. 
Extracting the materials that 
make up our products comes with 
significant environmental costs. We 
work to minimize these by using 
materials efficiently so that we 
can one day build all our products 
out of recycled or renewable 
materials. This circularity ambition 
is an integral part of our strategy to 
meet our goal of being fully carbon 
neutral in 2030, including across 
the lifetime use of our products. 
Global demand for electronics is increasing, and with it, 
so is the demand for the materials that make up those 
products. Awareness is growing of the finite nature of 
some of these resources, such as critical minerals or rare 
earth elements — as well as of the complex, globally 
interrelated nature of the supply chains that electronics 
rely on. Circularity plays an important role in helping 
realize environmental benefits while building supply chain 
resilience. Policy can be part of the solution, helping 
transition from the older “take-make-dispose” linear 
model to circular supply chains. This reflects changing 
technologies as well as current and future demands, 
making circular supply chains competitive with traditional, 
extractive ones. 
Over the last year, Apple has reached new milestones 
in our products and our efforts to demonstrate what’s 
possible in circularity. We’re aiming for even greater use 
of recycled content in our products. Our commitments 
include using 100 percent recycled cobalt — a critical 
mineral — in Apple-designed batteries and using 
100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, 
both by 2025.60 And advancements in recycling 
technology help make this possible. For example, cobalt 
recovered from iPhone batteries disassembled by Daisy 
is returned to the market. And Taz — which we developed 
as an alternative to traditional shredders for breaking 
down electronics — enables us to recover even greater 
amounts of rare earth elements. This more efficient and 
economical approach makes these materials available to 
others beyond our supply chain.
We’ve also expanded our Self Service Repair program 
from iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 to include MacBook Air 
and MacBook Pro notebooks with the M1 family of chips. 
This makes repair manuals and genuine Apple parts 
and tools available to customers through the Apple Self 
Service Repair Store. We continue to build, support, 
and participate in circular supply chains. But challenges 
remain to achieve fully circular electronics supply chains. 
Policy can help accelerate progress. A thriving, 
responsible, circular economy supports critically 
important health, safety, and environmental protections. It 
can also enable closed loop supply chains to be cost and 
operationally competitive with linear models. Harmonized 
policies can remove barriers and drive the transition to 
circularity by meeting the following high-level objectives: 
Sourcing and recycling materials responsibly: 
•	
Policies should seek to improve strict labor, human 
rights, and environmental standards throughout 
recycled and primary materials supply chains.
•	
Circularity should be a priority for policies that aim to 
address sources of supply over new ways or locations 
for resource extraction. Recycling electronics will help 
unlock the valuable materials in those devices for 
reuse, reducing reliance on newly mined resources.
Designing for longevity: 
•	
Policies should strive to maximize product longevity 
while minimizing environmental impact, by enabling 
the optimal balance between designing for reliability 
and ease of repair.
•	
Ecodesign policies are most effective in delivering 
environmental benefits when they’re product-specific 
and globally aligned.
Improving material recovery: 
•	
Support the development of efficient collection 
programs that engage customers, protect 
environmental and human health, and capture high 
volumes of electronics for reuse, repair, refurbishment, 
and recycling.
•	
Waste regulations should be consistent and 
harmonized across geographies, enabling efficient, 
commercially viable movement of materials. Such 
policies can drive maximum materials recovery, 
prevent downcycling, and help enable parity with 
newly mined resources while maintaining critical 
environmental and social protections.
Improving recycling: 
•	
Incentivize the inclusion of recycled content in 
products by supporting the generation of increased, 
high-quality material supply, including improving 
waste collection and recycling infrastructure, the 
development of global waste treatment standards, 
and recycled content quality standards.
•	
Support the development of advanced electronics 
recycling facilities that can recover more types of 
resources, including materials that are difficult to 
recover or of lower value.
Feature
Our position on circular 
economy policy
Apple is working to realize a circular economy through 
policy engagement and advocacy.
Apple supports the ratification of the Basel Convention by 
the United States. This would help enable circular supply 
chains and address some current barriers to efficient 
materials recovery and reuse. The Basel Convention 
is the global regulatory framework guiding how some 
waste — including electronics and e-scrap — can 
be moved for recovery, recycling, and disposal. The 
convention provides critical environmental and social 
protections, especially against moving hazardous waste 
to geographies that lack the resources to manage it in 
an environmentally sound manner. Countries that have 
ratified the convention can move materials covered by the 
agreement among themselves, following the agreement’s 
regulatory requirements. 
The U.S. is one of a very small number of countries not 
party to the Basel Convention. This imposes restrictions 
on the movement of Basel-controlled wastes for recycling 
or resource recovery into or from the U.S. to nearly all 
other countries in the world, requiring specific trade 
agreements with another country. The U.S. ratifying the 
convention would unlock more efficient movement of 
material to high-quality electronics recycling facilities, 
helping scale circularity and the available supply 
of recycled material. It would also allow the U.S. to 
participate in the global conversation around how to 
protect communities and environmental health and create 
more efficient and effective circular supply chains.
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Water
Water is among the planet’s most 
precious resources. We consider the 
full life cycle of water as we bring our 
products and services to life. And we 
know that to protect this resource, 
we must go beyond our corporate 
footprint, across our supply chain and 
into the communities and watersheds 
where we operate.
Climate change continues to impact global water 
resources — making freshwater increasingly scarce, 
flooding more frequent, and access more vulnerable. 
These effects can be felt in the communities where we 
and our suppliers operate, which is why we’re committed 
to managing these resources responsibly. We can do so 
by reducing our freshwater withdrawals and returning 
clean water to the watershed. We can limit the use of 
freshwater. And, where appropriate, we can rely on 
alternative sources such as recycled water for functions 
like irrigation and cooling so that freshwater is available for 
people and ecosystems. 
Water quality is another challenge. We’ve made it a 
priority to maintain the quality of the water that we use 
and discharge so that it will be suitable for its next use, 
contributing to the overall health of local watersheds.
Water is a community resource, and it demands equitable 
distribution and access, which requires a collective 
approach to challenges and local solutions. This is why 
we’re committed to engaging watershed stakeholders 
through supporting Alliance for Water Stewardship 
certifications for our suppliers and key corporate 
facilities, as well as by participating in local watershed 
management projects. 
We aspire to advance water security in the places where 
we operate through actions that deliver on our guiding 
principles of improving availability, quality, and access. 
We’ve aligned our approach across five strategic pillars: 
low-water design, site efficiency and conservation, site 
water stewardship, replenishment and nature-based 
solutions, and leadership and advocacy.
Our water strategy
LOW-WATER DESIGN
Minimize water impacts in the design of products, services, 
and sites.
SITE EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION
Improve the performance of existing sites and processes.
SITE WATER STEWARDSHIP
Demonstrate responsibility beyond our facilities through 
watershed level management.
REPLENISHMENT AND NATURE-BASED 
SOLUTIONS
Improve water availability, quality, and access through 
regenerative approaches.
LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY
Advance water management through policy, advocacy, and 
technology innovation. 
This strategy is informed by geographically specific 
insights. Resources like the World Resources Institute 
(WRI) Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas provide detailed insights 
on local watershed health, such as baseline water stress. 
Understanding that 37 percent of our corporate and 
supply chain water use is located in areas of high or 
extreme basin stress helps inform the prioritization of 
our efforts.61
We continue to monitor and manage water use in our 
owned-and-operated facilities, and we go beyond the 
typical practice in our industry by further engaging with 
our suppliers across our manufacturing supply chain sites 
to better understand their water use. Only by considering 
impacts throughout the value chain can we achieve the 
water management goals that we’ve set for ourselves.
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Low-water design
We approach low-water design by first focusing on site 
selection, conducting a water risk evaluation to determine 
whether a potential site is in a water-stressed area or 
not. We aim to avoid locating water-intensive processes 
in water-stressed locations, so we either use the results 
to select a more appropriate site where possible, or to 
mitigate the impact of our expected water use.
Then, we look to systems and processes that use less 
water or reuse water, so that we can limit excess water 
consumption and, where possible, eliminate waste. We 
also design solutions to manage the quality of the water 
that we return to the watershed.
In our corporate operations, we discharge the majority of 
our wastewater to the sanitary sewer. Up to 44 percent 
of the water that we use at our corporate locations is 
discharged back into the local water system rather 
than consumed.62 We monitor the water quality 
from sites where we have an industrial wastewater 
discharge so that each location meets or exceeds local 
discharge requirements.
One example is our new Capstone campus in Austin, 
Texas, where we aim to achieve net-zero water use. 
To accomplish this, the campus will rely on an onsite 
wastewater reuse system, as well as condensate recovery 
and stormwater capture, limiting potable water use to 
potable purposes only. This effort will avoid 60 million 
gallons of freshwater use, relying instead on nonpotable 
water for cooling and toilet flushing.63 This cooling 
approach will also allow us to achieve 28 million kWh 
in energy savings annually at the location.
In our supply chain, a majority of water is used during 
manufacturing. For example, in 2019 we launched a 
pilot program at a manufacturing location in China as 
part of our anodizing improvement program with the 
aim of reducing, and eventually eliminating, potentially 
hazardous discharge as well as reducing water and 
chemical use. Anodizing is the most water-intensive 
process in the metal-finishing process of enclosures. 
As part of the pilot, we employed several water efficiency 
approaches, including using cascade and counterflow 
rinsing processes, which helped retain 75 to 85 percent 
of the water used during metal finishing. This process 
improvement has the potential to save millions of gallons 
of freshwater annually when applied at scale.
The aluminum anodizing process is typically water-intensive. In 2019, we launched a pilot to seek to eliminate hazardous discharge and increase water efficiency from anodizing. 
The cascade and counterflow rinsing processes, which helped retain 75 to 85 percent of the water used during metal finishing, could save millions of gallons of freshwater annually 
when applied at scale.
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Water use at corporate facilities
We track our corporate water use for our data centers, retail stores, 
distribution centers, and corporate offices. 
1,527
Mgal
90%
FRESHWATER
We define freshwater as drinking-water quality, the 
majority of which comes from municipal sources and 
less than 5 percent of which comes from groundwater. 
<1%
OTHER ALTERNATIVE SOURCES
We also capture rainwater and recover 
condensate as alternative water sources for 
use onsite. 
9%
RECYCLED WATER
We source recycled water as a key 
alternative to freshwater and use it 
primarily for irrigation, cooling systems, 
and toilet flushing. Our recycled water 
comes mostly from municipal treatment 
plants, with less than 5 percent coming 
from onsite treatment.
Site efficiency and conservation
Next, we focus on identifying steps to use less freshwater 
in our existing operations. In particular, we prioritize 
regions where our efforts can immediately reduce stress 
on local watersheds. Our corporate and supplier sites 
rely on water for everything from sanitation and climate 
control to maintaining green spaces and manufacturing. 
At each point, we seek out efficiencies and approaches to 
reduce our freshwater use.
One challenge we’ve committed to addressing is reducing 
water use, even as we grow in our corporate facilities. 
Separating growth from water use requires dedicated 
focus. In 2022, our facilities used about 1.5 billion gallons 
of water in our direct operations, a 9 percent increase 
from 2021. Some of this growth reflects the return 
to office from the COVID pandemic, but most of the 
increase was driven by corresponding growth in our data 
center cooling loads. We expect currently implemented 
improvements in water use effectiveness (WUE) and new 
dry cooling designs at our data centers to decouple water 
use from electricity use.
Last year, alternative water sources accounted for about 
10 percent of our total corporate water usage — primarily 
from municipal recycled water sources. At Apple locations 
in Texas, North Carolina, Ireland, Taiwan, and Japan, 
we used rainwater capture systems to source 3 million 
gallons of water; from our newly installed condensate 
recovery systems in Santa Clara Valley, Austin, and North 
Carolina, we captured 1.5 million gallons of condensate 
in 2022. Through our low-water design and site efficiency 
and conservation efforts, we saved 152 million gallons of 
freshwater in 2022 from projects implemented since 2017.64
These efforts start at the local level. In Santa Clara Valley, 
California, where our corporate headquarters are located, 
we’ve pursued water conservation across our landscaping 
efforts. This includes six new projects in 2022, saving 
1.2 million gallons of water. We intend to expand this work 
to an additional 16 conservation projects in 2023.
At our data centers, we’ve upgraded and replaced servers 
to reduce our cooling water usage by 60 million gallons 
annually. We’ve also piloted a resin water treatment 
system that resulted in a 30 percent reduction in makeup 
water use and up to 60 percent reduction in discharge.65 
Based on this success, we are implementing this 
technology at our data centers in Prineville, Oregon, and 
Mesa, Arizona. Additionally, we piloted a plant-based 
water treatment using sustainably harvested sphagnum 
moss at several data centers, helping eliminate the need 
for biocides and corrosion inhibitors. This system, which 
uses compostable, natural sphagnum moss to improve 
water quality, can further improve water savings. We 
implemented this at our Reno, Nevada, data center and 
have begun permanent installations in Maiden, North 
Carolina, and Mesa, Arizona.
We’re also expanding our efforts to recover water 
that’s otherwise wasted. Six new condensate recovery 
installations — including four in Santa Clara Valley 
and installations at our new Capstone campus in 
Austin, Texas, and at our Maiden, North Carolina, data 
center — harvest excess water from cooling systems to 
be redirected to cooling towers and for landscaping use 
that would otherwise be discharged.
We also require our suppliers to maintain the high 
standards for water discharge outlined in the Apple 
Supplier Code of Conduct. Through Apple’s Clean 
Water Program, we help suppliers minimize process 
water impacts and adopt best practices in wastewater 
treatment. We make our expectations clear to our 
suppliers and help define operational approaches so that 
they have the support needed to achieve their optimal 
level of water efficiency and conservation. There’s a 
clear business imperative to develop these practices, 
particularly in manufacturing and production where water 
is critical for power generation, cleaning, and cooling 
processes. Water scarcity around the world requires that 
we focus on shifting this program away from voluntary 
engagement. We’re working to incorporate water 
requirements into our procurement decision-making so 
that supplier engagement scales faster.
Our supply chain accounts for 99 percent of our total 
water footprint, based on our detailed water inventory. 
That’s why we partner closely with our suppliers through 
our Clean Water Program. Since the program’s launch in 
2013, more than 234 participating supplier sites increased 
their average reuse rate to 42 percent and saved our 
suppliers 13 billion gallons of freshwater in 2022, for a 
total of over 63 billion gallons of water savings.66 These 
savings come from a range of initiatives, such as reuse of 
reclaimed water, upgrades to water-efficient equipment, 
and countercurrent rinse methods.
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Site water stewardship
We look beyond our operations and those of our suppliers 
to address shared water challenges. This involves 
engaging with the communities around our facilities for 
the protection of local watersheds. Since 2018, we’ve 
partnered with the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) 
to advance the AWS Standard, the first global framework 
to measure responsible water stewardship across social, 
cultural, environmental, and economic criteria. In 2020, 
Apple joined the AWS board of trustees with the objective 
of highlighting water stewardship opportunities to our 
suppliers and promoting collective action on shared water 
challenges with the Information and Communications 
Technology sector.
Through AWS, we’ve been able to certify facilities 
that meet the AWS Standard, considering benefits 
and recognizing impacts to local water catchments, 
communities, and ecosystems. Our Prineville, Oregon, 
data center was the first facility of its kind to receive 
AWS certification in 2021. In January 2023, our Reno, 
Nevada, and Mesa, Arizona, data centers also achieved 
certification. We are on track to certify all of our owned 
and operated data centers by 2025.
Since 2018, 17 of our supplier sites have achieved 
certification for the AWS Standard, 15 of which achieved 
a Platinum rating — the highest score achievable within 
the AWS framework. In January 2022, Suzhou Industrial 
Park — with the help of Apple and other partners — 
become the first industrial park in the world to earn the 
AWS certification.
We’re also active in the communities where our facilities 
are located. In Prineville, we supported the Deschutes 
Land Trust in the protection of the Ochoco Preserve, 
which is situated at the confluence of the Ochoco and 
McKay creeks — a major salmon and steelhead trout 
habitat in the Crooked River basin. In Reno, Nevada, and 
the surrounding areas, we continue to partner with The 
Nature Conservancy for restoration and clean-up efforts 
of natural habitats along the Truckee River.
Replenishment and 
nature-based solutions
A key element to addressing water availability, quality, 
and access is replenishment efforts and nature-based 
approaches to restoring watersheds. Our goal is to 
replenish our corporate freshwater withdrawals in high 
stress locations. This work is underway with some 
key projects.
In partnership with the Bonneville Environmental 
Foundation, we’re funding the removal of the invasive 
Arundo donax cane species in the San Fernando Valley 
area of the Los Angeles River watershed. This plant 
species monopolizes space, sunlight, and water, displacing 
wildlife and stressing local watersheds. This removal effort 
addresses water availability in the watershed that feeds 
the greater Los Angeles area and will deliver 55 million 
gallons of replenished water annually.
In 2018, we partnered with the City of Prineville to develop 
an aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) system. The ASR 
system pumps water during the winter off-peak months 
from the large aquifer that underlies Prineville, treats the 
water, and then conveys it uphill to a smaller local aquifer. 
In the summer, this stored water is pumped to meet our 
cooling needs so that our water usage doesn’t affect 
city water supplies. This response to seasonal variability 
helps provide water security and drought resilience for 
the region.
We’re also engaged with the Uptime Catalyst Facility 
in India, one of our key corporate locations with water, 
sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) challenges, to introduce 
an innovative performance-based program that allows 
clean, cold water to be more widely distributed and 
maintained. This will generate a volumetric water benefit 
annually, equivalent to our direct operations freshwater 
withdrawal in India.67
Leadership and advocacy
Our work on water affords us another opportunity: to 
lead with others and push for change across industries. 
We collaborate with groups, including AWS and the 
Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), and speak 
to audiences that are in a position to impact their 
communities and industries. In May 2022, we addressed 
the AWS Global Water Stewardship Forum in Edinburgh to 
discuss our stewardship strategy supply chain. In October 
2022, we addressed the RBA’s annual conference in 
Santa Clara, California, with AWS to promote collective 
action on key catchment identification in the ICT sector in 
order to further accelerate supplier participation in water 
stewardship efforts, including supplier hubs in priority 
water basins.
In 2022, we partnered with Frank Water in India to 
develop and implement a water resource management 
plan through a community-based WASH grant that 
focuses on increasing water stewardship through 
improving decision making around water and climate 
resilience. Frank Water works alongside local partners so 
that safe water, sanitation, and hygiene are within reach 
for communities experiencing challenges in accessing 
water resources. And in 2023, we joined the UN Water 
Conference to speak to the importance of corporate 
leadership on water, emphasizing the importance of 
supply chain actions. 
We also take positions on issues that matter to us and 
where we can try to make a difference. We’re engaging 
with the development of the next phase of Volumetric 
Water Benefit Accounting methodology with the WRI and 
others to further the replenishment and nature-based 
solutions industry.
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Zero waste
All waste that gets sent to landfill 
comes with costs. These can be 
measured in the resources and 
emissions that go into discarded 
materials. And, too often, the most 
vulnerable communities around 
the world carry a disproportionate 
burden of these costs and others 
associated with waste disposal. We’re 
working to change this by prioritizing 
waste-free operations at our own 
facilities as well as those of our 
manufacturing suppliers.
At our offices, retail locations, data centers, and 
construction sites, we’re implementing systems and 
approaches to avoid sending waste to landfill. We’re 
asking our manufacturing suppliers to do the same. 
Our focus is on eliminating waste generated during 
manufacturing and engaging with local specialty recyclers 
and composters to redirect materials from landfills. This 
requires innovation and collaboration with local partners 
to make the best use of our resources. We measure our 
progress in the amount of waste that we divert at the 
source and by our ability to protect the communities 
where we and our suppliers operate.
Reducing waste at our 
corporate facilities
We’re reducing the amount of waste generated in our 
corporate operations and directing more to recycling 
programs — an effort that has continued since launching 
our Zero Waste Program in 2018. Initially we focused on 
U.S. campuses and retail locations. Since then, we’ve 
grown in the U.S. and around the world while remaining 
committed to sending zero waste to landfill.
In 2022, recycling and composting efforts allowed us to 
achieve a waste diversion rate of 71 percent — up from 
68 percent in 2021 — limiting landfill waste from our 
global operations to about 16,000 metric tons.68 Despite 
occupancy increases during our transition from COVID-
related temporary closures, our overall waste generated 
remained low. 
We haven’t interrupted our efforts to make progress 
on waste diversion since achieving our first zero-waste 
certification, UL’s Zero Waste to Landfill validation, in 
2015 for our campus in Cork, Ireland. In 2023, our Taiwan 
Technology Center became the second Apple facility 
to receive the UL Solutions Zero Waste to Landfill 
validation.69 And our data center in Viborg, Denmark, 
became the third facility to receive TRUE certification 
in 2023, joining our data centers in Mesa, Arizona, and 
Prineville, Oregon.70 These facilities achieved TRUE 
Platinum, the highest certification level. TRUE recognizes 
facilities that divert more than 90 percent of waste 
for recycling, compost, or reuse. To accomplish this, 
we improved waste separation through infrastructure 
upgrades and moved away from single-use materials 
to reusable alternatives. These certifications also reflect 
efforts working and coordinating with local partners, from 
composters to specialty recyclers capable of handling 
specific waste streams, like plastic wraps and foams. By 
partnering with these providers, we’re able to support the 
local economies engaging in recycling and composting as 
an alternative to municipal waste disposal programs.
Promoting material reuse, composting, and 
waste diversion across our corporate and 
retail locations
As our company grows and changes, we’ve prioritized 
finding opportunities to recycle construction and 
demolition waste. In 2022, we achieved a waste 
diversion rate of 83 percent — approximately 
23,500 metric tons — from corporate office and data 
center construction and demolition projects through 
recycling and source separation efforts. We expanded 
source separation efforts for our corporate office and 
data center construction projects — from 7.2 percent 
participation in 2021 to 36 percent across projects 
in 2022. The locations using this approach saw a 
10 percent higher overall diversion rate. An example of 
the effectiveness of source separation is our new office 
in Battersea Power Station in London, United Kingdom. 
Our team there achieved a 98 percent diversion rate of 
construction waste, including 300 tons of drywall, one-
fifth of which was directed to agricultural uses such as 
mushroom cultivation and farming. The project reused 
timber onsite and donated key construction materials, 
including plasterboard, for local uses. The location also 
recycled personal protective equipment used during 
construction and build-out. 
In 2023, our Viborg, Denmark, facility became the third to receive TRUE Platinum certification, which requires more 
than 90 percent of waste from a facility to be recycled, composted, or redirected for reuse. 
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We also focus on using less so that we reduce the 
waste to be recycled or sent to landfill. By identifying 
significant sources of waste — like packaging materials 
and commonly used equipment — and then working 
with our suppliers, we’ve found bulk packaging solutions 
and recyclable and reusable alternatives. Across our 
data center sites, we’re switching to reusable air filters. 
Previously, there were no off-the-shelf reusable air filters 
available for our application. In 2019, we partnered with 
an industry-leading automotive filtration and technology 
company to design a sustainable solution that met very 
specific design criteria for our design centers. And more 
than 38,000 reusable high-performance air filters — 
which are available for other companies to use — have 
been placed in Apple-managed facilities worldwide to 
date. By replacing disposable air filters with reusable 
ones, we avoid landfilling 25 tons of dirty filters each year. 
Further, the reusable air filters are more energy efficient, 
leading to 35 percent savings in fan energy use. And we 
intend to rely exclusively on reusable filters at data centers 
from here on out. 
We’re working to keep waste that’s unavoidable out of 
landfills. This requires sorting items correctly to redirect 
waste to recycling and composting where possible. To 
enable this, we make clearly labeled containers available 
throughout our locations. For example, we’re working 
to reduce contamination and increase recycling rates 
by continuing to roll out consolidated bins for recycling, 
composting, and landfill and by improving signage. We 
recycle paper, plastic, aluminum, and cardboard materials 
at most of our corporate and retail sites worldwide. And 
more than 450 of our corporate offices, retail stores, 
and data centers are participating in composting. We’re 
also using technology to improve our diversion rates at 
corporate locations. At our offices in Santa Clara Valley 
and Culver City, California, we piloted waste sensor 
technology, a system that employs cameras and data 
collection within dumpsters to monitor contamination 
and increase diversion efficiency. The data provides 
collectors with accurate information on volume to inform 
scheduling of pickups and the use of appropriately sized 
hauling containers.
We remain committed to the safe and responsible 
management of hazardous waste. So that wastes 
are treated, recycled, or incinerated according to 
safety and environmental standards in the U.S., Apple 
performs audits of treatment, storage, and disposal 
facilities (TSDFs), with 12 performed in 2022. We 
continually reevaluate the facilities used for disposal and 
management of hazardous and regulated wastes, working 
to assess disposal method, availability, economics, 
and sustainability. 
Driving solutions internally through 
communication, reporting, and education
Our employees are one of our best resources in achieving 
our zero-waste goals. They play a critical role in reporting 
on waste and facilitating waste audits at our locations. We 
support these efforts with training, education, and access 
to resources. In 2022, we standardized waste reporting 
requirements across all our data centers and corporate 
offices and implemented a centralized dashboard system. 
Our retail auditing program examined 13 locations in 
North America, documenting the material characteristics 
of our waste. This data will allow for better assessment 
of our waste practices and opportunities to improve our 
approaches. We also launched site-specific zero-waste 
training for all Apple data centers. All new data center 
employees are now required to complete the site-specific 
zero-waste training and receive manager approval of 
completion. Finally, we’ve standardized signage at our 
data centers with contextual signs for logistics and 
operations, as well as for office and administrative sites.
Taking a zero-waste approach 
with our suppliers 
We’re committed to leaving no waste behind in the 
communities where we build our products. Our suppliers, 
recyclers, and waste solution providers are central to 
achieving this goal. We’re working with them to eliminate 
waste from our manufacturing processes. Since we 
launched the Zero Waste Program for our manufacturing 
partners in 2015, we’ve continued to make considerable 
progress. And this program has expanded to include 
more than 300 supplier facilities across 14 countries 
and regions.
In 2022, we shifted our Zero Waste Program from an 
opt-in effort for suppliers to a requirement as part of our 
Supplier Code of Conduct. This means that suppliers 
are now required to implement a systematic approach to 
identifying all sources of waste and characterizing each 
stream in the waste inventory, developing a program or 
solution to quantify and monitor their waste-to-landfill 
diversion rate, setting waste-minimization goals, and 
maintaining progress toward achieving zero waste to 
landfill. Our Zero Waste Program provides training and 
tools to help suppliers track their waste, set waste-
minimization goals, and create improvement plans toward 
achieving zero waste for their operations. 
We make available to all facilities participating in the 
program resources and guidance on how to reduce 
waste and then reuse, recycle, or compost the waste they 
do create. Suppliers at these locations can also access 
tools to improve waste management and, in some cases, 
onsite support. The program is making an impact: In 
2022, suppliers redirected 523,000 metric tons of waste 
from landfills (up from 491,000 metric tons the previous 
year), bringing the total to 2.5 million metric tons since 
the program’s inception — the equivalent of eliminating 
3.1 million square meters of landfill space. Throughout 
2022, 100 percent of established final assembly sites — 
including for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, 
HomePod, Apple TV, and Beats — maintained zero-
waste-to-landfill operations.71 
And we’re working on the next challenge in achieving 
zero waste, which is a level deeper into the subassembly 
module suppliers who assemble the individual 
components that make up Apple products. The 
waste stream at this level is often more complex than 
final assembly sites, but we’re making progress. This 
year, module suppliers — including core technology 
suppliers — that are participating in the Zero Waste 
Program increased by 50 percent. Eliminating landfill 
waste across these sites marks both a significant effort 
and an achievement, diverting more than 357,000 metric 
tons of waste from landfills.
150
Over 150 Apple 
supplier facilities are 
zero-waste verified.
2.5M
2.5 million metric tons of 
waste were redirected from 
landfill by supplier facilities 
as part of Apple’s Zero 
Waste Program.
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Getting to zero through innovation
Innovation plays a significant role in advancing progress 
toward zero waste within our supply chain. We use novel 
recycling strategies and approaches to divert greater 
quantities of waste from landfill in our supplier facilities at 
even greater rates. But we also pursue material solutions 
to impact the waste streams coming into these facilities 
to simplify and maximize the recyclable content that our 
suppliers work with.
We’ve partnered with our suppliers and local businesses 
to create new recycling options and develop opportunities 
for material reuse. Recycling and reuse provide 
environmental benefits and can help our suppliers 
increase material efficiency while reducing the costs 
associated with material waste. At final assembly supplier 
sites, more of our suppliers use the recyclable and 
reusable alternatives that we helped develop for key 
sources of waste. In particular, our Recyclable Protective 
Films (RPFs) that protect products during manufacturing 
and the reusable trays used to deliver modules safely 
through assembly sites have helped our suppliers 
reduce waste.
We’ve also achieved reductions by developing thinner 
stretch wrapping film used on pallets for final product 
packaging. This wrapping film is a significant portion of 
the virgin plastic usage in our supply chain. The thinner 
film reduces the amount of plastic needed by up to 
50 percent. We’ve shared the formula for our proprietary 
thinner stretch film with our suppliers’ current wrapping 
film vendors to help accelerate its adoption while 
producing stronger wrapping films for product packaging.
Another opportunity for waste reduction is to decrease 
the amount of plastic tape used on our production lines — 
and to develop a stronger paper tape that can act as an 
alternative. An audit of our production processes showed 
that the plastic tape used to secure parts before assembly 
is often mixed with paper tape, making it difficult to sort 
and divert from landfill to a recycling process. And in many 
cases, the plastic tape wasn’t needed. We found that for 
75 percent of the parts secured with plastic tape, paper 
tape could perform equally well. We then worked with 
an industry-leading tape producer with the technology 
to produce a strong, lower-cost paper alternative. This 
new paper tape alternative was put to use for 200 parts, 
eliminating 1200 metric tons of virgin plastic from our 
waste streams.
Engaging with suppliers to reduce waste
We work closely with our suppliers to realize our zero-
waste goals. This work faces a range of challenges, 
including a lack of access to recycling technologies, 
the absence of local infrastructure, and the lower value 
of recyclable material that impacts the economics of 
recycling. We engage with our suppliers to address these 
challenges through knowledge sharing. The Waste to 
Resource database that we designed provides access 
to available technologies and local recyclers that we’ve 
collected from the suppliers that we work with. The 
database provides information on more than 1000 
resources across more than 177 cities in China, Thailand, 
and Vietnam — a number that grows as we and our 
suppliers share valuable resources through the database. 
As more of our suppliers achieve their zero-waste goals, 
we’re able to learn and share more information. We plan 
to make this resource public for the benefit of the entire 
electronics industry.
Reducing waste is an ongoing collaboration between us 
and our suppliers and recycling vendors. We’re actively 
sharing best practices and innovative approaches to 
reduce waste; and we’re matching our suppliers with 
capable recycling technologies that help eliminate waste 
throughout the process of manufacturing our products.
One example of this is a tool developed by Apple and 
UL Solutions, our partner that validates zero-waste 
efforts. The tool provides the first-ever supply chain 
zero-waste management system assurance program, 
which allows for third-party zero-waste verification at a 
systems level rather than at a site level. The assurance 
procedure has allowed us to accelerate the verification 
process significantly and establishes a new model that 
companies across industries can employ to verify zero-
waste programs at scale. This streamlined approach has 
brought even more suppliers into our program, with more 
than 150 validated in 2022 — a 50 percent increase from 
the previous year.72
We also provide support for our suppliers in verifying their 
zero-waste efforts. The foundation of our Zero Waste 
Program since launch has been following the UL 2799 
Zero Waste to Landfill Environmental Claim Validation 
Procedure (ECVP), which requires at least 90 percent 
diversion through methods other than waste-to-energy. 
Through this standard, our supplier facilities can certify 
against clear benchmarks for waste diversion, including 
Platinum, Gold, and Silver levels of verification. We’ve 
spent the last seven years expanding this program 
throughout our supply chain, with suppliers in China, 
India, and Vietnam becoming UL validated. In 2022, 
Thailand joined that list when a local Apple supplier 
became the first in the country to receive UL 2799 
ZWTL Gold validation. Since we switched from individual 
site verification to system-level verification, suppliers 
participating in the assurance program can easily 
apply their verification statements from UL. Following 
the switch, many suppliers maintained their individual 
certification for their own purposes. 
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Each space that we build presents 
an opportunity to realize the type of 
world we’d like to live in — one that’s 
inclusive and accessible, reflects 
the value we place on creativity 
and innovation, and furthers our 
environmental goals. Whether 
we’re constructing a data center or 
corporate office or restoring a historic 
site to house a retail outlet, we have 
an opportunity to advance our vision.
Our environmental approach to design and construction 
adheres to industry-recognized best practices for 
green buildings that promote renewable energy, water 
conservation, energy efficiency, and responsible material 
sourcing. As of 2022, 100 of our corporate offices and 
data centers across the world are LEED (Leadership in 
Energy and Environmental Design) or BREEAM (Building 
Research Establishment Environmental Assessment 
Method) certified. That number grows each year as we 
develop more than 17 million square feet of green building 
space globally.
Our global footprint requires that we adapt to the needs of 
different locations and climates while pursuing our overall 
objectives. In 2022, four Apple sites in the U.S. and China 
earned LEED Gold certification. One example is for the 
construction of a corporate facility in California, where we 
achieved an 80 percent diversion rate for construction 
materials — 15 percent more than the average diversion 
rate typically observed in this region — by separating 
the majority of recovered materials and sending them 
to local specialty recyclers. We sourced FSC-certified 
wood for 98 percent of the wood used in this project. 
And 50 percent of its structural materials were sourced 
from regional manufacturers, less than 500 miles away, 
minimizing material transport by using local suppliers.
We bring a similar environmental approach to our retail 
store development. In Vancouver, Canada, we reopened 
Apple Pacific Centre, nearly doubling the previous 
store’s size while reimagining features and elements 
to incorporate the location as a creative hub for the 
community. The design drew from the local landscape 
and ecosystem, including a facade surrounded by 
10 magnolia trees sourced from the Pacific Northwest. 
The store’s exterior is framed by a living wall spanning 
more than 40 feet and featuring 144 species of locally 
sourced plants. Designed to stay lush throughout the 
year, the living wall promotes bee and insect habitats 
and naturally absorbs heat and traffic noise. Our new 
store in London, United Kingdom, Apple Brompton Road 
features a unique curved ceiling and 12 towering Sicilian 
ficus trees. Both spaces, like all Apple facilities, source 
100 percent renewable electricity.
Each Apple building needs to coexist with its environment 
while meeting our standards for human-centric design. 
We work hard to strike this balance and harness the 
creativity and innovation that these challenges demand.
Feature
Green buildings 
100
100 Apple buildings 
worldwide are LEED 
or BREEAM certified 
for environmental 
performance as of 2022.
In 2022, we opened Apple Brompton Road which sources 100 percent renewable electricity, 
like all Apple facilities.
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Engagement and Advocacy
Appendix
Introduction 
Resources

Smarter 
Chemistry
Protecting those who 
make, use, and recycle 
our products by using 
safer materials
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Smarter Chemistry

2010
2030
2022
2010
2030
GOAL
2022
2010
2030
GOAL
2022
Key
Achieved
Ongoing
Not achieved
Goals and progress
HIGHLIGHT
We performed toxicological assessments on 
over 1300 materials in 2022 to proactively 
evaluate and eliminate potentially harmful 
substances from our products.
HIGHLIGHT
Apple led the IPC task group that 
helped develop and publish a 
new IPC industry standard on 
the use of safer cleaners in 2022.
HIGHLIGHT
We’ve included over 
47,000 materials in our 
comprehensive material library.
GOAL
Avoid exposure to chemicals that 
could be harmful to human health 
or the environment.
GOAL
Integrate smarter chemistry 
innovation into the way that we 
design and build our products.
GOAL
Drive comprehensive reporting of 
chemicals used in our supply chain 
to make our products.
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Our approach
We carefully consider the chemicals 
that we use in our products and 
manufacturing processes. These 
choices directly impact the safety, 
recyclability, and reuse of our 
products, which are key to truly 
circular supply chains. 
Smarter chemistry is our approach to identifying 
chemicals that best serve all our priorities, including 
safety, performance, and environmental impact. This 
supports our circular supply chain efforts by minimizing 
the recirculation of potentially harmful substances. Our 
efforts to remove potentially harmful chemicals from 
our products help create safer and healthier workplaces 
for our employees and suppliers, and safe products for 
people and the environment. 
Our approach to limiting potential chemical exposure 
in product manufacturing leverages the hierarchy of 
controls. The hierarchy of controls is a concept used to 
control hazard exposure and consists of five actions in 
order of preference: elimination, substitution, engineering 
controls, administrative controls, and personal protective 
equipment (PPE). Elimination and substitution are the 
most preferred forms of control. When no alternative is 
available to eliminate or substitute potential exposure, 
we rely on engineering and administrative controls 
to safeguard against it. As we focus on this for our 
manufacturing processes, we push our industry to do 
the same. 
We’ve taken the important initial step of accounting for 
the materials that we use, both in our products and in 
the processes to create them. This information helps 
us better protect the people who design, make, use, 
and recycle our devices. It also informs our efforts to 
protect the environment. We’re working side by side with 
leading members of the scientific community, NGOs, and 
industry organizations to move forward, and we continue 
to push for the development and broad adoption of 
safer alternatives.
Our approach involves proactively promoting the use 
of smarter materials and chemicals. This involves 
establishing safety requirements that often exceed local 
industry standards and empowering our suppliers to meet 
our guidelines. We also help suppliers source materials 
that are safer alternatives, which provide the necessary 
level of performance and are also better for people 
and the environment. We have created standards and 
programs to support these efforts, including the rigorous 
requirements defined in our Regulated Substances 
Specification (RSS) and the deep supply chain 
engagement through our Full Material Disclosure (FMD) 
and Chemical Safety Disclosure (CSD) programs. We also 
share what we’ve learned in creating these systems with 
others in the industry — and we push for change that can 
transform product manufacturing.
Advocacy and leadership are needed to make this 
happen. We’re committed to providing both this role, 
pushing to broaden the use of safer and more sustainable 
materials based on smarter chemistry — and working 
with our suppliers and material manufacturers to create 
alternatives that can help move our industry forward.
Mapping and engagement
Engage our supply chain partners to comprehensively identify the chemicals 
in the materials used to make our products and the processes used to make 
them, allowing us to drive change that goes beyond what’s required for 
regulatory compliance.
Innovation
Drive the development and use of innovative materials that enable the creation 
of groundbreaking products and support industry-wide change.
Assessment and management
Assess the potential human health and environmental risks of chemicals to 
evaluate compliance with our requirements and inform product design.
Our smarter chemistry strategy
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Mapping and engagement
We’re committed to creating 
products of the highest quality — 
and that commitment extends to 
the health and environmental 
impacts of everything we make. This 
begins with a clear understanding 
of the chemistries of the materials 
that go into our products. Through 
collaboration, we can build a 
comprehensive view of the chemicals 
in the materials that we use and 
drive improvements in how we make 
our products.
Several Apple programs support these efforts. Our FMD 
program maps the materials and their chemistries in our 
products, while our CSD program tracks the materials 
used to manufacture our products. We drive our supply 
chain partners to collect in-depth information on the 
chemicals they use, including the purpose for their use, 
the amount consumed, and how the chemicals are being 
applied, stored, and handled. We also work closely with 
our partners to review the steps being taken to protect 
their employees.
We have criteria for the performance needs, 
environmental impact, and safety of the materials that 
we use. Our goal is to identify material chemistries that 
meet these standards. We examine the effects of material 
chemistries across a product’s life — from design and 
manufacturing to the customer experience and, ultimately, 
recycling and recovery. Through early engagement 
and effective data collection, we’re able to develop a 
comprehensive view of each material, and its chemistry, 
in support of our health and environmental goals.
We’re leading in these efforts. With our partners, 
we’re engaged in the work required to understand the 
chemical composition of the materials in our products, 
as well as the chemicals and materials used during 
manufacturing. Close collaboration with our partners 
allows us to account for the materials used across our 
supply chain. This information informs our decisions 
when it comes to health and environmental risks. The 
way that we effectively collaborate with our partners can 
help others in our industry take their own steps toward 
eliminating potentially harmful chemicals in their products 
and manufacturing processes. This progress across our 
industry supports our effort to build responsible circular 
economies at scale.
Product design
Apple uses our Regulated Substance 
Specification to drive our internal teams 
and supply chain partners to select 
materials that meet our requirements.
Product use
Customers use products 
made with smarter 
materials.
Manufacturing
Apple requires suppliers to manage 
materials and chemicals and helps 
them switch to safer alternatives.
Recycling
Recyclers can recover 
materials that are safer 
for use in new products.
Smarter chemistry matters at every stage 
in the product life cycle
Building a comprehensive view 
of the materials in our products
Good data is fundamental to delivering safer products. 
We rely on detailed and comprehensive information to 
inform our decision-making on material chemistries. The 
FMD program, launched six years ago, is integral to this 
process. It aims to catalog and map each chemical in the 
materials used in our products. Material manufacturers 
are at the center of these efforts. They provide thorough 
reporting on material compositions from deep within our 
supply chain — proprietary data that’s shared through 
our innovative and secure data collection system. This 
system enables us to make informed choices about 
the materials that are used. For iPhone, iPad, and Mac 
products released in 2022, we collected detailed 
chemical information of 91 percent of each product 
by mass, on average. For the Apple Studio Display, we 
collected information on more than 93 percent of the 
product by mass.
Our suppliers are required to participate in the program. 
Collectively, they share information on thousands of 
materials used to manufacture our products. To make 
this process easier, we’ve implemented an advanced 
collection system for suppliers with access to a library of 
more than 47,000 materials, which have been researched 
and validated by Apple. Our suppliers use this materials 
library to select the materials they use in our products. If a 
material that our supplier uses isn’t yet listed in our library, 
we authenticate the new material with documentation 
from the manufacturer that provides it.
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The FMD program includes tens of thousands of parts 
and assemblies across our product lines. We prioritize 
high volume materials and those that come under 
prolonged skin contact — for which we look closely 
at biocompatibility. The program helps address a 
challenge faced across our industry: the lack of visibility 
into the chemical composition of materials. To reduce 
potential toxicological risk and pursue opportunities to 
develop better chemistries, we need deep knowledge 
of the materials that are used. Through the program, 
we’re able to identify these opportunities to improve and 
contribute to our health and environmental goals.
The comprehensive materials library helps inform 
decisions across our product life cycles. It drives better 
material selections by our supply chain partners through 
the RSS, and it provides a foundation for assessing 
the materials that we specify, how our products are 
manufactured, and, eventually, how they’ll be recycled. 
We’re using innovative approaches to this process, 
including machine learning to digitize data from chemical 
tests so this information can be more easily assessed. 
And we’re finding ways to share this information by 
supporting the development of industry standards that 
will help encourage the exchange of data on materials. 
These efforts support our goals of improving the safety 
of our products and the broader electronics industry 
and beyond.
Understanding chemical 
ingredients leads to better 
materials for Apple products.
Through the FMD program, Apple 
manufacturing partners share the materials 
used to manufacture Apple products.
Apple works with material manufacturers to 
understand the chemistries of the materials to 
enable evaluation.
Mapping chemicals throughout 
product development leads to 
the use of safer materials in 
the manufacturing process.
Comprehensive chemical mapping
Data helps Apple suppliers 
manage chemicals and 
materials when making 
Apple products.
Information on how chemicals are used, 
how they’re stored, and how employees are 
protected is shared with Apple by suppliers 
through our CSD program.
CSD data informs and prioritizes supplier 
engagement, encouraging rigorous chemical 
management practices and adoption of 
safer alternatives.
Apple customers benefit 
from using products made 
with safer materials and 
chemicals.
The FMD and CSD programs help support 
the creation of best-in-class products in a 
responsible manner for our customers.
Creating an inventory of chemicals 
used in manufacturing
We prioritize the health and safety of the people in our 
supply chain. The Apple Supplier Code of Conduct 
and Supplier Responsibility Standards outline our 
requirements for our suppliers in the areas of health 
and safety, labor and human rights, environment, ethics, 
and management systems. We also account for how 
chemicals are selected and managed within our supply 
chain — and the impact this can have on people working 
in our supply chain.
Detailed and accurate information drives this process, 
including which chemicals our suppliers use as they 
make our products and how they store, handle, and 
consume each one. Through the CSD program, 
suppliers are required to provide this data as part of a 
rigorous disclosure process. With a detailed chemical 
inventory from our suppliers, we can support our supply 
chain partners in identifying risks and opportunities to 
implement safer alternatives. 
In 2022, more than 1000 supplier facilities shared their 
chemical inventories as well as their storage and control 
information through the CSD program, including suppliers 
representing the majority of Apple’s direct spend. This 
extensive reporting provides direct insights into how 
our suppliers manage their chemical inventories and 
practices. And through this program, we’ve identified 
more than 19,000 unique materials and chemicals used 
in manufacturing process. All these efforts contribute 
to a safer work environment for people across our 
supply chain.
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Working with suppliers to meet 
global requirements
We’re supporting our suppliers in their efforts to meet 
our requirements. And we’ve created systems for our 
suppliers to learn about our material specifications, 
track and assess the materials they use, and regularly 
communicate material usage. This also helps our 
suppliers meet global standards and regulations 
governing their operations. The FMD and CSD programs 
require suppliers to gather, understand, and share 
information on materials they’re using — a requirement 
beyond regulatory requirements.
We support supplier engagement with these programs — 
and the RSS — through ongoing training. This continued 
engagement is central to our partnership and to our 
shared efforts to promote smarter chemistry in our 
products and processes. Since 2020, our suppliers in 
China worked under the new regulations governing the 
use of materials containing volatile organic compounds 
(VOCs). And we went even further to support compliance 
We evaluate materials for substances restricted in our Regulated Substances Specification — including VOCs — using 
equipment like this gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) system.
by assessing and qualifying over 3500 low-VOC 
materials for use, helping our suppliers transition to 
these alternatives. In 2022, we continued to provide 
additional support for suppliers through trainings on the 
new regulations, which were attended by more than 800 
participants. By deploying a VOC specification worldwide, 
we’re also helping drive adoption of low-VOC alternatives 
around the world. And we’re working with our suppliers to 
identify and develop materials that meet the current and 
upcoming complex per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances 
(PFAS) regulatory requirements.
These programs, along with the RSS, allow us to engage 
with suppliers through ongoing training. This fosters 
our partnerships and shared efforts to promote smarter 
chemistry in our products and processes.
47K
47,000 validated 
materials are stored 
in our comprehensive 
materials library.
93% 
We collected detailed 
chemical information of 
93 percent of Mac Studio 
computers by mass and 
over 91 percent on average 
for all iPhone, iPad, and Mac 
products released in 2022.
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Assessment and management
We base key decisions on our 
product designs, manufacturing 
processes, and approaches to 
recycling and reuse on the data 
that we collect on chemicals and 
materials. This information enables 
us to establish requirements for our 
suppliers, including those set in our 
Regulated Substances Specification 
and our Restricted Chemicals 
for Prolonged Skin Contact 
Materials specification. 
Our requirements provide clear restrictions on potentially 
harmful materials and chemicals, including those that are 
restricted. Through our assessment system, we work so 
that only materials that meet our stringent requirements 
are used in Apple products. The data that we gather on 
chemicals and our rigorous assessments allow us to make 
informed decisions for chemical management, for the 
safety of those who use, make, and recycle our products. 
These decisions also help make the materials recovered 
from our products at end of life safer for reuse in new 
products, enabling circular supply chains.
Setting and maintaining rigorous 
chemical safety requirements
Over 20 years ago, we first published the Regulated 
Substances Specification, setting requirements for 
the use of chemicals or materials in our products, 
accessories, manufacturing processes, and 
packaging. The specification builds on our history of 
advancements in material safety — and it reflects our 
dedication to the collection of necessary data to uphold 
these requirements.
We continue to evolve the RSS with new chemicals 
and restrictions based on the latest scientific research 
and standards, drawing from regulations, international 
standards, and voluntary requirements. Many of the 
specification’s restrictions exceed the most stringent 
local regulatory requirements in order to protect 
human health and the environment. The specification 
designates restricted substances and requires 
reporting on additional substances. We’ve updated 
and expanded chemical restrictions that, in many 
instances, surpass current regulatory restrictions. Most 
recently, we’ve added perfluorohexanesulfonic acid 
(PFHxA) — which is a subset of the larger group of 
PFAS — phenol, isopropylated, phosphate (3:1) (PIP 3:1), 
and several skin-sensitizing substances well ahead of 
regulatory restrictions.
Our Green Chemistry Advisory Board provides feedback 
on key initiatives, including potential updates to the RSS. 
The advisory board is an independent group of leading 
researchers and academics. Their diverse experience 
and perspectives help us lead the way to protect our 
customers and those who make or recycle our products.
We remain focused on materials that will be in prolonged 
skin contact. We apply rigorous controls defined in 
our Restricted Chemicals for Prolonged Skin Contact 
Materials list. The restrictions focus on substances that 
are potential skin sensitizers to minimize the potential 
for reactions commonly reported across wearable 
products, like jewelry. These restrictions are derived from 
leading standards, recommendations from toxicologists 
and dermatologists, international laws and directives, 
and Apple policies. We mandate that our suppliers 
analyze each material that comes into prolonged 
contact with skin according to Apple’s requirements, 
and we review compliance with these requirements. Our 
specifications are incorporated into contractual 
obligations for our suppliers, and each one helps us 
maintain our stringent requirements.
We test all our products, and place special attention on materials that come into prolonged skin contact. In this nickel 
leach test, we place Apple Watch bands in jars of artificial sweat to ensure the nickel, a potential allergen, stays where it 
belongs — in the product.
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Verifying and developing in the 
Environmental Testing Lab
We evaluate the safety of our products and materials 
through chemical analyses at our Environmental Testing 
Lab. Our chemists test materials to monitor compliance 
with our specifications. And the lab continues to grow 
in its mission and capacity as we expand our testing 
facilities with new technologies to conduct chemical 
analysis while expanding our FMD and CSD programs. 
Our teams also review test reports from suppliers to 
evaluate substances against the Regulated Substances 
Specification and Restricted Chemicals for Prolonged 
Skin Contact Materials specification. In 2022, we 
performed toxicological assessments on over 1300 new 
materials to proactively evaluate and eliminate potentially 
harmful substances from our products.
The data that we collect from our disclosure programs 
drives our assessments. We’re able to generate 
comprehensive assessments like GreenScreen®, 
a methodology that we use to gauge the impact of 
chemicals on individual health and the environment 
based on 18 criteria. We develop toxicological profiles 
on new chemicals, using both scientific literature and 
internal assessments. These profiles detail the impacts of 
each chemical, providing data that allows us to evaluate 
the safety of the use of a substance in a particular 
product. In 2022, we continued to expand the scope of 
biocompatibility testing beyond individual materials to 
include modules and whole products. Through this work, 
we have an even more comprehensive view of each 
material and the impact that assembly has on safety. 
We perform toxicological analysis of the materials in our 
products to help guide our material safety guidelines. The 
information that we share through material specifications 
benefits our suppliers and those that we collaborate with 
in the industry.
Creating a list of safer cleaners
We’re making an immediate impact in our efforts to 
protect human health and the environment through our 
approach to the application of cleaners and degreasers. 
These substances account for some of the highest-
use materials at final assembly sites. Regulators and 
environmental health and safety organizations have 
focused considerable attention on the chemistries of 
cleaners and degreasers. We’re investing in the due 
diligence required to identify preferred alternatives for use 
by suppliers and others in the industry.
We now proactively provide our suppliers with a list of 
cleaners and degreasers that are safer to use. In 2022, 
we approved 58 safer cleaners for use in our supply 
chain, bringing the total number of safer cleaners we’ve 
approved over the past three years to 133. Each of these 
cleaners has gone through a rigorous independent 
assessment against a comprehensive set of criteria.
Our efforts have had a direct impact on health and 
safety — and they have the potential to change how 
our industry operates. We’re promoting the use of safer 
alternatives for process chemicals in our supply chain 
by making it easier for suppliers to select preferred 
substitutions from the start. All our final assembly sites 
have used only safer alternative cleaners and degreasers, 
as defined by Apple, since 2018. We’ve since expanded 
this work to the component manufacturers who create 
modules used in final assembly, helping them identify and 
implement opportunities to use safer alternatives in their 
operations. In 2020 and 2021, we received the EPA Safer 
Choice Partner of the Year Award for our work to scale the 
use of safer process chemicals and protect those working 
in our supply chain.
We’re also looking outside our own supply chain to 
promote a broader transition to safer chemicals. See 
page 66 for more about how we’re advocating for safer 
cleaners and degreasers across our industry.
We’ve proactively provided our suppliers a list of cleaners and degreasers that are safe to use, and since 2018, all of our final 
assembly sites have used only safer alternative cleaners and degreasers.
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Innovation
We’re continually developing our 
knowledge of material properties 
to improve the chemical safety, 
performance, and environmental 
impact of materials. These three 
factors drive our assessments of 
substances and help us pursue 
innovations that align with our values. 
The foundation of these innovations is our work in 
mapping, assessing, and managing the chemicals used in 
our products and supply chain. We also look at how these 
materials are used in a product life cycle, from design 
and manufacturing to end of life. With this knowledge, 
we can seek out and support the development of safer 
chemistries that have an impact, and we can contribute 
to continually improving the overall safety of our products 
and processes.
Innovating the designs and 
processes used to make 
our products
By focusing on materials early in product development, 
we create opportunities to innovate improvements 
throughout the process of creating a product. We assess 
materials for performance, safety, and environmental 
impact. These represent our holistic approach to smarter 
chemistry, allowing us to design for our customers’ needs 
while creating products that exceed expectations and are 
safer for use, reuse, and recycling.
To achieve these goals, we focus on the process of 
material selection. This involves choosing the substances 
incorporated into our product designs and those that 
our suppliers use to manufacture our products. Our 
comprehensive chemical profiles of each material 
provide the basis for each decision. The FMD program 
documents material information — like composition — 
for review by our experts so that a substance’s suitability 
meets our standards before it enters our supply chain. 
This includes toxicological assessments of each 
chemical within a material, focusing on those that come 
into prolonged contact with skin. Each design choice 
determines the materials included in our product and 
the chemicals required to make them. Through the CSD 
program, we look at the conditions in which a material is 
used so that we can make recommendations that reflect 
the existing controls around a substance. And we work 
proactively with our suppliers so that their employees are 
protected through proper storage, handling, and material 
application controls.
Our work considers the impact of materials when 
our products reach their end of life. We take steps to 
prevent potential releases into the environment during 
the recycling process and to protect those involved 
in recycling our products. This involves monitoring 
chemistries that may be harmless in small quantities 
but become more concentrated through recycling 
processes. And it also entails assessing how potentially 
harmful substances impact the recyclability of a material 
to avoid downcycling — use of the material in lower-
quality applications — or substances that could make the 
material unsafe for any use.
We also pursue innovation projects that lead to better 
products. In 2019, we launched a pilot program at a 
manufacturing location in China as part of our anodizing 
improvement program with the aim of reducing, and 
eventually eliminating, potentially hazardous discharge, 
as well as reducing water and chemical use. As part 
of the pilot, we employed several water efficiency 
approaches, including using cascade and counterflow 
rinsing processes, which helped retain 75 to 85 percent 
of the water used during metal finishing. This process 
improvement has the potential to save millions of gallons 
of freshwater annually when applied at scale.
In addition, we advanced our ability to recover acids 
used in chemical polishing and anodizing. These acids 
are typically discarded after one use, but we were able 
to purify and recycle them back into the manufacturing 
process, reducing consumption by more than 90 percent.
This approach has enabled us to reduce the largest 
source of solid waste from the anodizing process, and at 
scale could potentially eliminate 4000 tons of waste.
The material and process innovations that we develop 
result from all these efforts. Our work to share information 
across our supply chain, perform detailed process and 
chemical assessments, and partner with suppliers 
on chemical management lays the foundation for 
improvements. We’re able to better protect those who 
make and use our products and enable the reuse of key 
materials. And by keeping harmful chemicals out of our 
supply chain at the outset, we make it possible for us 
and others to recover materials for the next generation 
of products.
Creating new, safer chemistries 
to move the industry forward
Our strict requirements that govern potentially harmful 
substances in our products and processes encourage the 
suppliers we work with to also prioritize safer materials, 
helping create a market for better alternatives. We’re 
lending our expertise on safer chemistries to help our 
suppliers meet the growing demand for safer materials. 
Prioritizing these materials also means phasing out 
chemistries that don’t meet our specifications. We’ve 
approached this across our company and products while 
investing in safer alternatives to drive change across our 
industry. The use of safer cleaners today supports the 
circular supply chains of the future.
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Using our research and analysis of materials, we’ve 
collaborated with suppliers to find safer alternatives — 
including for substances where none currently exist. 
In those cases, we lend our technical capabilities in 
material science to work with suppliers to develop entirely 
new chemistries. We maintain the same high safety, 
performance, and environmental standards for new 
alternative materials, submitting them through rigorous 
testing and evaluation to avoid regrettable substitutions.
PVC and phthalates
Substances that we keep out of our products*
*	 Apple’s Regulated Substances Specification describes Apple’s restrictions on the use of certain chemical substances in materials in Apple products, accessories, manufacturing processes, and packaging used for shipping products to Apple’s end customers. Restrictions are derived from international laws or directives, regulatory agencies, ecolabel requirements, environmental standards, 
and Apple policies. Apple products are free of PVC and phthalates with the exception of AC power cords in India, Thailand (for two-prong AC power cords), and South Korea, where we continue to seek government approval for our PVC and phthalates replacement. Apple products comply with the European Union Directive 2011/65/EU and its amendments, including exemptions for the use 
of lead. Apple is working to phase out the use of these exempted substances where technically possible.
This work isn’t new to Apple; we’ve been leading in 
the identification and successful removal of potentially 
harmful substances since the late 1990s. This process 
has involved the rigorous assessment of chemicals and 
the removal of those that don’t align with our goals — in 
some cases, before removal becomes a requirement 
and industry standard. We’re committed to phasing 
out our use of PFAS and engaging with all our supply 
chain partners to restrict PFAS from our products and 
manufacturing processes. While our analysis indicates 
that PFAS used in our products are safe during product 
use, we felt it was important to broaden our scope to 
consider manufacturing along the supply chain. We’re 
prioritizing our phaseout activities in applications that 
result in the highest volumes of PFAS reductions and 
the most meaningful environmental impact. We’re 
pursuing our phaseout in three steps: compiling a 
comprehensive catalog of PFAS uses in our products, 
identifying and developing non-PFAS alternatives that 
can meet our performance needs, and confirming that 
non-PFAS alternatives align with our human health and 
environmental goals.
Read our white paper about 
our commitment to phasing 
out per- and polyfluoroalkyl 
substances.

Brominated flame 
retardants (BFRs)
Mercury
Lead
Arsenic
Beryllium
PFAS (PFOA and PFOS)
We’ve replaced these with 
safer thermoplastic elastomers. 
Both are still used by other 
companies in power cords and 
headphone cables.
In 2008, we eliminated BFRs from thousands of 
parts, such as enclosures, cables, circuit boards, 
and connectors. We use safer metal hydroxides 
and phosphorus compounds in their place.
We eliminated mercury from 
displays in 2009. We use energy-
efficient, mercury-free LEDs and 
OLEDs instead of mercury-based 
fluorescent lamps in all our displays.
Apple phased lead out of 
display glass and solder 
in 2006.
Arsenic, traditionally used in 
glass, has been eliminated from 
Apple display glass since 2008.
Eliminated from all new product 
designs, beryllium is found in 
copper alloys used to make 
connectors and springs. 
We eliminated PFOA and PFOS from our 
products, with RSS restrictions added 
in 2010 and 2013, respectively. These 
types of chemicals are commonly used in 
manufacturing water-resistant materials. 
We’re committed to eliminating PFAS entirely 
from our products.
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We’ve focused on cleaners and degreasers — building 
out a safer cleaners innovation ecosystem through 
multiple efforts. In 2022, we continued our role as a 
founding signatory of the Toward Zero Exposure program 
from the Clean Electronics Production Network (CEPN). 
Led by the NGO Green America, CEPN is a multi-
stakeholder initiative to accelerate companies’ efforts 
to eliminate workers’ exposure to hazardous chemicals 
and to raise awareness of the need to improve chemical 
management practices across the global electronics 
manufacturing industry.
As a signatory, we report on the progress we’ve made 
to remove nine process chemicals from our supply 
chain that have been collectively identified as priorities 
for replacement at our final assembly sites. We’re also 
accountable for our efforts to protect workers from 
exposure to potentially harmful substances. We prioritize 
this work by emphasizing effective engineering solutions 
and administrative controls across manufacturing 
processes. While personal protective equipment is 
essential and foundational to protecting people, we focus 
on employing safer alternatives from the start, and we 
support that with PPE as a measure to eliminate exposure 
to potentially harmful chemicals.
In 2022, we continued our collaboration with IPC, the 
premier global electronics standard-setting body, by 
drafting and helping launch IPC-1402, Standard for 
Green Cleaners Used in Electronics Manufacturing. 
This standard resulted from work over the past two years 
with the Green Cleaners for Electronics Manufacturing 
task group, where Apple has served as a chair working 
with more than 20 industry partners. This new standard 
will help suppliers across the electronics industry 
select cleaners that are safer for employees and the 
environment. Last year, Apple received the IPC Stan Plzak 
Corporate Recognition Award for our work on this effort 
and our contributions to the industry.
We continued to partner with ChemFORWARD — 
a nonprofit organization committed to creating broad 
access to chemical hazard data and a registry of 
cleaners — to make it easier for suppliers to choose safer 
alternatives. We also supported the RBA in producing a 
comprehensive technical guide on responsible chemical 
management, as well as over 20 hours of related training 
content to educate millions of workers across thousands 
of companies about controlling occupational exposures to 
hazardous chemicals.
Advocating for safer alternatives 
across our industry
Our work around smarter chemistry helps facilitate the 
transition to safer alternatives that are accessible to 
others in our industry. The criteria we set for chemicals — 
and how our suppliers use them — help establish even 
more stringent standards around health and safety across 
the electronics industry. We collaborate with standard-
setting bodies, trade associations, and NGOs to achieve 
this — developing tools, standards, and mechanisms to 
drive the identification and adoption of smarter chemicals 
throughout our supply chain.
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Engagement and 
Advocacy
We hear our 
stakeholders 
loud and clear
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Our approach
Apple is committed to achieving clear 
impact across our environmental 
goals — and beyond our footprint 
as a company. This is urgent work 
that we can’t do without others. As 
a member of the global community, 
we see it as part of our responsibility 
to engage thoughtfully with 
those addressing environmental 
challenges — from those in the policy 
community to the direct stakeholders 
involved in issues day-to-day and 
driving change. 
We can better achieve a 
Transformative impact within our 
industry and for global communities 
when we work alongside a diverse 
group of stakeholders
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Policymakers 
and regulators
Scientific 
community
NGOs & nonprofit 
organizations
Community 
leaders
Standards 
bodies
Peer 
companies
Suppliers
Employees
Customers
This year, we continued to hold roundtable discussions 
on environmental issues with key stakeholders, including 
members of academia and industry associations, to better 
understand issues and regulations region by region. We 
value the input that these forums provide; each helps us 
understand the role that enhanced transparency plays for 
those working directly on policy. And these conversations 
also offer the opportunity to share information on 
our efforts.
We engage with the scientific community to better 
understand emerging approaches and cutting-edge 
tools that can support our environmental goals. We’re 
working with researchers at Carnegie Mellon University 
to create robotic recycling systems to enhance material 
recovery for Apple and others through the development 
of advanced mechanisms for product disassembly and 
material sorting. We also continue to engage our Green 
Chemistry Advisory Board, an independent group of 
toxicologists and experts who advise on our smarter 
chemistry initiatives, including potential updates to the 
RSS. Their diverse expertise and perspectives help us 
lead the way to protect our customers and those who 
make and recycle our products.
This means working with our partners, learning from their 
feedback, and providing support where we can make a 
difference. We aim to effect positive change within and 
beyond our operations and supply chain. And we respond 
to the world around us by looking for opportunities 
where our leadership can impact policies, industries, and 
communities in a transformative way.
Listening to voices from a range 
of backgrounds and experiences
We approach our conversations with others through 
curiosity and with the intention of learning from diverse 
communities devoted to environmental stewardship. 
We purposefully engage those who bring a range of 
perspectives and understanding of the issues that matter 
to us. The conversations we have with policy makers, 
nonprofits, and community leaders help shape how 
we see regulations, approaches, and the promise of 
emerging technologies. We learn from this engagement, 
too. This process helps us discover opportunities to 
navigate challenges and improve in our efforts to achieve 
our environmental goals. Ultimately, we’re able to put 
these conversations into action — whether that means 
aligning with new standards and best practices or 
exploring the potential that cutting-edge research can 
have on our operations. 
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Engaging with others has also helped us refine our 
approach to industry standards and best practices. We 
draw from cross-sector engagement platforms to help 
guide our programs and set standards for environmental 
efforts. The Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) is one 
example of this. Their expertise defines the world-class 
water stewardship practices that we’ve implemented at 
key Apple and supplier facilities, earning AWS certification 
for adherence to their Standard. 
We’re motivated by what we hear from within the 
business community, including our customers, 
employees, suppliers, industry partners, and investors. 
Their input provides vital support for our environmental 
goals and pushes us further in our efforts. For example, 
as co-chair of the United States Information Technology 
Office (USITO) — a trade association representing the 
U.S. information and communications technology industry 
in China — we lead the environmental protection and 
energy efficiency working groups. In this role, we engage 
with other companies in China as we work to comply 
with new environmental regulations and with policy 
makers on future standards. We continually look for more 
opportunities to hear from others — at the industry and 
national levels — to receive feedback and make progress.
Achieving change together
An important part of leadership is the responsibility to 
influence change — whether through policy advocacy 
or direct engagement with groups invested in issues. 
Collective action provides the best means to achieve 
results on pressing environmental issues. When we 
take a proactive role in sharing our experiences and 
contributing to collaborative efforts on our areas of focus 
and expertise, we can better realize the goals on climate, 
resources, and smarter chemistry that we share with 
other stakeholders.
Policy advocacy
Policy is instrumental in effecting change across 
industries. Apple supports climate and environmental 
policy through our actions and stakeholder engagement. 
This also involves actively advocating for policies that 
advance environmental objectives — and support the 
Paris Agreement — by evaluating the positions of our 
industry partners to align business goals to address 
climate change.
For example, in the U.S. in 2022, we filed comments 
with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(FERC) to encourage more rapid integration of renewable 
energy to the transmission grid, a key bottleneck to 
renewable energy deployment. And Apple, joined by 
other companies, submitted an Amicus Brief, urging 
the Supreme Court to uphold the U.S. EPA’s authority to 
regulate greenhouse gases from power plants. 
In Asia, we spoke at a carbon neutrality conference calling 
for Korea’s 2030 energy plan to increase the ambition of 
its target for renewable energy solutions. And we serve 
as an executive member of the Japan Climate Leaders’ 
Partnership (JCLP), a business coalition focused on 
renewables and pushing for greater climate ambition in 
Japan. Partnership and collaboration with the government 
is essential to this. JCLP has called for an increased focus 
on the renewable energy transition in alignment with the 
Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target and the level of carbon 
pricing needed to incentivize emissions reduction. Read 
more about how we advocate for climate policy around 
the world on page 29.
We’re also partnered with the Platform for Accelerating 
the Circular Economy (PACE), a global group of public 
and private decision-makers focused on the circular 
economy — and how to push forward the vision and 
best practices needed to scale advancements. Building 
community around these efforts is essential to achieving 
our environmental goals. Through its engagement at key 
global events, PACE provides a vital platform to pursue 
solutions across governments, the private sector, and 
civil society. Read more about our position on circular 
economy policy on page 47.
Industry engagement
We engage in dozens of industry initiatives so that we 
can support beyond our own operations. These allow us 
to share knowledge and discover additional pathways 
to advocate for change. Through partnerships and 
coalitions, we contribute to various industries by sharing 
proprietary tools and standards and pursuing policy 
objectives that drive toward our shared goals. This year, 
with IPC, a global electronics trade association, we 
developed and released IPC-1402, a new standard for 
chemical cleaners intended to support safer, greener 
practices among manufacturers. 
Engagement with trade and industry associations helps 
to achieve alignment with environmental and climate 
policy in our collaborative efforts. We’re deepening our 
engagement on climate policy with our U.S. federal 
trade associations. As part of this process, we’re 
evaluating relevant trade association positions on climate 
and identifying specific areas of misalignment with 
Apple’s values and principles on climate change. We 
then work with our trade associations to reduce areas 
of misalignment. 
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Collaborative impact
Collective action matters when it comes to taking on 
environmental challenges. We make public commitments 
alongside our partners to make our support clear and 
signal the change we are working to create. We’re 
transparent about the progress we make against these 
commitments, so that we and our partners can be 
accountable for results. The work we do with others yields 
tangible results across our environmental goals — and it 
provides a catalyst for others to take action.
An example of this is our commitment to 100 percent 
renewable electricity with members in markets across the 
globe through RE100, an energy initiative aiming to scale 
zero carbon grids by uniting the world’s most influential 
businesses committed to transitioning their electricity use 
to entirely renewables. 
We’re also part of the First Movers Coalition, a global 
initiative harnessing the purchasing power of companies 
to decarbonize seven “hard to abate” industrial 
sectors that currently account for 30 percent of global 
emissions according to WEF. Through this initiative, 
we’ve committed to moving to sustainable aviation fuel 
for 5 percent of our passenger air travel footprint; to 
procuring at least 10 percent of annual primary aluminum 
at or above First Movers Coalition’s definition of “near-
zero emissions primary aluminum”; and to ensuring at 
Stakeholder
Our engagement
Aluminium Stewardship Initiative
Supporting responsible sourcing within the aluminum value chain; recently completed an audit 
against their Performance Standard of environmental, social, and governance criteria. (Member)
Ceres
Dedicated to taking action to stabilize the climate, protect water and natural resources, and build 
a just and inclusive economy. (Member of the Ceres company network)
ChemFORWARD 
Working to advance safer chemistry in product design and manufacturing. (Co-design partner, 
chair of Technical Advisory Group)
China Association of Circular 
Economy (CACE)
Sharing our best practices in their conferences and workshops and partnering with the organization 
on advocacy efforts focused on recycling and waste. (Senior member)
Clean Electronics Production 
Network (CEPN)
Working to improve chemical safety in the electronics supply chain as part of this multi-stakeholder initiative. 
(Member of the design team)
Clean Energy Buyers Alliance (CEBA)
Promoting customer-driven clean energy use. (Member, serving on the Supply Chain and International 
Collaboration working group)
Japan Climate Leaders, Partnership 
Aligning business objectives with climate goals. (Executive member)
MIT Climate and Sustainability 
Consortium (MCSC)
Galvanizing the business community to have an impact on broad and intersecting environmental challenges. 
(Industry Advisory Board Member)
Platform for Accelerating the Circular 
Economy (PACE)
Joining global leaders in the effort to transition to a circular economy. (Member of the board)
RE100
Showing our commitment to 100% renewable energy. (Member of the RE100 Advisory Committee)
Responsible Business Alliance (RBA)
Dedicated to responsible business conduct in global supply chains. (Full member, serving on the RBA Board 
of Directors and steering committee of the Responsible Minerals Initiative)
World Business Council for Sustainable 
Development (WBCSD)
A community of the world’s leading sustainable businesses working toward a net-zero, nature positive, 
and more equitable future. (Member)
Key Partnerships and Memberships
least 50 percent of all aluminum procured annually is 
sourced from secondary aluminum by 2030. We’re also 
supporting investments in forestry and carbon removal 
through external initiatives like the Forest Investor 
Club and our own Restore Fund (see page 27), which 
help us back projects that offer a financial return while 
contributing to our environmental goals. 
Through Race to Zero and America is All In, we’re tracking 
our shared commitment to support the Paris Agreement 
and efforts to achieve robust near-term emissions 
targets. As a founding member of the Asia Clean Energy 
Coalition — launched in 2022 at COP27 — we support 
accelerated corporate renewable electricity procurement 
in Asia, as part of a just and equitable energy transition in 
the region.
We remain committed to addressing issues beyond 
climate change, including chemical safety and reducing 
the amount of plastics in our products. As part of the 
Toward Zero Exposure program with the Clean Electronics 
Production Network (CEPN), we’re working to address 
health and safety challenges in the electronics supply 
chain with other stakeholders. We share our pledge to 
eliminate plastics from our packaging by 2025 with the 
Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
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Engagement and Advocacy

Supporting communities around 
the world
Through our engagement efforts, we have the 
opportunity to work directly with those who have been 
addressing environmental injustice in their communities. 
A range of organizations — from NGOs to startup 
technology companies — share our goals across climate 
change, resources, and smarter chemistry. We evaluate 
each opportunity to collaborate based on the potential to 
scale a proven environmental approach, test or pilot an 
innovation, or take steps to improve equity in communities 
disproportionately impacted by climate change and 
environmental dangers. When we partner with another 
organization, we believe success hinges on close 
collaboration on mutual objectives. To track our progress, 
we work with each partner to align on the metrics that 
best reflect the unique contribution that each organization 
is making to its community. 
We value the opportunity to work with partners to 
contribute beyond our direct corporate operations — 
outside our areas of expertise and sometimes in new 
spaces. This is where some of the most vital work is 
being done to support transformational change for 
communities. Our work combines both collaborative work 
and philanthropic contributions, which we determine 
based on each organization’s focus and their potential 
to effect change. And we recognize the importance 
of community-driven leadership on many issues by 
providing support. 
The Conservation Fund works to center local organizations, like McIntosh S.E.E.D., to support land retention amongst Black landowners in the rural U.S. South. 
In 2022, Black landowners from Georgia participated in workshops and trainings hosted by McIntosh S.E.E.D. on topics relevant to climate resiliency.
In 2022, we supported efforts that span a breadth of 
work. The Conservation Fund is actively engaging and 
supporting land retention among Black landowners in 
the rural U.S. South. Working to support and center local 
organizations like McIntosh S.E.E.D., this collaboration 
helps landowners become more resilient to climate 
change through workshops and trainings on topics like 
sustainable forestry. World Wildlife Fund is engaged at 
the community level in developing alternative livelihood 
and other climate resilience projects through their Climate 
Crowd program. Beyond Benign works to increase BIPOC 
representation in smarter chemistry by providing 
students and faculty in minority-serving institutions with 
training, resources, networks, and curriculum support. 
Frank Water works with communities in India by using 
technology to map local watersheds and monitor the 
health of water ecosystems. The China Green Carbon 
Foundation is working on innovative approaches to 
carbon sequestration, including developing and restoring 
semi-urban forests and strengthening management 
practices. And Conservation International founded the 
Finance Lab for Irrecoverable Carbon to create business 
models and new approaches for incentivizing the 
protection and repair of ecosystems essential to meeting 
global climate goals. 
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We continue to collaborate with environmental justice 
groups by providing grants to minority-led and minority-
centered organizations that focus on environmental 
issues. These organizations play a significant and vital 
role within their communities. They also support our 
efforts to avoid negative impacts for underrepresented 
communities as we pursue our environmental goals. We’re 
able to provide both financial support and assistance in 
amplifying the work and impact that these groups have in 
and beyond their communities. And we work with these 
groups to address the global effects of climate change 
and environmental hazards that traditionally impact 
overburdened communities. 
We expanded our Strengthen Local Communities grant 
program — which provides funding to local organizations 
in the communities where Apple team members live 
and work — to communities outside the United States. 
In 2022, we supported the Environmental Justice 
Foundation based in the United Kingdom and the Karrkad 
Kanjdji Trust and Original Power in Australia with grants 
that focused on access and equity. We also continued to 
support organizations in the U.S., including The Green 
Door Initiative, the Michigan Environmental Justice 
Coalition, the Environmental Leadership Program, Native 
Conservancy, and UPROSE.
We’re seeing progress, too. Hispanic Access Foundation 
works to support diverse Latino voices in their 
communities to advocate for environmental issues that 
directly affect their daily lives. Through our partnership, 
the organization was able to double the number of interns 
that it employs while paying a competitive market wage 
and jumpstart the Latino Climate Council, a new network 
of young, talented Latino leaders who are diversifying the 
field and bringing frontline perspectives to the climate 
justice movement. And representatives from the Center 
for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice traveled to 
Japan to learn about the country’s approach to renewable 
energy. They also met with local representatives and 
partners to better understand Japanese perspectives 
around equity, inclusion, and justice in connection with 
the environment.
Apple supports the Hispanic Access Foundation, which focuses on amplifying diverse Latino voices in their communities and advocating for environmental issues 
that directly affect their daily lives. 
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We’re working so that environmental 
progress and equity go hand in hand. 
And through the Impact Accelerator, 
we aim to expand access to 
opportunity through our investments 
in environmental sectors — such as 
renewable energy, carbon removal, 
recycling innovation, and smarter 
chemistry — which also help fight 
systemic barriers that impact 
communities disproportionately 
affected by environmental issues. 
As the Impact Accelerator enters 
its third year, we’re deepening our 
commitment to this initiative.
The Apple Impact Accelerator is designed for Black-, 
Hispanic/Latinx-, and Indigenous-owned businesses that 
share our focus on innovation and our commitment to 
the environment. With customized training and access to 
Apple experts, our Impact Accelerator helps companies 
as they achieve their next stage of development. As part 
of Apple’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, the Impact 
Accelerator supports businesses that drive innovation and 
positive outcomes in our supply chain — so that together, 
we can work to support communities disproportionately 
impacted by environmental issues. 
In 2022, our second class of the Impact Accelerator 
included 16 businesses at the leading edge of 
environmental services and solutions. Each company 
selected is at least 51 percent owned, operated, and 
controlled by a Black-, Hispanic/Latinx-, or Indigenous 
individual and aligns closely with our environmental 
strategy, including our commitment to become carbon 
neutral by 2030. Many of them share a focus on bringing 
clean energy, opportunity, and vital services to vulnerable 
and underserved communities.
The companies participate in a three-month program 
aimed at accelerating progress toward their goals. The 
program includes live virtual sessions, online courses on 
supply chain management, supplier diversity, financial and 
legal subjects, and one-on-one mentorship with an Apple 
expert on topics from renewable energy to responsible 
sourcing. Executives and their teams receive customized 
training that provides the knowledge and tools that 
organizations need to succeed as Apple suppliers, as well 
as access to Apple mentors and experts to help align their 
business priorities with Apple’s environmental goals. The 
program culminates in an opportunity for participants to 
pitch their services and solutions to decision makers and 
business leaders within Apple. 
The companies sustain their commitment after the 
program. Each participant transitions to Apple’s Supplier 
Success community to further foster the connections 
developed during the program — and to forge new 
connections across all generations of the program. 
Every business is given the opportunity to attend a 
business executive leadership program focused on 
supply chain and growth through a leading university.
Our most recent class featured a diverse set of 
companies engaged in work on water stewardship, 
recycling technologies, and green building and 
engineering, among other areas. The program supports 
these companies as they better position themselves for 
growth, improve their abilities to engage larger contracts, 
and expand their customer base — all while supporting 
their commitment to the environment. The program 
has also connected like-minded business leaders, both 
within our Impact Accelerator classes and at Apple, to 
create new opportunities for innovation and to realize our 
shared goals. 
The goal of the Impact Accelerator is that Apple’s 
strategic work and investments to protect the 
environment also help expand access to opportunity 
for communities of color. Since their participation in the 
program, companies have seen increased recognition for 
their work within their sector and local communities, have 
built connections with public- and private-sector leaders, 
and have seen their overall business opportunities 
expand. Several are currently working with Apple as 
part of the company’s supply chain network, and every 
company has participated in selective opportunities to be 
assessed for potential business with Apple.
Feature
Advancing our commitment to 
equity with the Impact Accelerator
The Impact Accelerator’s goal is to ensure that Apple’s work to protect the environment also helps advance equity and 
expand access to opportunity for communities of color. Participants, like Bench-Tek, engage in online courses, live sessions, 
and mentorship throughout the three-month program, and continue their connection with other program participants through 
Apple’s Supplier Success community. 
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Appendix
focusing on 
the finer details 
of our progress
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Introduction 
Appendix

Appendix contents
	
99	
Appendix D: Assurance and 
review statements
	
100	
Net comprehensive carbon footprint, 
facilities energy, carbon, waste, paper, 
and water data (Apex)
	
102	
Product carbon footprint 
(Fraunhofer Institute)
	
104	
Supplier Clean Energy Program (Apex) 
	
105	
Supplier Energy Efficiency 
Program (Apex) 
	
106	
Packaging fiber and plastic footprint 
(Fraunhofer Institute) 
	
108	
Appendix E: Environment, Health 
and Safety Policy
	
110	
Appendix F: ISO 14001 certification
	
112	
Report notes
	
113	
End notes
	
76	
Appendix A: Environmental data
	
77	
Greenhouse gas emissions
	
78	
Carbon offsets
	
79	
Carbon footprint by product
	
81	
Apple’s life cycle assessment methodology 
	
82	
Energy
	
83	
Resources
	
84	
Normalizing factors
	
85	
Appendix B: Corporate facilities 
energy supplement
	
94	
Appendix C: Supplier Clean Energy 
Program supplement
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Appendix

Appendix A
	77	
Greenhouse gas emissions
	78	
Carbon offsets
	79	
Carbon footprint by product
	81	
Apple’s life cycle assessment methodology 
	82	
Energy
	83	
Resources
	84	
Normalizing factors
Environmental 
data
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Appendix

Appendix A
We account for our carbon footprint by following internationally recognized standards, like the World Resources Institute (WRI) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol and ISO 14040/14044.1 Improving the accuracy of our carbon 
footprint is an ongoing process — as we learn more, we refine our carbon models and adjust our climate roadmap. We also regularly revisit the boundary of our carbon footprint as our data sources improve and our business 
evolves. For example, in 2022, we expanded our corporate footprint to include work from home emissions, third-party cloud services, electricity transmission and distribution losses, and upstream impacts from our scope 1 fuel use. 
Fiscal year
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
Corporate emissions 
(metric tons CO2e)2
Gross emissions
324,100
166,380
334,430
573,730
586,170
Scope 1
55,200
55,200
47,430
52,730
57,440
Natural gas, diesel, propane
39,700
40,070
39,340
40,910
42,840
Fleet vehicles
12,600
12,090
4,270
6,950
11,110
Other emissions3
2,900
3,040
3,830
4,870
3,490
Scope 2 (market-based)4
3,000
2,780
0
0
8,730
Electricity
0
0
0
0
8,730
Steam, heating, and cooling5
3,000
2,780
0
0
0
Scope 3 
265,800
108,400
287,000
521,000
520,000
Business travel
113,500
22,850
153,000
326,000
337,000
Employee commute6
134,200
85,570
134,000
195,000
183,000
Upstream fuel
10,600
0
0
0
0
Work from home (market-based)
7,500
0
0
0
0
Transmission and distribution loss (market-based)
0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Third-party cloud (market-based)
0
0
0
0
0
Carbon removals
Corporate carbon offsets7
–324,100
–167,0008
–70,0009
0
0
Product life 
cycle emissions 
(metric tons CO2e)10
Gross emissions (Scope 3)
20,280,000
23,020,000
22,260,000
24,460,000
24,550,000
Manufacturing (purchased goods and services)
13,400,000
16,200,000
16,100,000
18,900,000
18,500,000
Product transportation (upstream and downstream)
1,900,000
1,750,000
1,800,000
1,400,000
1,300,000
Product use (use of sold products)
4,900,000
4,990,000
4,300,000
4,100,000
4,700,000
End-of-life processing
80,000
80,000
60,000
60,000
50,000
Carbon removals
Product carbon offsets
0
–500,00011
0
0
0
Total gross scope 3 emissions (corporate and product) 
(metric tons CO2e)
20,550,000
23,128,400
22,547,000
24,980,000
25,070,000
Total gross carbon footprint (without offsets) 
(metric tons CO2e)12
20,600,000
23,200,000
22,600,000
25,100,000
25,200,000
Total net carbon footprint (after applying offsets) 
(metric tons CO2e)12 
20,300,000
22,530,000
22,530,000
25,100,000
25,200,000
Notes: 
•	
For data on years prior to 2018, please reference past Environmental 
Progress Reports.
•	
Totals might not add up due to rounding. 
1 	 Apple’s carbon footprint boundary is aligned with the Greenhouse Gas 
(GHG) Protocol framework and includes emissions that are material 
and relevant to Apple, where data is available. Apple’s carbon footprint 
includes direct scope 1 emissions; indirect scope 2 emissions from 
purchased electricity, steam, heating, and cooling; and indirect scope 
3 emissions from purchased goods and services, transportation and 
distribution, business travel, employee commute, product use, and 
end of life.
2	
Apple is carbon neutral for corporate emissions as of April 2020. 
Beginning in fiscal year 2022, we’ve expanded our footprint boundary 
to include scope 3 emissions associated with work from home, third-
party cloud services, electricity transmission and distribution losses, 
and upstream impacts from scope 1 fuels. 
3 	 Emissions from R&D processes and refrigerant leaks. 
4 	 We estimate the life cycle emissions associated with our use 
of renewable electricity for our corporate facilities to be about 
60,000 metric tons CO2e. We do not currently account for these 
emissions in our carbon footprint, due to the poor quality of this data. 
5	
Beginning in fiscal year 2021, we’re accounting for scope 2 emissions 
from the purchase of district heating, chilled water, and steam.
6 	 Beginning in fiscal year 2020, we updated our methodology for 
calculating emissions from employee commute to reflect employees 
working from home during COVID-19. 
7 	 For a detailed breakdown of carbon offset purchases applied 
to our corporate footprint, see the carbon offsets table on the 
following page.
8 	 We retired 167,000 metric tons of carbon credits from the Chyulu 
Hills project in Kenya to maintain carbon neutrality for our corporate 
emissions in fiscal year 2021. This project is certified to the VCS and 
CCB standards.
9 	 We retired 70,000 metrics tons of carbon credits — 53,000 from the 
Chyulu Hills project in Kenya and 17,000 from the Cispatá Mangrove 
project in Colombia.
10 	 Because we’re committed to accuracy and transparency, we regularly 
refine our product life cycle assessment model and sources of data. For 
example, last year we obtained more granular data summarizing in which 
countries our products are sold and used, resulting in more granularity 
possible for grid emission factors used in the carbon footprint of the 
product use phase. The net result was an increase in our fiscal year 2021 
carbon footprint. When using the same level of data granularity and 
model as fiscal year 2021, our product use carbon emissions in fiscal 
year 2021 would have been about 2.5 percent lower.
11 	 For fiscal year 2021, we retired credits from the Chyulu Hills project in 
Kenya and purchased carbon credits from two additional projects to 
offset a total of 500,000 metric tons of direct emissions across our 
value chain. The first project, a REDD+ coastal conservation project 
in Guatemala, protects and conserves forests from deforestation and 
degradation. The second project aims to establish forests on about 
46,000 hectares of barren land that isn’t otherwise in use across seven 
counties in the Guizhou province of China. Both projects are certified 
to the same high standards that we require for projects in the Restore 
Fund, including VCS and CCB standards.
12 	 Due to rounding, our gross and net carbon footprints do not always 
equal the sum of the subtotals disclosed above.
Greenhouse gas emissions
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Appendix

Appendix A
Carbon offsets
We retired the following carbon offsets toward our corporate emissions footprint for 2022.
Project name
Project description
Vintage
Volume retired
Registry link
Alto Mayo
The Alto Mayo Protected Forest (AMPF) covers approximately 182,000 hectares of land in the Peruvian Amazon of extremely 
high value for biodiversity conservation and watershed protection. The threats to the area have increased in the last decade 
with the development of regional infrastructure projects and the rising price of coffee — the main crop grown in this area — 
leading to increasing deforestation and the subsequent loss of ecosystem services that this area provides. In response, 
Conservation International and its allies in the region designed the Alto Mayo Conservation Initiative (AMCI) to promote the 
sustainable management of the AMPF and its ecosystem services for the benefit of the local populations and the global 
climate. With the financial support of carbon financing, these actions are facilitating the conservation of large expanses of 
forest with associated climate change mitigation benefits while also creating opportunities for the sustainable development 
of local communities.
2016–2018
9,100
registry.verra.org/app/projectDetail/VCS/944
Chyulu Hills
The Chyulu Hills REDD+ Project (CHRP) is a multi-partner initiative designed to promote climate change mitigation and 
adaptation, restore biodiversity, and create alternative livelihoods under the UN scheme of Reducing Emissions from 
Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+). It’s located in the Tsavo-Amboseli ecosystem in southeastern Kenya and 
stretches over an area of over 410,000 hectares. Its main geographic feature is the volcanic Chyulu Hills mountain range, from 
which the project derives its name. This project presents a broad ecosystem approach, including REDD+, to provide long-
term sustainable financing and management to maintain the ecological integrity of an iconic African landscape. The project 
will help protect a very high-value wildlife and biodiversity area while supporting the development needs of Indigenous and 
other local communities.
2017
315,000
registry.verra.org/app/projectDetail/VCS/1408
 
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Appendix

Appendix A
Carbon footprint by product
The following tables list the carbon footprints (in kilograms) of Apple products sold as of March 9, 2022, along with select configurations.*
Storage configurations
iPhone
Unit
64GB
128GB
256GB 
512GB
1TB
iPhone 14
kg
–
61
67
83
–
iPhone 14 Plus
kg
–
68
75
91
–
iPhone 14 Pro
kg
–
65
71
84
116
iPhone 14 Pro Max
kg
–
73
80
93
124
iPhone 13 mini
kg
–
61
69
81
–
iPhone 13
kg
–
64
71
83
–
iPhone 12
kg
70
75
85
–
–
iPhone SE (3rd generation)
kg
46
50
58
–
–
Storage configurations
iPad
Unit
64GB
128GB
256GB 
512GB
1TB
2TB
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular
kg
–
135
142
156
183
284
iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular
kg
–
107
121
121
148
249
iPad Air (5th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular
kg
80
84
92
–
–
–
iPad (10th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular
kg
72
82
–
–
–
–
iPad (9th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular
kg
75
–
84
–
–
–
iPad mini (6th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular
kg
68
71
77
90
–
–
Select product configurations
Apple Watch
Unit
Aluminum case with 
Sport Loop
Aluminum case with 
Sport Band
Stainless steel case 
with Sport Band
Titanium case with 
Ocean Band
Titanium case with 
Trail Loop
Apple Watch Ultra, 49mm
kg
–
–
–
56
56
Apple Watch Series 8, 45mm
kg
–
33
35
–
–
Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), 44mm
kg
28
31
–
–
–
Notes: 
•	
Dashes indicate that the configuration does not exist.
* 	 Product carbon footprint data for Apple products are published in our 
Product Environmental Reports and are accurate as of product launch. 
In instances where carbon models were developed prior to product 
launch, we leverage preproduction units. 
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Storage configurations
Notebooks
Unit
256GB 
512GB 
1TB 
16-inch MacBook Pro (2023), Apple M2 Pro chip 
with 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU
kg
–
300
327
16-inch MacBook Pro (2023), Apple M2 Max chip 
with 12-core CPU and 38-core GPU
kg
–
–
356
14-inch MacBook Pro (2023), Apple M2 Pro chip 
with 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU
kg
–
243
–
14-inch MacBook Pro (2023), Apple M2 Pro chip 
with 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU
kg
–
–
272
14-inch MacBook Pro (2023), Apple M2 Max chip 
with 12-core CPU and 30-core GPU
kg
–
–
301
13-inch MacBook Pro (2022), Apple M2 chip
kg
167
182
–
13-inch MacBook Air (2022), Apple M2 chip
kg
147
171
–
13-inch MacBook Air (2020), Apple M1 chip
kg
161
181
–
Storage configurations
Desktops
Unit
256GB 
512GB 
1TB 
4TB 
24-inch iMac with 4.5K Retina display, Apple M1 chip 
with 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU
kg
481
–
–
–
24-inch iMac with 4.5K Retina display, Apple M1 chip 
with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU
kg
486
511
–
–
Mac mini (2023), Apple M2 chip
kg
112
126
–
–
Mac mini (2023), Apple M2 Pro chip
kg
–
150
–
Mac Studio (2022), Apple M1 Max with 32GB memory 
kg
–
262
–
–
Mac Studio (2022), Apple M1 Ultra with 64GB memory 
kg
–
–
375
–
Mac Pro (2019), 3.5GHz (8-core) processor, Radeon 
Pro 580X, 32GB memory
kg
2,765
–
–
–
Mac Pro (2019), 2.5GHz (28-core) processor, 
dual Radeon Pro Vega II Duo with Infinity Fabric Link, 
1.5TB memory, Afterburner card
kg
–
–
–
6,994
Displays
Unit
Studio Display (2022)
kg
544
Pro Display XDR with Pro Stand
kg
974
HomePod
Unit
HomePod (2nd generation)
kg
92
HomePod mini
kg
42
Storage configurations
Apple TV
Unit
64GB
128GB
Apple TV 4K, Wi-Fi
kg
43
–
Apple TV 4K, Wi-Fi + Ethernet
kg
–
46
Storage configurations
iPod touch
Unit
32GB
128GB
256GB 
iPod touch (7th generation)
kg
32
38
48
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Appendix

Appendix A
Apple’s life cycle assessment methodology
When conducting a product life cycle assessment (LCA), 
we calculate carbon emissions using the 100-year time 
horizon global warming potentials (GWP100) from the 
2014 IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5),* including 
biogenic carbon. The following details the five steps we 
use to conduct our LCA:
1.	 To model the manufacturing phase, we use part-by-
part measurements of the entire product along with 
data on part production. In some cases where part-by-
part data is not readily available, we also use design-
level data for size and weight detail. The measurements 
help us accurately determine the size and weight of 
the components and materials in the product, while 
data on manufacturing processes and yield loss during 
production allows us to account for the impact of 
manufacturing. The LCA includes accessories and 
packaging, as well as decreased emissions through 
Apple’s Supplier Clean Energy Program. When 
calculating Apple’s comprehensive carbon footprint, 
we also include units that are repaired and replaced 
through AppleCare.
2.	 To model customer use, we measure the power 
consumed by a product while it is running in a 
simulated scenario. Daily usage patterns are specific 
to each product and are a mixture of actual and 
modeled customer use data. For the purposes of our 
assessment, years of use, which are based on first 
owners, are modeled to be four years for macOS and 
tvOS devices and three years for iOS, iPadOS, and 
watchOS devices. Most Apple products last longer and 
are often passed along, resold, or returned to Apple 
by the first owner for others to use. More information 
on our product energy use is provided in our Product 
Environmental Reports.
3.	 To model transportation, we use data collected on 
shipments of single products and multipack units by 
land, sea, and air. We account for transporting materials 
between manufacturing sites; transporting products 
from manufacturing sites to regional distribution hubs; 
transporting products from regional distribution hubs to 
individual customers; and transporting products from 
final customers to recycling facilities.
4.	 To model end of life, we use material composition data 
on our products and estimate the ratio of products 
that are sent to recycling or disposal. For products 
sent to recycling, we capture the initial processing by 
the recycler to prepare the product for recovery of 
electronic, metal, plastic, and glass material streams. 
Subsequent downstream recycling processes are not 
included, as these are considered stages of production 
and not end-of-life processing. For products sent to 
disposal, we capture the emissions associated with 
landfilling or incineration of each type of material.
5.	 After we collect data about manufacturing, use, 
transportation, and end of life, we combine it with 
detailed greenhouse gas emission data. This emission 
data is based on a combination of Apple-specific and 
industry-average data sets for material production, 
manufacturing processes, electricity generation, 
and transportation. Renewable energy used in the 
supply chain, initiated by suppliers independently or 
through the Apple Supplier Clean Energy Program, is 
also accounted for within the LCA model. Combining 
product-specific information with emission data in 
our LCA allows us to compile detailed results for 
greenhouse gas emissions as they relate to each 
product. The data and modeling approaches are 
checked for quality and accuracy by the Fraunhofer 
Institute in Germany.
* 	 Myhre, G., D. Shindell, F.-M. Bréon, W. Collins, J. Fuglestvedt, 
J. Huang, D. Koch, J.-F. Lamarque, D. Lee, B. Mendoza, T. Nakajima, 
A. Robock, G. Stephens, T. Takemura and H. Zhang, 2013: 
Anthropogenic and Natural Radiative Forcing. In: Climate Change 
2013: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I 
to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on 
Climate Change [Stocker, T.F., D. Qin, G.-K. Plattner, M. Tignor, 
S.K. Allen, J. Boschung, A. Nauels, Y. Xia, V. Bex and P.M. Midgley 
(eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and 
New York, NY, USA.
There is inherent uncertainty in modeling carbon 
emissions due primarily to data limitations. For the top 
component contributors to Apple’s carbon emissions, 
Apple addresses this uncertainty by developing detailed 
process-based environmental models with Apple-
specific parameters. For the remaining elements of 
Apple’s carbon footprint, we rely on industry average data 
and assumptions.
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Appendix

Appendix A
Energy
Fiscal year
Unit
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
Corporate facilities 
energy 
Electricity
Total
MWh
3,199,000
2,854,000
2,580,000
2,427,000
2,182,000
U.S.
MWh
2,614,000
2,377,000
2,192,000
2,075,000
1,830,000
International
MWh
585,000
477,000
389,000
351,000
351,000
Fuel
Total
MWh
334,250
467,280
439,170
462,680
494,460
Natural gas
MWh
188,630
203,010
202,360
202,340
204,970
Biogas
MWh
76,280
208,620
210,820
217,140
226,660
Propane liquid
MWh
1,830
40
140
280
280
Gasoline
MWh
38,790
34,880
14,910
23,950
37,740
Diesel (other)
MWh
15,610
9,780
9,610
16,450
20,270
Diesel (mobile combustion)
MWh
13,120
10,950
1,330
2,520
4,540
Other
Steam, heating, and cooling1
MWh
19,800
22,480
0
0
0
Energy 
efficiency2
Corporate facilities
Electricity savings
MWh/year
317,120
260,390
244,690
208,640
113,200
Fuel savings
MMBtu/year
315,870
299,780
297,090
277,120
254,140
Supplier facilities3
Electricity savings
MWh/year
1,620,425,230
1,418,825,350
1,101,440
943,890
798,930
Fuel savings
MMBtu/year
2,038,930
1,047,440
752,680
25,120
25,120
Renewable 
electricity
Corporate facilities
Renewable electricity used
MWh
3,199,000
2,854,000
2,580,000
2,430,000
2,170,000
Renewable electricity percentage4
% of total energy
100
100
100
100
99
Scope 2 emissions avoided
metric tons CO2e
1,201,000
1,064,000
948,000
899,000
690,000
Supply chain5
Renewable electricity capacity (operational)
GW
13.7
10.3
4.5
2.7
1.9
Renewable electricity capacity (committed)
GW
6.8
15.9
7.9
5.1
3.3
Renewable electricity used
MWh
23,700,000
18,100,000
11,400,000
5,700,000
4,100,000
1 	 Beginning in fiscal year 2021, we’re accounting for the purchase of 
district heating, chilled water, and steam.
2 	 Because energy efficiency measures have lasting benefits, energy 
efficiency savings are calculated cumulatively since 2012. All 
efficiency measures are retired based on their effective useful 
lifetime as documented by the California Energy Commission. Due 
to the COVID-19 pandemic, corporate facilities’ energy use declined 
temporarily as we adjusted lighting and climate controls due to 
shutdowns and reduced occupancy. These savings are not included 
in the total savings from our energy efficiency program initiatives. 
We also recognize that energy use at our employees’ homes likely 
increased during this period. We have not accounted for this energy 
use because we anticipated this impact is small relative to our overall 
energy use and we’re still evolving our methodology.
3 	 Energy savings from supplier energy efficiency improvements are 
reported as annualized numbers. Beginning in 2020, supplier energy 
savings are calculated based on the fiscal year instead of on a 
calendar-year basis.
4 	 Beginning January 1, 2018, 100 percent of the electricity we use to 
power our global facilities is sourced from renewable energy.
5 	 Supply chain renewable electricity capacity (operational) and 
renewable electricity use for fiscal year 2021 do not include REC 
purchases Apple made, equivalent to 0.3 GW and 500,000 MWh, 
respectively, to address a small increase to its carbon footprint.
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Appendix A
Resources
Fiscal year
Unit
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
Water
Corporate facilities
Total
million gallons
1,527
1,407
1,287
1,291
1,258
Freshwater1
million gallons
1,380
1,259
1,168
1,178
1,190
Recycled water2
million gallons
142
141
113
106
63
Other alternative sources3
million gallons
5
7
5
7
4
Supply chain
Freshwater saved
million gallons
13,000
12,300
10,800
9,300
7,600
Waste
Corporate facilities4
Landfill diversion rate
%
71
68
70
66
67
Landfilled (municipal solid waste)
pounds
33,260,990
33,202,200
25,826,550
38,317,120
32,372,890
Recycled
pounds
78,618,250
73,489,220
63,812,300
72,338,130
66,380,630
Composted
pounds
8,726,170
4,844,960
6,302,410
10,882,120
10,397,430
Hazardous waste
pounds
2,780,610
3,525,840
4,053,770
6,096,600
6,277,800
Waste to energy
pounds
1,197,570
657,890
786,250
1,129,080
1,105,140
Supply chain
Waste diverted from landfill
metric tons
523,000
491,000
400,000
322,000
375,000
Product packaging 
footprint
Packaging
Total
metric tons
276,100
257,000
226,000
189,000
187,000
Recycled fiber
% of total
66
63
60
59
58
Responsibly sourced virgin fiber5
% of total
30
33
35
33
32
Plastic
% of total
4
4
6
8
10
1 	 We define freshwater as drinking-water quality. The majority of 
our freshwater comes from municipal sources, and less than 
5 percent comes from onsite groundwater sources.
2 	 Recycled water represents a key alternative water source. Our 
recycled water is sourced primarily from municipal treatment plants, 
with less than 5 percent coming from onsite treatment. Recycled 
water is primarily used for irrigation, makeup water in cooling, and 
toilet flushing.
3 	 Other alternative sources of water include rainwater and recovered 
condensate captured onsite. Water used for construction activities 
like dust control is not included in this total and represents 13 million 
gallons of water used in fiscal year 2021.
4 	 Total does not include construction and demolition waste or electronic 
waste. We’re refining our methodology for collecting this data and 
plan to include it in future years. We‘ve also restated the total for 2018 
without these categories of waste.
5 	 Responsible sourcing of wood fiber is defined in Apple’s Sustainable 
Fiber Specification. Since 2017, all the virgin wood fiber used in our 
packaging has come from responsible sources.
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Appendix A
Normalizing factors
*
Fiscal year
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
Net sales (in millions, US$)
394,328
365,817
274,515
260,174
265,595
Number of full-time equivalent employees
164,000
154,000
147,000
137,000
132,000
* 	 As reported in Apple’s Form 10-K Annual Report filed with the SEC.
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Appendix B
Corporate facilities 
energy supplement
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Appendix B
Corporate facilities energy supplement
Use of renewable energy at 
our facilities has been a central 
component of our emissions 
reduction strategy since 2011. We’ve 
learned a lot about how best to 
secure renewable energy, which has 
helped us educate suppliers and 
expand our renewable energy efforts 
into our supply chain. This appendix 
summarizes the types of renewable 
energy solutions we’ve deployed, 
and it details how we implement 
renewable energy at our data 
centers — our largest energy loads.
How we procure renewable energy
Since launching our renewable energy program in 2011, 
we’ve implemented a number of solutions to procure 
renewable energy. Our strategy has evolved over time 
to create the most positive impact.
Ownership and PURPA
In 2011, Apple’s 100 percent equity ownership of our 
Maiden solar arrays was the first time a nonenergy 
commercial company built its own utility-scale solar PV 
project. We used a 1978 federal law called the Public 
Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) to structure the 
project. We then applied this same structure to two 
more large solar PV and biogas fuel cell projects in North 
Carolina and two microhydro projects in Oregon. This 
was a landmark moment in corporate renewable energy 
development and led to an increased use of PURPA in 
these states.
Direct Access
Since 2012, in California and Oregon, we’ve used a 
program called Direct Access to bypass the default 
electricity generation offered by the utilities servicing 
our data centers in those states. Instead, we contracted 
directly with independent power producers who could 
supply 100 percent renewable electricity. After initially 
buying from existing, third-party-owned projects, we’re 
now procuring renewable energy from projects we 
created: The Solar Star II and Montague Wind projects 
deliver renewables to our Oregon data center, and the 
California Flats solar project delivers renewables to our 
data centers, offices, and retail stores in California.
GreenEnergy Rider
In 2013, we opened a new data center in Reno, Nevada. 
With no PURPA or Direct Access options in Nevada, we 
worked directly with the local utility, NV Energy, to create a 
whole new regulatory structure. The Nevada GreenEnergy 
Rider enables us to secure a long-term, fixed-price 
contract for renewable electricity from a new solar PV 
project built for us but managed by the utility. We’ve used 
this partnership to create four solar projects totaling 
320 megawatts.
Equity investment
In 2014, we invested in two 20-megawatt solar PV 
projects in Sichuan, China, to support all our in-country 
retail stores, corporate offices, and data storage facilities. 
This project represented the first time a commercial 
company created a new large-scale project in China for 
its own use. We’ve since replicated this model many times 
for Apple’s supply chain.
Portfolio solutions
In 2015 and 2016, we adapted to land scarcity constraints 
in Singapore and Japan by contracting for solar PV on 
800 rooftops in Singapore and 300 in Japan. We adapted 
our approach in each country to fit local partnerships and 
regulatory structures: We signed a long-term agreement 
similar to a power purchase agreement in Singapore and 
made an equity investment in Japan. These projects offer 
us long-term flexibility as our load grows.
Renewable microgrid
Since 2017, we’ve been powering Apple Park with 
100 percent renewable energy — about 75 percent of 
which is generated onsite and managed by a microgrid. 
The onsite generation comes from 14 megawatts of 
rooftop solar PV and 4 megawatts of baseload biogas fuel 
cells. Any additional energy required is drawn by Direct 
Access from the California Flats solar project in nearby 
Monterey County. The microgrid system with battery 
storage manages the renewable energy generation 
and the building’s energy use; optimizes demand 
management, load shifting, and frequency regulation 
services; and ensures uninterrupted energy reliability 
against local grid outages.
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Appendix

Facilities renewable 
energy projects
To reach 100 percent renewable electricity for Apple’s 
own facilities, Apple has helped create 1,549 MW of 
renewable energy around the world. The projects listed 
to the right represent Apple-created renewable energy 
projects that support Apple facilities’ electricity use and 
contribute to cleaner grids around the world. Operational 
projects apply a mix of clean energy technology, including 
wind (22.9 percent), solar (76.0 percent), microhydro 
(0.21 percent), and biogas fuel cells (0.9 percent).
This table represents all operational renewable energy 
projects that Apple has helped create.
Location
Renewable energy technology
Size (MW)
Australia
PV
0.5
Brazil
Wind
0.5
China mainland
PV
130
Colombia
PV
0.2
Denmark
PV
42
Denmark
Wind
17
France
PV
<0.1
India
PV
2
Israel
PV
5
Japan
PV
12
Mexico
Wind
0.8
Philippines
PV
0.1
Singapore
PV
35
South Africa
PV
0.2
Taiwan
PV
1
Turkey
PV
4
Arizona, U.S.
PV
55
California, U.S.
Biogas fuel cell
4
California, U.S.
PV
146
Illinois, U.S.
Wind
112
North Carolina, U.S.
Biogas fuel cell
10
North Carolina, U.S.
PV
164
Nevada, U.S.
PV
320
Oregon, U.S.
Microhydro
3
Oregon, U.S.
PV
125
Oregon, U.S.
Wind
200
Texas, U.S.
PV
1
Texas, U.S.
Wind
25
Virginia, U.S.
PV
133.6
Total
1,549
Note: Data current as of February 2023 (operational).
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Fiscal year 2022 energy and carbon footprint (corporate facilities)
The table below provides a detailed breakdown of 2021 energy use, which we used to calculate our greenhouse gas emissions.
Notes: 
•	
Dash indicates unavailable data.
•	
N/A = Gas use at colocation facilities is considered outside of Apple’s 
operational control.
1	
Scope 2 market-based emissions from purchased electricity is zero. 
But, we also account for purchased steam, heating, and cooling, 
which resulted in 3,020 metric tons of emissions in fiscal year 2022. 
Location
Scope 1
Scope 2
Total gas
(MMBtu)
Renewable biogas 
(MMBtu)
Scope 1 emissions 
(metric tons CO2e)
Electricity
(million kWh)
Renewable electricity 
(million kWh)
Scope 2 emissions 
(market-based, 
metric tons CO2e)1
Corporate
826,063
202,978
31,030
856
856
0
Cupertino, CA
672,244
202,978
22,849
428
428
0
Elk Grove, CA
13,782
–
732
13
13
0
Austin, TX
20,948
–
1,113
64
64
0
Other U.S.
67,362
–
3,585
57
57
0
Cork, Ireland
20,151
–
1,070
16
16
0
Singapore
142
–
8
15
15
0
China
686
–
37
33
33
0
Other international
30,748
–
1,636
230
230
0
Data centers
19,109
17,961
62
2,138
2,138
0
Maiden, NC
17,961
17,961
1
432
432
0
Mesa, AZ
312
–
17
379
379
0
Newark, CA
–
–
–
20
20
0
Prineville, OR
836
0
44
275
275
0
Reno, NV
–
–
–
419
419
0
Viborg, Denmark
N/A
N/A
N/A
27
27
0
Colocation facilities (U.S.)
N/A
N/A
N/A
371
371
0
Colocation facilities (international)
N/A
N/A
N/A
117
117
0
China
N/A
N/A
N/A
98
98
0
Retail stores
58,720
0
3,119
205
205
0
Domestic (U.S.)
36,005
–
1,912
97
97
0
International
22,716
–
1,207
108
108
0
Total
903,892
220,939
34,211
3,199
3,199
0
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A focus on data centers
We used over 2.14 billion kWh of electricity in 2022 to 
power our data centers and colocation facilities around 
the world. We’re proud that 100 percent of that electricity 
came from clean, renewable sources including solar, wind, 
biogas fuel cells, and low-impact hydropower. To cover 
our needs, we build our own renewable power projects 
and work with utilities to purchase clean energy from 
locally obtained resources. We’re staying at 100 percent 
even as Apple’s data center presence continues to grow.
We now operate eight data centers, and more are being 
developed. These data centers are spread across North 
America, Europe, and Asia. Each has unique design 
features that conserve energy and reflect the climate, as 
well as other aspects, of its location.
Maiden, North Carolina
100 percent renewable since opening June 2010
Between 2011 and 2015, we installed 68 megawatts of 
Apple-created projects: two 20-megawatt solar projects, 
an 18-megawatt solar project, and 10 megawatts of 
biogas fuel cells. We then worked with the local utility, 
Duke Energy, to help build five solar projects through its 
Green Source Rider program. These solar projects came 
online beginning in 2015 and were Duke Energy’s first 
Green Source Rider projects to become operational. We 
worked with Duke Energy for several years to develop 
this green energy tariff option, which allowed Apple and 
Duke Energy to develop new renewable energy projects. 
The five Green Source Rider projects have a combined 
capacity of 22 megawatts. In 2017, we made long-term 
commitments to five more solar projects in North Carolina, 
for an additional 85 megawatts of clean energy. In 2022, 
the Maiden data center was supported by projects that 
generated 432 million kWh of renewable energy, which 
is equivalent to the energy used by over 11,000 homes 
in North Carolina for a year.2 Use of renewable energy 
allowed us to avoid over 171,000 metric tons of CO2e 
during the fiscal year.3
The energy efficiency measures we’ve implemented at 
our Maiden data centers include use of outside air cooling 
through a waterside economizer during night and cool-
weather hours, which, along with water storage, allows 
the chillers to be idle 75 percent of the time.
2	
Carbon emissions equivalences calculated using 2021 data from 
the U.S. Energy Information Administration: www.eia.gov/electricity/
sales_revenue_price/pdf/table5_a.pdf.
3	
Emissions avoided are calculated using the GHG Protocol 
methodology for calculating market-based emissions.
Maiden, North Carolina: Grid mix versus Apple-sourced renewable energy 
Electricity use in 2022: 432 million kWh
Default grid mix (North Carolina)
%
Apple actual renewable energy allocation
%
Coal
16
Apple’s solar projects
75
Gas
37
Apple’s biogas fuel cells
3
Nuclear
33
Apple’s wind projects
21
Hydro
5
Source: 2022 energy data. 
Note: Totals don’t add up to 100 percent, due to rounding.
Renewable
10
Other
<1
Source: eGRID 2021.
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Prineville, Oregon
100 percent renewable since opening May 2012
To support our Prineville data center, we signed a 
200-megawatt power purchase agreement for a new 
Oregon wind farm, the Montague Wind Power Facility, 
which entered commercial operation at the end of 2019. 
It’s our largest project to date, producing over 562 million 
kWh of clean, renewable energy a year.
This is in addition to our power purchase agreement for 
the 56-megawatt Solar Star Oregon II project located just 
a few miles from our data center. This solar PV project, 
which came online and began supporting the data center 
in 2017, produces 141 million kWh of renewable energy 
per year. To strengthen the connection between Apple 
and these projects, we use Oregon’s Direct Access 
program to supply the renewable energy from these 
projects directly to our data center.
Also supporting the data center are two microhydro 
projects that harness the power of water flowing through 
local irrigation canals that have been operating for over 60 
years. In 2022, these microhydro projects are expected 
to generate nearly 2 million kWh of renewable energy. 
To supplement these projects, we executed a long-term 
purchase agreement for all environmental attributes from 
a 69-megawatt portfolio of eight solar projects in Oregon.
In 2022, the Prineville data center was supported by 
projects that generated 275 million kWh of renewable 
energy, which is equivalent to the energy used by over 
8,000 homes in Oregon for a year.4 Use of renewable 
energy allowed us to avoid over 196,000 metric tons of 
CO2e during the fiscal year.5
Our Prineville data center takes advantage of the cool 
and dry climate by cooling its servers with outside 
air whenever possible. Indirect evaporative cooling is 
enabled when the outside air temperature gets too high to 
cool the servers with outside air alone.
Prineville, Oregon: Grid mix versus Apple-sourced renewable energy
Electricity use in 2022: 275 million kWh
Default grid mix (Oregon)
%
Apple actual renewable energy allocation
%
Gas
35
Apple’s microhydro projects
1
Hydro
45
Apple’s solar projects
51
Renewable
20
Apple’s wind projects
48
Source: eGRID 2021.
Source: 2022 energy data. 
4	 Carbon emissions equivalences calculated using 2021 data from 
the U.S. Energy Information Administration: www.eia.gov/electricity/
sales_revenue_price/pdf/table5_a.pdf.
5	
Emissions avoided are calculated using the GHG Protocol 
methodology for calculating market-based emissions.
6	
Carbon emissions equivalences calculated using 2021 data from 
the U.S. Energy Information Administration: www.eia.gov/electricity/
sales_revenue_price/pdf/table5_a.pdf.
7	
Emissions avoided are calculated using the GHG Protocol 
methodology for calculating market-based emissions.
Reno, Nevada
100 percent renewable since opening 
December 2012
Unlike competitive energy markets where some of our 
data centers are located, the regulated electricity supply 
in Nevada did not offer a simple solution for us to create 
new renewable energy projects dedicated to our data 
center. So, in 2013, we created a partnership with the 
local utility, NV Energy, to develop the Fort Churchill Solar 
project. Apple designed, financed, and constructed the 
project, and NV Energy operates it and directs all the 
renewable energy it produces to our data center. The 
Fort Churchill Solar project uses a photovoltaic panel 
with curved mirrors that concentrate sunlight. The 
20-megawatt array has an annual production capacity of 
over 40 million kWh.
To facilitate further renewable development in Nevada, 
Apple worked with NV Energy and the Nevada utility 
commission to create a green energy option open to 
all commercial customers, called the NV GreenEnergy 
Rider, that does not require the customer to fund project 
development up front. Thanks to this new option, in 
2015 we announced our second Nevada solar project, 
the 50-megawatt Boulder Solar II project. This project 
came online in 2017, producing about 137 million kWh 
of renewable energy per year. We’ve used the NV 
GreenEnergy Rider program two more times, first for the 
200-megawatt Techren II solar project. Apple’s largest 
solar project to date, it’s estimated to produce over 
540 million kWh per year and came online in late 2019.
Next was the 50-megawatt Turquoise Nevada project, 
which came online in late 2020. The project is estimated 
to produce 110 million kWh of renewable energy per year. 
In 2022, the Reno data center was supported by projects 
that generated 419 million kWh of renewable energy, 
which is equivalent to the energy used by nearly 12,000 
homes in Nevada for a year.6 Use of renewable energy 
allowed us to avoid more than 145,000 metric tons of 
CO2e during the fiscal year.7
Like in Prineville, our Reno data center takes advantage 
of the mild climate by cooling its servers with outside 
air whenever possible. When the outside air is too 
warm to cool the servers alone, it draws from indirect 
evaporative cooling.
Reno, Nevada: Grid mix versus Apple-sourced renewable energy 
Electricity use in 2022: 419 million kWh
Default grid mix (Nevada)
%
Apple actual renewable energy allocation
%
Coal
7
Apple’s solar projects
100
Gas
63
(through the NV GreenEnergy Rider program)
Hydro
5
Source: 2022 energy data.
Renewable
26
Source: eGRID 2021.
Note: Total doesn’t add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
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Newark, California
100 percent renewable since January 2013
Our data center in Newark, California, is powered by 
100 percent renewable energy. We hit this milestone in 
January 2013, when we began serving the data center 
with energy sourced primarily from California wind power. 
We acquired this energy directly from the wholesale 
market through California’s Direct Access program. In 
2017, Apple’s 130-megawatt California Flats solar project 
in nearby Monterey County came online, and now we use 
Newark, California: Grid mix versus Apple-sourced renewable energy 
Electricity use in 2022: 20 million kWh
Default grid mix (California)
%
Apple actual renewable energy allocation
%
Coal
<1
Bundled solar (through Direct Access)
100
Gas
49
Source: 2022 energy data. 
Nuclear
8
Hydro
7
Renewable
34
Other
<1
Source: eGRID 2021.
Direct Access to supply power from that project directly to 
our data center and other Apple facilities in California.
In 2022, the Newark data center was supported by 
projects that generated 20 million kWh of renewable 
energy, which is equivalent to the energy used by nearly 
10,000 homes in California for a year.8 Use of renewable 
energy allowed us to avoid more than 804 metric tons of 
CO2e during the fiscal year.9
8	
Carbon emissions equivalences calculated using 2021 data from 
the U.S. Energy Information Administration: www.eia.gov/electricity/
sales_revenue_price/pdf/table5_a.pdf.
9	
Emissions avoided are calculated using the GHG Protocol 
methodology for calculating market-based emissions.
10	 Apple took operational control of the building in October 2015 and 
converted it to a data center that began servicing customers in 
March 2017.
11	 Carbon emissions equivalences calculated using 2021 data from 
the U.S. Energy Information Administration: www.eia.gov/electricity/
sales_revenue_price/pdf/table5_a.pdf.
12	 Emissions avoided are calculated using the GHG Protocol 
methodology for calculating market-based emissions.
Mesa, Arizona
100 percent renewable since opening March 201710
Our global command data center in Mesa, Arizona, came 
online in 2016. To support this facility, we partnered with 
the local utility, the Salt River Project (SRP), to build the 
50-megawatt Bonnybrooke solar project, which became 
operational in December 2016. This project produces 
over 148 million kWh of clean, renewable energy a 
year, which roughly matches the energy used by the 
data center.
As the Mesa data center grew, it became apparent that 
we needed additional sources of renewable energy to 
maintain our 100 percent renewable electricity goal.
We began to explore onsite solar options at the data 
center and determined that we could provide valuable 
shaded parking that paid for itself through energy bill 
reductions while adding to our renewable energy portfolio. 
The resulting PV facility includes five elevated parking 
canopies and three ground-mounted arrays, for a total 
generating capacity of 4.67 MW. The onsite PV system 
began commercial operation in February 2019 and 
generates approximately 8,000 MWh per year.
In addition, we began working with SRP to develop a 
customer renewable energy program in 2017, resulting 
in their Sustainable Energy Offering, which launched in 
2019, to provide a diverse mix of commercial electric 
customers with new renewable energy at an affordable 
price. Under this program, Apple has executed an 
agreement with SRP to purchase a portion of the output 
of their 100 MW Central Line PV facility. The project 
became operational in April 2022. 
In 2022, the Mesa data center was supported by 
379 million kWh of renewable energy, which is equivalent 
to the energy used by over 10,000 Arizona homes.11 
Use of renewable energy allowed us to avoid more than 
158,000 metric tons of CO2e during the fiscal year.12
Mesa, Arizona: Grid mix versus Apple-sourced renewable energy
Electricity use in 2022: 379 million kWh
Default grid mix (Arizona)
%
Apple actual renewable energy allocation
%
Coal
13
Apple’s solar projects
83
Gas
44
Apple’s wind projects
17
Nuclear
29
Source: 2022 energy data.
Hydro
6
Renewable
8
Source: eGRID 2021.
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13	 Emissions avoided are calculated using the GHG Protocol 
methodology for calculating market-based emissions.
14	 Emissions avoided are calculated using the GHG Protocol 
methodology for calculating market-based emissions.
Denmark
100 percent renewable energy from the first 
day of operations
Our data center came online in 2020. The data center’s 
construction phase was powered with 100 percent wind 
energy from a local renewable energy retailer in Denmark. 
Our Northern Jutland PV project achieved commercial 
operation in late 2019, will meet all the data center’s 
near-term energy needs, and at 42 megawatts, is one 
of Denmark’s largest solar power plants. Our second 
renewable project in Denmark, a 17 MW wind project, also 
came online in late 2020. We have secured long-term 
supply contracts with both Danish renewable projects, 
which will scale up as our data center loads grow.
Denmark: Grid mix versus Apple-sourced renewable energy 
Electricity use in 2022: 27 million kWh
Default grid mix (Denmark)
%
Apple actual renewable energy allocation
%
Coal
13
Apple’s wind and solar projects
100
Gas
5
Source: 2022 energy data.
Renewable
76
Other
6
Source: IEA Electricity Information 2022: www.iea.org/data-and-
statistics/data-product/electricity-information.
The power system design at the data center is based on 
a resilient substation that eliminates the need for backup 
diesel generators. This reduces the carbon footprint 
of the data center and completely eliminates the need 
for large diesel fuel storage systems and diesel engine 
emissions that would impact the local community.
In 2022, the Denmark data center sourced 27 million kWh 
of renewable energy, avoiding more than 14,479 metric 
tons of CO2e.13
China
100 percent renewable energy from the first 
day of operations
To cover the electricity load at our two data centers in 
China, we procure 100 percent renewable electricity from 
a solar project that came online recently in China.
As the data centers further expand, we’ll continue to 
source renewable electricity in-country to support the 
growth with renewable electricity.
In 2022, the China data center was supported by 
98 million kWh of renewable energy, avoiding more than 
60,503 metric tons of CO2e during the fiscal year.14
China: Grid mix versus Apple-sourced renewable energy 
Electricity use in 2022: 98 million kWh
Default grid mix (China)
%
Apple actual renewable energy allocation
%
Coal
63
Apple’s solar project
100
Gas
3 
Source: 2022 energy data.
Renewable
29
Other
5
Source: IEA Electricity Information 2022: www.iea.org/data-and-
statistics/data-product/electricity-information.
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Our colocation facilities
The majority of our online services are provided by our 
own data centers; however, we also use third-party 
colocation facilities for additional data center capacity. 
While we don’t own these shared facilities and use only 
a portion of their total capacity, we include our portion of 
their energy use in our renewable energy goals.
Starting in January 2018, 100 percent of our power for 
colocation facilities was matched with renewable energy 
generated within the same country or regional grid. As 
our loads grow over time, we’ll continue working with our 
colocation suppliers to match 100 percent of our energy 
use with renewables.
Total energy use 
(kWh)
Renewable energy 
(kWh)
Default utility emissions 
(metric tons CO2e)15
Apple’s emissions — 
including renewable energy 
(metric tons CO2e)16
Percent renewable
energy 
(%)17
FY2011
42,500
0
10
10
0
FY2012
38,552,300
1,471,680
17,200
16,500
4
FY2013
79,462,900
46,966,900
31,800
14,500
59
FY2014
108,659,700
88,553,400
44,300
11,000
81
FY2015
142,615,000
121,086,100
60,500
12,700
85
FY201618
145,520,900
143,083,200
66,300
1,600
98
FY2017
289,195,800
286,378,100
125,600
1,500
99
FY2018
327,663,800
326,959,700
146,600
400
99.8
FY2019
339,047,649
339,047,649
146,400
0
100
FY2020
372,901,398
372,901,398
153,459
0
100
FY2021
384,727,076
384,727,076
146,780
0
100
FY2022
487,921,930
487,921,930
182,700
0
100
Third-party computing
Beyond the use of our own data centers and colocation 
facilities, we also use third-party services to support some 
of our on-demand cloud computing and storage services. 
As of 2022, all the electricity associated with Apple’s load 
at our third-party computing vendors is matched with 
100 percent clean energy.
15 	 We calculate default utility emissions to provide baseline emissions 
of what our carbon footprint would have been without the use of 
renewable energy. This allows us to demonstrate the savings resulting 
from our renewable energy program.
16 	Apple’s greenhouse gas emissions are calculated using the World 
Resources Institute Greenhouse Gas Protocol methodology for 
calculating market-based emissions.
17 	 We calculate our progress toward our 100 percent renewable energy 
goal on a calendar-year basis, while the numbers reported in this table 
are based on fiscal year. Beginning January 1, 2018, all the electricity 
use at our colocation facilities is from 100 percent renewable energy.
18 	Over the past few years, we’ve been installing submeters in colocation 
facilities to better track electricity usage. Beginning in fiscal year 2016, 
we started reporting this submetered electricity usage. Prior to fiscal 
year 2016, reported electricity usage was conservatively estimated 
based on maximum contract capacity quantities. We’ve updated 
our fiscal year 2016 colocation facilities footprint to more accurately 
reflect Apple’s operational boundaries. Per the GHG Protocol, 
we’ve removed from our electricity usage and scope 2 calculations 
those emissions associated with colocation facility cooling and 
building operations.
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Appendix C
Supplier Clean Energy 
Program supplement
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Supplier energy efficiency and clean energy achievements
Appendix C
Supplier Clean Energy Program supplement
The Supplier Clean Energy Program is integral to Apple’s 
goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2030. We’re focused 
on working with our suppliers to help them increase 
energy efficiency at their facilities and transitioning 
suppliers to clean, renewable electricity. These efforts are 
helping reduce product-related carbon emissions, create 
a more resilient supply chain, and contribute to healthier 
communities — while offering a model for others to follow.
We’re proud of the progress our suppliers have made. 
As of March 2023, over 250 manufacturing partners in 
28 countries have committed to 100 percent renewable 
electricity for Apple production (see below for the 
suppliers participating). Additionally, Apple itself has 
directly invested in nearly 500 megawatts of renewable 
electricity projects to cover a portion of upstream 
emissions. The Supplier Clean Energy Program now 
has over 20 gigawatts of clean energy commitments, 
of which nearly two-thirds are operational. In 2022, the 
13.7 gigawatts of renewable energy online in Apple’s 
supply chain generated 23.7 million megawatt-hours of 
clean energy, avoiding 17.4 million metric tons of carbon 
emissions — a 23 percent increase over 2021.1
Apple’s clean energy standards
We help our suppliers select projects with the greatest 
potential for impact and with a clear carbon, ecological, 
and social benefit, and we consider the life cycle 
emissions associated with current and emerging clean 
energy technologies. In most cases, wind and solar 
solutions meet our criteria. For some energy solutions, 
such as biomass and hydroelectric generation, we 
review individual projects so that they deliver positive 
impact while minimizing harm. We also uphold stringent 
assurance standards so that all clean energy can be 
verified through third-party assessment.2
We want to be a driving force for the development of 
new projects and help overcome barriers to bring new 
renewable electricity online. With the rapidly changing 
policy dynamics in some of our key countries, we 
continuously evolve our framework both to comply with 
local laws and regulations and to yield the most positive 
and meaningful energy transformation. 
2018
Launch of the China Clean Energy 
Fund, which enables Apple and 
our suppliers to invest in more than 
1 gigawatt of renewable energy in China
2022
Apple called on its 
global supply chain to 
decarbonize by 2030
2015
Launch of the Supplier Clean 
Energy Program and Supplier 
Energy Efficiency Program
2020
More than 100 suppliers 
committed to 100 percent 
renewable electricity for 
Apple production
All Apple products’ final 
assembly sites committed 
to 100 percent renewable 
electricity for Apple production
2017
Launch of the Supplier Clean 
Energy Portal
Initial Apple investment toward the 
development of 500 megawatts of 
solar and wind projects to address 
upstream emissions in Apple’s 
supply chain
Supplier Code of Conduct requires 
suppliers to maintain an inventory of air 
emissions, including greenhouse gases
2019
Key supplier commitments reached 
in major supply chain countries
First in-person training hosted by 
Apple for over 30 suppliers in China
2023
Over 250 suppliers committed to 
100 percent renewable electricity 
for Apple production, corresponding 
to over 80 percent of Apple’s direct 
manufacturing spend
2021
214 suppliers across 
26 countries committed to 100 
percent renewable electricity 
for Apple production
1	
2021 renewable electricity figures associated with Apple’s Supplier Clean Energy Program do not include REC purchases that Apple made to address 
a small increase to its carbon footprint. When accounting for the REC purchases, the total renewable energy online in Apple’s supply chain was 
10.6 gigawatts, generating 18.6 million megawatt-hours and avoiding 14.2 million metric tons of carbon emissions.
2 	 Apple’s independent assurance provider for the Supplier Clean Energy Program conducts work against standard procedures and guidelines for 
external verification of sustainability reports, based on current best practice in independent assurance. The procedures are based on principles and 
methods described in International Standard on Assurance Engagements (ISAE) 3000 (Revised), Assurance Engagements Other than Audits or 
Reviews of Historical Financial Information (Effective for assurance reports dated on or after December 15, 2015), issued by the International Auditing 
and Assurance Standards Board, and ISO 14064-3:2019, Greenhouse gases — Part 3: Specification with guidance for the verification and validation 
of greenhouse gas statements.
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Supplier renewable 
electricity solutions
The following charts include breakdowns of the 
contracting mechanisms and technologies that suppliers 
have identified to help meet their commitments. 
Supplier renewable energy procurement mechanisms 
(FY2022)
Supplier renewable energy technologies 
(FY2022)
9% 
direct 
investments
12% 
other 
technology
66% 
Renewable power 
purchases
56% 
Wind
2% 
Onsite renewable 
electricity
24% 
Renewable energy 
certificates
32% 
Solar
Apple’s suppliers are implementing clean energy solutions using a variety of 
contracting mechanisms — with renewable power purchases representing 
the majority of solutions implemented to date, at 66 percent.
We work with our suppliers to select projects with the greatest potential for impact and with 
a clear carbon, ecological, and social benefit. “Other technology” includes clean energy 
sources such as some forms of biomass, geothermal, and small-scale, low-impact hydro. 
Note: Above total doesn’t add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
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Supplier commitments
As we continue transitioning our supply chain to 
clean energy, over 250 suppliers globally — including 
over 40 new commitments in the past year — have 
committed to producing Apple products with 100 percent 
clean electricity:
3M
AAC Acoustic Technologies
Advanced International Multitech
AKM Meadville Electronics
Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited
Alps Alpine
Amagasaki Seikan
Amkor Technology Incorporated*
Amphenol
ams OSRAM*
Anshun (Asia) Investment
Arkema
ASE Technology Holding
Asia Vital Components Company Limited
AT&S
Auras Technology Co., Ltd.
Avary Holding
Baotou Inst Magnetic New Materials Co., Ltd.*
Bemis Associates
Bichamp Cutting Technology
Biel Crystal (HK) Manufactory Ltd
Bin Chuan Enterprise Co., Ltd.*
BOE
Bosch Sensortec GmbH*
Bourns K.K.
Boyd Corporation
Bruel & Kjaer
Bumchun Precision Co., Ltd.
BYD Electronic (International) Company Limited
Career Tech
Catcher Technology
Cathay Tat Ming
CCL Industries Incorporated
Cheng Loong Corporation
Cheng Uei (Foxlink)
Chengdu Homin
China Circuit Technology (Shantou) Corporation (CCTC)
Citizen Watch Company
CN Innovations Holdings Limited
Coherent Corp.
Compal Electronics
Compeq
Cooler Master Co. Ltd.
Corning Incorporated
COSMO
Cowell Optic Electronics Ltd.
Crystal-Optech Co., Ltd.*
CymMetrik
Daesang
Daikin Industries Limited*
Derkwoo
Dexerials Corporation
DSM Engineering Materials
E.I. DuPont deNemours and Company
ECCO Leather
Eldim SA
Engineered Materials Solutions LLC
Epistar*
Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd.
Fastway Creation
Flex Ltd.
Flexium Interconnect Inc.
Fujikura Limited
Future Hi Tech Company Limited
G. Bopp & Co. AG
General Interface Solution Ltd.
Global Lighting Technologies
Goertek
Golden Arrow Printing Company Limited
GSEO
Guangdong Ellington
H.B. Fuller
Hama Naka Shoukin Industry Company Limited
Henkel
Hi-P International Limited
HIROSE ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Holmen Iggesund*
Hon Hai Precision Industry
I-PEX Inc.
INB Electronics
Infineon Technologies AG
Injection Rubber Industrial Co., Ltd.
Interplex Holdings Limited
Intramedia
ITM Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
J.Pond Industry (Dongguan) Co., Ltd.
Jabil Inc.
James Cropper PLC*
Japan Aviation Electronics
Jarllytec
JCET Group Company Limited*
JDI
Jiafeng Coating Co., Ltd.*
Jiangsu Enoel New Material Technology Co., Ltd.*
Jiangsu Gian
Jiangsu Jun Technology*
Jiangyin Kangrui Molding Technology Company Limited
Jinlong Machinery and Electronics
Jones Tech PLC
JXTG Holdings Inc.
Kam Kiu Aluminium
KC Precision Technology (Dongguan) Co.,Ltd*
Keiwa Incorporated
Kersen Science & Technology
Kioxia Holdings Corporation
Knowles Corporation*
KOJA (Cayman) Co., Ltd.
Konrad GmbH
Kunshan KIMD Co. Ltd
Kunshan Luxin*
Laboratorio Elettrofisico
Largan Precision Co., Ltd.
*	
Asterisks denote suppliers that have newly committed to 100 percent renewable electricity (since March 2022).
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Appendix

LEALEA Enterprise Co., Ltd.
Lens Technology
LG Display
LG Energy Solution
LG Innotek*
Lingyi iTech
Lishen
Lite-On Technology Corp.
LOTES Co., Ltd.
Luen Fung Group
Lumileds
Luxshare-ICT
Marian Inc.
Micron
Minebea Mitsumi Inc.
Mingxun
Molex Inc.
Multi-Fineline Electronix, Inc.
Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Nan Ya PCB
Nano Interface Technology Inc.*
Nanofilm
Nidec
Nihon Dempa Kogyo
Ningbo Magsound Industry Co., Ltd.
Nippon Mektron (Mektec)
Nishoku Technology
Nissha Co., Ltd.*
Nitto Denko Corporation
Nordic Semiconductor ASA
ON Semiconductor Corporation*
Paishing Technology Company
Pegatron
Penn Engineering
Phone In Mag-Electronics
Pioneer Material Precision Tech Co., Ltd.
Plansee Group
Platinum Optics Technology Incorporated
POSCO
PPG Industries
Primax Group
Qiandong Rare Earth Group Co., Ltd.*
Qorvo
Quadrant
Quanta Computer
ROE
Rohm Company Limited*
RRD
RyPax Wing Fat Inc.
Saati S.p.A.*
SABIC
SAES Getters S.p.A.
Samsung Display*
Samsung Electro-Mechanics Company Limited*
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (Memory Division)*
Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
Seiko Advance Ltd.
Seoul Semiconductor
SFS Group AG
Shandong Innovation Metal Technology Co., Ltd.
Shanghai LianYing Screws Co., Ltd.*
Sharp Corporation
Shenghe Resource
Shenzhen Deren Electronic Co., Ltd.
Shenzhen Desay Battery Technology Co. Ltd.
Shenzhen Everwin Precision Technology Co., Ltd
Shenzhen Forceblack Technology Co., Ltd*
Shenzhen Fortunta Technology Company Limited
Shenzhen Linkconn Electronics Co., Ltd.*
Shenzhen Ruicycle
Shenzhen Shi Zhenghe Zhongxin Share Holdings Co., Ltd.
Shenzhen Shindy Technology Co., Ltd.
Shenzhen Sunlord Electronics Co., Ltd.*
Shenzhen Sunway Communication Company Limited
Shin Zu Shing Co., Ltd.
Sichuan Furong Technology Co.,Ltd.
Simplo Technology Company Limited
Singleton Materials Corporation
SK hynix
SoluM
Solvay
Sony Semiconductor Solutions
Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
STMicroelectronics
Stora Enso Oyj
Sumida Corporation*
Sumitomo Chemical Company Limited*
Sumitomo Electric Industries
Sunny Optical
Sunrex Technology Corporation*
Sunwoda Electronic
Suzhou Anjie Technology
Suzhou Becklos Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.*
Suzhou Copper Ze Metal Technology Co., Ltd.*
Suzhou Hengmingda Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.
Suzhou Jiazhi Electronic Co., Ltd.
Suzhou Shihua New Material Technology Co.,Ltd.*
Suzhou Wanxiang Technology Co., Ltd.
Suzhou Yinke
Tailun Electronic Materials*
Taiwan Hodaka Technology Co., Ltd.
Taiwan Surface Mounting Technology Corp.*
Taiyo Holdings Co., Ltd.
Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
TDK Corporation
Teikoku Printing Inks Manufacturing Company Limited*
tesa SE
The Chemours Company
Tianma Micro-Electronics (Hong Kong) Ltd.
Tong Tai Ying Technology Co., Ltd.
Tongda Group
TPK
Trinseo S.A.
Triotek
Tripod Technology Corporation
Tritree
TSMC
Tsujiden Co., Ltd.
TXC Corporation
UACJ Corporation
Unimicron
Unitech
United Test and Assembly Center (Dongguan) Co. Ltd
VARTA Microbattery GmbH
Viavi
Victrex
Viscom AG
Vishay Intertechnology Incorporated*
Western Digital
Winbond Electronics Corporation*
Wingtech Technology Co., Ltd.
Winox Enterprise Company Limited
Wistron
Xuzhou Henghui Braiding Machine Co., Ltd*
Yageo
Ying Shing Enterprises Limited
Young Poong
Yuto
Zhuhai CosMX Battery Co., Ltd.
*	
Asterisks denote suppliers that have newly committed to 100 percent renewable electricity (since March 2022).
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Appendix

Appendix D
Assurance and 
review statements
	100	
Net comprehensive carbon footprint, facilities energy, carbon, 
waste, paper, and water data (Apex)
	102	
Product carbon footprint (Fraunhofer Institute)
	104	
Supplier Clean Energy Program (Apex) 
	105	
Supplier Energy Efficiency Program (Apex) 
	106	
Packaging fiber and plastic footprint (Fraunhofer Institute) 
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Appendix

INDEPENDENT ASSURANCE STATEMENT 
 
 
To:  The Stakeholders of Apple Inc. 
 
Introduction and objectives of work  
 
Apex Companies, LLC (Apex) was engaged by Apple Inc. (Apple) to conduct an independent assurance of select 
environmental data reported in its 2022 environmental report (the Report).  This assurance statement applies to 
the related information included within the scope of work described below. The intended users of the assurance 
statement are the stakeholders of Apple. The overall aim of this process is to provide assurance to Apple’s 
stakeholders on the accuracy, reliability and objectivity of Subject Matter included in the Report.   
This information and its presentation in the Report are the sole responsibility of the management of Apple. Apex 
was not involved in the collection of the information or the drafting of the Report.  
 
Scope of Work  
 
Apple requested Apex to include in its independent review the following (Subject Matter):  
▪ 
Assurance of select environmental data and information included in the Report for the fiscal 
year 2022 reporting period (September 26, 2021 through September 24, 2022), specifically, in 
accordance with Apple’s definitions and World Resources Institute (WRI)/World Business 
Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Greenhouse Gas Protocol:  
o 
Energy: Direct (Million Therms) and Indirect (Million kilowatt hours (mkWh)) 
o 
Renewable Energy (mkWh) 
o 
Water Withdrawal (Million Gallons) 
o 
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions: Direct Scope 1 emissions by weight, Indirect Scope 2 
emissions by weight, Indirect Scope 3 emissions by weight (Purchased Goods and 
Services, Fuel and Energy Related Activities, Employee Commute and Business Travel) 
(Metric Tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent) 
o 
Waste Quantities and Disposition (Metric Tonnes) 
o 
Paper Quantities (Metric Tonnes) 
o 
Appropriateness and robustness of underlying reporting systems and processes, used to 
collect, analyze, and review the environmental information reported  
Excluded from the scope of our work is any assurance of information relating to: 
▪ 
Text or other written statements associated with the Report 
▪ 
Activities outside the defined assurance period  
 
Assessment Standards 
 
Our work was conducted against Apex’s standard procedures and guidelines for external Verification 
of Sustainability Reports, based on current best practice in independent assurance. Apex procedures 
are based on principles and methods described in the International Standard on Assurance 
Engagements (ISAE) 3000 Revised, Assurance Engagements Other than Audits or Reviews of 
Historical Financial Information (effective for assurance reports dated on or after Dec. 15, 2015), issued 
by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board and ISO 14064-3: Greenhouse gases -- 
Part 3: Specification with guidance for the validation and verification of greenhouse gas statements. 
 
Methodology  
 
Apex undertook the following activities:  
1. Virtual/ remote site visit to Apple facilities in Cork, Ireland 
2. Site visit to Apple facilities in Culver City, California 
3. Interviews with relevant personnel of Apple;  
4. Review of internal and external documentary evidence produced by Apple;  
5. Audit of environmental performance data presented in the Report, including a detailed review 
of a sample of data against source data; and 
6. Review of Apple information systems for collection, aggregation, analysis and internal 
verification and review of environmental data.  
 
  
 
Apex Companies, LLC 
Page 2 of 4  
The work was planned and carried out to provide reasonable assurance for all indicators and we believe 
it provides an appropriate basis for our conclusions.  
 
Our Findings   
 
Apex verified the following indicators for Apple’s Fiscal Year 2022 reporting period (September 26, 2021 
through September 24, 2022):  
 
Parameter 
Quantity 
Units 
Boundary / Protocol 
Natural Gas Consumption   
903,892 
Metric million British 
thermal unit 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / Apple Internal 
Protocol 
Electricity Consumption 
3,199 
Million kilowatt 
hours (mkWh) 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / Apple Internal 
Protocol 
Renewable Energy 
3,199 
Million kilowatt 
hours (mkWh) 
Worldwide / Invoiced 
quantities & self-generated 
Scope 1 GHG Emissions 
55,202 
Metric tonnes of 
carbon dioxide 
equivalent (tCO2e) 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol 
Scope 2 GHG Emissions 
(Location-Based) 
1,065,405 
tCO2e 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol 
Scope 2 GHG Emissions 
(Market-Based) 
3,018 
tCO2e 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol 
Scope 3 GHG Emissions – 
Fuel and Energy Related 
Activities  (Location-Based) 
43,578 
tCO2e 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol Value Chain 
(Scope 3) 
Scope 3 GHG Emissions - 
Fuel and Energy Related 
Activities (Market-Based) 
10,648 
tCO2e 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol Value Chain 
(Scope 3) 
Scope 3 GHG Emissions – 
Business Travel  
113,475 
 
 
tCO2e 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol Value Chain 
(Scope 3) 
Scope 3 GHG Emissions – 
Employee Commute 
134,242 
tCO2e 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol Value Chain 
(Scope 3) 
Scope 3 GHG Emissions - 
Work From Home Emissions 
(Employee Commute) 
(Location-Based) 
42,967 
tCO2e 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol Value Chain 
(Scope 3) 
Scope 3 GHG Emissions – 
Work From Home Emissions 
(Employee Commute)  
(Market-Based) 
7,474 
tCO2e 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol Value Chain 
(Scope 3) 
Scope 3 GHG Emissions - 
Other Cloud Services 
(Purchased Goods and 
Services) (Market-Based) 
0 
tCO2e 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol Value Chain 
(Scope 3) 
Appendix D
Net comprehensive 
carbon footprint, 
facilities energy, 
carbon, waste, 
paper, and water 
data (Apex)
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Appendix

Apex Companies, LLC 
Page 3 of 4  
Water Withdrawal 
1,527 
Million gallons 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / Apple Internal 
Protocol 
Water Discharge 
679 
Million gallons 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / Apple Internal 
Protocol 
Trash Disposed in Landfill 
15,086 
Metric tonnes 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / Apple Internal 
Protocol 
Hazardous Waste 
(Regulated waste) 
1,261 
Metric tonnes 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / Apple Internal 
Protocol 
Recycled Material (Removal 
by recycling contractor) 
35,583 
Metric tonnes 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / Apple Internal 
Protocol 
Composted Material 
3,958 
Metric tonnes 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / Apple Internal 
Protocol 
Waste to Energy 
543 
Metric tonnes 
. 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / Apple Internal 
Protocol 
C&D Landfilled 
4,877 
Metric tonnes 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / Apple Internal 
Protocol 
C&D Recycled 
23,535 
Metric tonnes 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / Apple Internal 
Protocol 
Paper Used 
632 
Metric tonnes 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / Apple Internal 
Protocol 
Product end use avoided 
emissions 
200,000 
tCO2e 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol Value Chain 
(Scope 3) 
 
Gross Carbon Footprint 
Corporate GHG Emissions 
(Market-Based)1 
324,059 
tCO2e 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol 
Product Use 
4.86  
Million metric 
tonnes of carbon 
dioxide equivalent 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol 
Manufacturing2 
13.44 
Million metric 
tonnes of carbon 
dioxide equivalent 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol 
Transportation3 
1.87 
Million metric 
tonnes of carbon 
dioxide equivalent 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol 
Recycling3 
0.08 
Million metric 
tonnes of carbon 
dioxide equivalent 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol 
 
  
 
Apex Companies, LLC 
Page 4 of 4  
Gross Carbon Footprint4 
20.57 
Million metric 
tonnes of carbon 
dioxide equivalent 
Worldwide occupied 
properties / WRI/WBCSD 
GHG Protocol 
1. 
Corporate GHG Emissions = Scope 1 GHG Emissions + Scope 2 (Market-Based) GHG Emissions + Scope 3 GHG Emissions 
2. 
Manufacturing emissions (30.83 million metric tonnes) not verified by Apex - reportedly verified by another third-party provider - 
CEP emissions reductions (17.39 million metric tonnes).  
3. 
Not Verified by Apex. Reportedly verified by another third-party provider. 
4. 
Gross Carbon Footprint = Corporate GHG Emissions + Product Use + Manufacturing + Transportation + Recycling 
 
 
Our Conclusion 
 
Based on the assurance process and procedures conducted regarding the Subject Matter, we conclude 
that:  
• 
The Energy, Water, Waste, Paper, and Scope 1, Scope 2, Scope 3 (Business Travel & 
Employee Commute) GHG Emissions assertions shown above are materially correct and are 
a fair representation of the data and information; 
• 
There is no evidence that the Scope 3 (Work From Home, Other Cloud Services, and Fuel and 
Energy Related Activities) GHG emissions are not materially correct and are not a fair 
representation of the data and information;  
• 
Apple has established appropriate systems for the collection, aggregation and analysis of 
relevant environmental information, and has implemented underlying internal assurance 
practices that provide a reasonable degree of confidence that such information is complete and 
accurate.  
 
Statement of independence, integrity and competence 
 
Apex has implemented a Code of Ethics across the business to maintain high ethical standards among 
staff in their day to day business activities. We are particularly vigilant in the prevention of conflicts of 
interest.  
No member of the assurance team has a business relationship with Apple, its Directors or Managers 
beyond that required of this assignment. We have conducted this verification independently, and there 
has been no conflict of interest.  
The assurance team has extensive experience in conducting verification and assurance over 
environmental, social, ethical and health and safety information, systems and processes, has over 30 
years combined experience in this field and an excellent understanding of Apex standard methodology 
for the Assurance of Sustainability Reports.  
 
Attestation:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Trevor Donaghu, Lead Verifier 
David Reilly, Technical Reviewer 
Program Manager 
Principal Consultant 
Sustainability and Climate Change Services 
Sustainability and Climate Change Services  
 
March 13, 2023 
 
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Appendix

Comprehensive Carbon Footprint Letter of Assurance
Client: Apple Inc.
1
Letter of Assurance 
Comprehensive Carbon Footprint – Scope 3: Product related Carbon 
Footprint for Fiscal Year 2022 
Fraunhofer IZM reviewed Apple’s scope 3 carbon footprint data related to the products 
manufactured and sold by Apple Inc. in fiscal year 2022.  
1
Summary 
This review checks transparency of data and calculations, appropriateness of supporting 
product related data and assumptions, and overall plausibility of the calculated 
comprehensive annual carbon footprint comprised of emissions derived from the life cycle 
assessment (LCA) of Apple products shipped in fiscal year 2022. This review and verification 
focuses on Scope 3 emissions for products sold by Apple Inc. (as defined by 
WRI/WBCSD/Greenhouse Gas Protocol – Scope 3 Accounting and Reporting Standard). 
Confidential data relating to product sales and shipments were excluded from the scope of 
this verification.  
This review and verification covers Apple’s annual greenhouse gas emissions and does not 
replace reviews conducted for individual product LCAs for greenhouse gas emissions 
(GHGs). The life cycle emissions data produced by Apple for individual products has been 
calculated in accordance to the standard ISO 14040/14044: Environmental management – 
Life cycle assessment – Principles and framework / Requirements and guidelines. This 
review and verification furthermore complies with ISO 14064-3: Greenhouse gases – Part 3: 
Specification with guidance for the validation and verification of greenhouse gas assertions.  
The review of the annual carbon footprint has considered the following criteria: 

The system, boundaries and functional unit are clearly defined 

Assumptions and estimations made are appropriate 

Selection of primary and secondary data is appropriate and methodologies used 
are adequately disclosed 
These criteria are also fundamental to the review of LCAs conducted for individual product 
emissions. The reviewers note that the largest share (99%) of Apple Inc. annual carbon 
footprint is comprised of scope 3 emissions from individual products. The aforementioned 
criteria have been regularly reviewed by Fraunhofer IZM since 2007 with a view to 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Comprehensive Carbon Footprint Letter of Assurance
Client: Apple Inc.
2
providing independent feedback that can facilitate continuous improvement and 
refinement in the LCA methodology applied by Apple Inc.  
Data reported by Apple is as follows: 
 
Manufacturing Transportation
Product Use 
Recycling 
Total base 
product 
footprint 
2022
30.83
1.87
5.06 
0.08 
37.84 
[MMT CO2e] 
[MMT CO2e]
[MMT CO2e]
[MMT CO2e]
[MMT CO2e] 
MMT CO2e: million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalents 
The total scope 3 product related carbon footprint is reported to be 37.84 million metric 
tons CO2e, applying a location-based method reflecting the average emissions intensity of 
grids on which energy consumption occurs. This figure does not include greenhouse gas 
emissions reductions for manufacturing resulting from Apple renewable energy projects, 
supplier renewable electricity purchases, and supplier renewable electricity installations.   
Based on the process and procedures conducted, there is no evidence that the Greenhouse 
Gas (GHG) assertion with regards to scope 3 carbon footprint 

is not materially correct and is not a fair representation of GHG data and 
information, and 

has not been prepared in accordance with the related International Standard on 
GHG quantification, monitoring and reporting. 
2
Reviewed Data and Plausibility Check 
A verification and sampling plan as required by ISO 14046-3 has been established for the 
comprehensive carbon footprint review and verification, defining the level of assurance, 
objectives, criteria, scope and materiality of the verification. 
As part of this review and verification Apple disclosed following data to Fraunhofer IZM:  

Sales data for FY2022, including accessories and including AppleCare, Apple's 
extended warranty and technical support plans for their devices. 

Life cycle GHG emissions for all products, differentiating the actual product 
configurations (e.g. memory capacity) 

Calculation methodology for the comprehensive carbon footprint  

Detailed analysis of the comprehensive carbon footprint including: 
Appendix D
Product carbon 
footprint 
(Fraunhofer 
Institute)
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Appendix

Comprehensive Carbon Footprint Letter of Assurance
Client: Apple Inc.
3
o
The breakdown of the carbon footprint into life cycle phases 
manufacturing, transportation, product use and recycling 
o
Detailed product specific split into life cycle phases 
o
The contribution of individual products and product families to the overall 
carbon footprint 
The data and information supporting the GHG assertion were projected (use phase and 
recycling) and historical (i.e. fiscal year 2022 data regarding sales figures, manufacturing, 
transportation, use patterns where available). 
This review comprises a check of selected data, which are most influential to the overall 
carbon footprint. The overall plausibility check addressed the following questions: 

Are product LCAs referenced and updated with more recent data correctly? 

Are results for products, for which no full LCA review was undertaken, plausible? 
This review was done remotely. 
3
Findings 
In FY2022 and beginning of FY2023 11 recent product LCA studies have been reviewed 
successfully against ISO 14040/44. These LCAs cover product segments iPhone, iPad, 
MacBook Air, and MacBookPro. These recently reviewed LCA studies cover products which 
represent in total 35.6% of the total scope 3 carbon footprint. Representatives of other 
product segments (iMac, Apple Watch, iPod, Mac Pro, HomePod, AirPort Express / AirPort 
Extreme, Apple TV, Airpods and Beats products) underwent no or only minor design 
changes compared to those which went through a full LCA review in former years. All 
reviewed LCA studies up to now cover in total 68.4% of the total scope 3 carbon footprint. 
All questions raised in the course of the review were answered by Apple and related 
evidence was provided where needed. 
4
Conclusions 
Apple’s assessment approach is excellent in terms of granularity of the used calculation 
data. A significant share of components is modelled with accurate primary data from 
Apple’s suppliers.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Comprehensive Carbon Footprint Letter of Assurance
Client: Apple Inc.
4
For all product LCA calculations, where exact data was missing, the principle of a worst-
case approach has been followed and results have been calculated with rather conservative 
estimates.   
The review has not found assumptions or calculation errors on the carbon footprint data 
level that indicate the scope 3 carbon footprint has been materially misstated. The excellent 
analysis meets the principles of good scientific practice.    
Berlin, March 1, 2023 
 
  
- Karsten Schischke -  
- Marina Proske - 
Fraunhofer IZM 
 
Fraunhofer IZM 
Dept. Environmental and 
Dept. Environmental and  
Reliability Engineering  
Reliability Engineering 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Reviewer Credentials and Qualification 
Karsten Schischke: Experience and background in the field of Life Cycle Assessments include 

Life Cycle Assessment course and exam as part of the Environmental Engineering studies (Dipl.-Ing. Technischer 
Umweltschutz, Technische Universität Berlin, 1999) 

more than 150 Critical Reviews of LCA and PCF studies since 2005 (batteries, displays, mobile devices, networked 
ICT equipment, home automation devices, servers, desktop computers, inverters) for 7 different industry clients 
and of the EPEAT Environmental Benefits Calculator 

Coordination of and contribution to compilation of more than 100 ELCD datasets (available at www.lca2go.eu; 
product groups: hard disk drives, semiconductors, printed circuit boards, photovoltaics) 

Environmental Lifecycle Assessments following the MEEuP / MEErP methodology in several Ecodesign Product 
Group Studies under the European Ecodesign Directive since 2007 (external power supplies, complex settop-boxes, 
machine tools, welding equipment, mobile phones, tablets) 

comparative Life Cycle Assessment of SIM technologies 

various environmental gate-to-gate assessments in research projects since 2000 (wafer bumping, printed circuit 
board manufacturing) 
Further updated information at: www.linkedin.com/in/karsten-schischke  
 
Marina Proske: Experience and background in the field of Life Cycle Assessments include 

Life Cycle Assessment course and exam as part of the Environmental Engineering studies (Dipl.-Ing. Technischer 
Umweltschutz, Technische Universität Berlin, 2009) 

Critical Reviews of LCA studies incl. water, fiber and plastic footprints since 2012 for 2 industry clients and of the 
EPEAT Environmental Benefits Calculator 

Life Cycle Assessment of modular smartphones (Fairphone 2, 3 and 4) 

Studies on the environmental assessment and carbon footprint of ICT 

Studies on material and lifetime aspects within the MEErP methodology  
Further updated information at: https://de.linkedin.com/in/marina-proske-74347164/en 
 
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Appendix

INDEPENDENT ASSURANCE STATEMENT 
 
To:  The Stakeholders of Apple Inc. 
 
Introduction and objectives of work  
Apex Companies, LLC (Apex) was engaged by Apple Inc. (Apple) to conduct an independent assurance 
of its Supplier Clean Energy Program data reported in its 2022 environmental report (the Report). This 
assurance statement applies to the related information included within the scope of work described 
below. The intended users of the assurance statement are the stakeholders of Apple. The overall aim 
of this process is to provide assurance to Apple’s stakeholders on the accuracy, reliability and objectivity 
of select information included in the Report.   
This information and its presentation in the Report are the sole responsibility of the management of 
Apple. Apex was not involved in the collection of the information or the drafting of the Report.  
 
Scope of Work  
Apple requested Apex to include in its independent review the following:  
▪ 
Methodology for tracking and verifying supplier clean energy contributions, including the Energy 
Survey, Renewable Energy Agreement, and other forms of supporting documentation provided 
by suppliers where available; 
▪ 
Assurance of Clean Energy Program data and information for the fiscal year 2022 reporting 
period (September 26, 2021 through September 24, 2022), specifically, in accordance with 
Apple’s definitions: 
o 
Energy: Reported megawatt-hours (MWh) of clean energy attributed to the Clean Energy 
Program for suppliers; 
o 
Avoided Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions associated with clean energy attributed to the 
Clean Energy Program; 
o 
Operational Capacity in megawatts (MWac) of clean energy in support of Apple 
manufacturing as a part of Apple’s Supplier Clean Energy Program; 
o 
Appropriateness and robustness of underlying reporting systems and processes, used to 
collect, analyze, and review the information reported.  
Excluded from the scope of our work is any assurance of information relating to: 
▪ 
Text or other written statements associated with the Report 
▪ 
Activities outside the defined assurance period  
 
Assessment Standards 
Our work was conducted against Apex’s standard procedures and guidelines for external Verification 
of Sustainability Reports, based on current best practice in independent assurance. Apex procedures 
are based on principles and methods described in the International Standard on Assurance 
Engagements (ISAE) 3000 Revised, Assurance Engagements Other than Audits or Reviews of 
Historical Financial Information (effective for assurance reports dated on or after Dec. 15, 2015), issued 
by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board and ISO 14064-3: Greenhouse gases -- 
Part 3: Specification with guidance for the validation and verification of greenhouse gas statements. 
 
Methodology  
1. Virtual/ remote site visits to Apple facilities in Cork, Ireland 
2. Site visits to Apple facilities in Culver City, California 
3. Interviews with relevant personnel of Apple;  
4. Review of internal and external documentary evidence produced by Apple;  
5. Audit of environmental performance data presented in the Report, including a detailed review 
of a sample of data against source data; and 
 
 Apex Companies, LLC
 
 
Page 2 of 2  
6. Review of Apple information systems for collection, aggregation, analysis and internal 
verification and review of environmental data.  
The work was planned and carried out to provide reasonable assurance for all indicators and we believe 
it provides an appropriate basis for our conclusions.  
 
Our Findings   
Apex verified the following indicators for Apple’s Fiscal Year 2022 reporting period (September 26, 2021 
through September 24, 2022):  
 
Parameter 
Quantity 
Units 
Boundary / Protocol 
Clean Energy Use 
23.66 
Million megawatt 
hours (mMWh) 
Apple suppliers / Apple 
Internal Protocol 
Avoided GHG Emissions 
17.39  
Million metric tons 
of carbon dioxide 
equivalent 
(mMtCO2e) 
Apple suppliers / Apple 
Internal Protocol 
Operational Capacity 
13,708 
Megawatts (MWac) 
Apple suppliers / Apple 
Internal Protocol 
 
 
Our Conclusion 
Based on the assurance process and procedures conducted, we conclude that:  
• 
The Clean Energy Use, Avoided GHG Emissions, and Operational Capacity assertions shown 
above are materially correct and are a fair representation of the data and information; and 
• 
Apple has established appropriate systems for the collection, aggregation and analysis of 
relevant environmental information, and has implemented underlying internal assurance 
practices that provide a reasonable degree of confidence that such information is complete and 
accurate.  
 
Statement of independence, integrity and competence 
Apex has implemented a Code of Ethics across the business to maintain high ethical standards among 
staff in their day to day business activities. We are particularly vigilant in the prevention of conflicts of 
interest.  
No member of the assurance team has a business relationship with Apple, its Directors or Managers 
beyond that required of this assignment. We have conducted this verification independently, and there 
has been no conflict of interest.  
The assurance team has extensive experience in conducting verification and assurance over 
environmental, social, ethical and health and safety information, systems and processes, has over 30 
years combined experience in this field and an excellent understanding of Apex standard methodology 
for the Assurance of Sustainability Reports.  
Attestation:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Trevor Donaghu, Lead Verifier 
David Reilly, Technical Reviewer 
Program Manager 
Principal Consultant 
Sustainability and Climate Change Services 
Sustainability and Climate Change Services  
 
March 7, 2023 
Appendix D
Supplier Clean 
Energy Program 
(Apex)
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Appendix

Apex Companies, LLC 
Page 1 of 2 
 
 
INDEPENDENT ASSURANCE STATEMENT  
 
 
To:  The Stakeholders of Apple Inc. 
 
Introduction and objectives of work  
Apex Companies, LLC (Apex) was engaged by Apple Inc. (Apple) to conduct an independent 
assurance of its Supplier Energy Efficiency Program data.  This assurance statement applies 
to the related information included within the scope of work described below.  The intended 
users of the assurance statement are the stakeholders of Apple. The overall aim of this process 
is to provide assurance to Apple’s stakeholders on the accuracy, reliability and objectivity of the 
reported information.   
This information and its presentation are the sole responsibility of the management of Apple.  
Apex was not involved in the collection of the information or the drafting of the reported 
information.  
 
Scope of work  
Apple requested Apex to include in its independent review the following:  
▪ 
Methodology for tracking and verifying supplier energy efficiency projects, including 
supplier energy audit reports, supplier progress reports, energy efficiency project 
verifications, and other forms of supporting documentation provided by suppliers where 
available; 
▪ 
Assurance of Energy Efficiency Program data and information for the fiscal year 2022 
reporting period (September 26, 2021 through September 24, 2022), specifically, in 
accordance with Apple’s definitions: 
o 
Avoided Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions associated with energy reductions 
attributed to the Energy Efficiency Program; 
o 
Appropriateness and robustness of underlying reporting systems and processes, 
used to collect, analyze, and review the information reported.  
Excluded from the scope of our work is any assurance of information relating to: 
▪ 
Activities outside the defined assurance period. 
 
Methodology  
As part of its independent verification, Apex undertook the following activities:  
1. Interviews with relevant personnel of Apple;  
2. Review of documentary evidence produced by Apple; 
3. Audit of performance data; 
4. Review of Apple’s systems for quantitative data aggregation.  
 
Our work was conducted against Apex’s standard procedures and guidelines for external 
Verification of Sustainability Reports, based on current best practice in independent assurance. 
Apex procedures are based on principles and methods described in the International Standard 
on Assurance Engagements (ISAE) 3000 Revised, Assurance Engagements Other than Audits 
or Reviews of Historical Financial Information (effective for assurance reports dated on or after 
Dec. 15, 2015), issued by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board and ISO 
14064-3: Greenhouse gases -- Part 3: Specification with guidance for the validation and 
verification of greenhouse gas statements. 
   
 
Apex Companies, LLC 
 
Page 2 of 2 
 
The work was planned and carried out to provide limited, rather than reasonable assurance 
and we believe it provides an appropriate basis for our conclusions.  
 
Our Findings   
Apex verified Avoided Greenhouse Gas emissions for fiscal year 2022 reporting periods:  
Period 
Quantity 
Units 
Boundary / Protocol 
FY2022 
(9/26/2021-9/24/2022) 
1.35  
Million metric tons 
of carbon dioxide 
equivalent 
Apple suppliers / Apple 
Internal Protocol 
 
On the basis of our methodology and the activities described above: 
▪ 
Nothing has come to our attention to indicate that the reviewed emissions data within 
the scope of our verification are inaccurate and the information included therein is not 
fairly stated and have not been prepared in accordance with Apple’s stated protocols 
for the Supplier Energy Efficiency Program;  
▪ 
It is our opinion that Apple has established appropriate systems for the collection, 
aggregation and analysis of quantitative data such as energy and associated GHG 
emissions reductions.  
This independent statement should not be relied upon to detect all errors, omissions or 
misstatements that may exist. 
 
Statement of independence, integrity and competence 
Apex has implemented a Code of Ethics across the business to maintain high ethical standards 
among staff in their day to day business activities. We are particularly vigilant in the prevention 
of conflicts of interest.  
No member of the assurance team has a business relationship with Apple, its Directors or 
Managers beyond that required of this assignment. We have conducted this verification 
independently, and there has been no conflict of interest.  
The assurance team has extensive experience in conducting verification and assurance over 
environmental, social, ethical and health and safety information, systems and processes, has 
over 30 years combined experience in this field and an excellent understanding of Apex  
standard methodology for the Assurance of Sustainability Reports.  
Attestation:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Trevor Donaghu, Lead Verifier                               David Reilly, Technical Reviewer 
Program Manager                                                   Principal Consultant  
Sustainability and Climate Change Services         Sustainability and Climate Change Services  
 
March 7, 2023 
 
Appendix D
Supplier Energy 
Efficiency 
Program (Apex)
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Appendix

Corporate Packaging Fiber and Plastic Footprint
Review 
2
2022 
Total 
Virgin 
Recycled 
Plastic w/o 
adhesives 
10,400 
10,400 
--  
Fiber 
265,700 
84,100 
181,600 
[metric tons] 
[metric tons plastic] 
[metric tons plastic] 
All results and figures reviewed for fiscal year 2022 are plausible. 
2
Reviewed Data and Findings 
As part of this review Apple disclosed following data to Fraunhofer IZM:  

Calculation methodology for the corporate packaging fiber and plastic footprint 

Sales data for FY2022, including accessories 

Selected product and supplier specific data on packaging materials and production 
yields  

Aggregated packaging fiber and plastic data for all products and the total 
corporate packaging fiber and plastic footprint for the fiscal year 2022 
The methodology paper provided by Apple (Packaging Plastic Footprint at Apple – 
Methodology Description – V1.0 in 2018, Fiber Footprint at Apple - Methodology 
Description - V1.1 reviewed in 2017), is considered a sound and appropriate guidance for 
determining the company packaging fiber and plastic. Where appropriate, this approach 
follows methodological principles applied for state-of-the-art Life Cycle Assessments.  
This review comprises a check of packaging fiber and plastic data for selected products 
(Apple watches, iPhone 12). 
Plausibility of some data has been questioned and discussed with Apple in detail. No 
corrections were needed. However, more granular data for accessories is recommended.  
This review was done remotely. All questions raised in the course of the review were 
answered by Apple and related explanation was provided where needed.   
Corporate Packaging Fiber and Plastic Footprint
Review
1
Review Statement
Corporate Packaging Fiber and Plastic Footprint 
Fraunhofer IZM reviewed Apple’s corporate packaging fiber and plastic footprint data 
related to corporate packaging fiber and plastic usage from products, retail and service 
operations in fiscal year 2022.  
1
Summary 
This review checks transparency of data and calculations, appropriateness of supporting 
product and packaging related data and assumptions, and overall plausibility of the 
calculated corporate annual packaging fiber and plastic footprint of Apple products 
shipped in fiscal year 2022 and of retail and service operations in the same period.  
As there is no standardised method available for calculating a packaging fiber and plastic 
footprint Apple defined a methodology for internal use. The scope of the fiber and plastic 
packaging footprint includes Apple’s corporate packaging fiber and plastic usage from 
products, retail operations and Apple care services. The packaging fiber and plastic 
footprint tracks the total amount of plastic, virgin and recycled wood fibre, that Apple uses 
in packaging. Apple obtains and analyses supplier-specific data for each product line and 
sums up these figures for the entire company using sell-in numbers. For some products, a 
representative supplier is chosen to calculate the product-specifc packaging. The output is a 
total packaging fiber and plastic footprint. For labels, beats products and accessories, 
individual sell-in numbers were only availabe for a share of products. These were 
extrapolated for the whole category. ESD packages (within Apple care) are excluded from 
the packaging plastic footprint.   
The review of the corporate annual packaging fiber and plastic footprint has considered the 
following criteria: 

The system boundaries are clearly defined 

Assumptions and estimations made are appropriate 

Use of supplier data is appropriate and methodologies used are adequately 
disclosed 
Data reported by Apple is as follows: 
Appendix D
Packaging fiber 
and plastic 
footprint
(Fraunhofer 
Institute)
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Appendix

Corporate Packaging Fiber and Plastic Footprint
Review
3
Based on the process and procedures conducted, there is no evidence that the corporate 
packaging fiber and plastic footprint is not materially correct and is not a fair 
representation of fiber and plastic data and information.  
Berlin, March 10, 2023 
- Marina Proske - 
- Karsten Schischke - 
Fraunhofer IZM 
Fraunhofer IZM 
Dept. Environmental and 
Dept. Environmental and  
Reliability Engineering  
Reliability Engineering 
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Appendix

Appendix E
Environment, Health 
and Safety Policy
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Appendix

Appendix E
Environment, Health and Safety Policy
Mission Statement
Apple Inc. is committed to protecting the environment, 
health and safety (EHS) of our employees, contractors, 
and customers in the design, research, manufacture, 
distribution, and use of our products and services and the 
global communities where we operate.
We recognize that by integrating sound EHS 
management practices into all aspects of our business, 
we can offer technologically innovative products and 
services while conserving and enhancing resources for 
future generations.
Apple strives for continuous improvement in our EHS 
management systems and in the environmental quality of 
our products, processes, and services.
Guiding Principles
Meet or exceed all applicable EHS requirements.
Where laws and regulations do not provide adequate 
controls, apply higher standards to protect human health 
and the environment.
Design, manage, and operate our facilities safely, promote 
energy efficiency and renewable energy, and protect 
biodiversity and the environment.
Encourage contractors, vendors, and suppliers to provide 
safe working conditions, treat workers with dignity and 
respect, act fairly and ethically, use environmentally 
responsible practices, and have effective programs for the 
control of environmental aspects, wherever they perform 
services for Apple.
Support and promote sound scientific principles, 
practices, and public policy initiatives that enhance 
environmental quality, health and safety performance, and 
ethical sourcing of materials.
Communicate EHS policies and programs to Apple 
employees and stakeholders, and ensure suppliers 
operate in accordance with Apple’s Supplier Code 
of Conduct. Supplier Responsibility resources 
and Supplier Code of Conduct are available 
at apple.com/supplier-responsibility.
Strive to create products that are safe in their intended 
use, conserve energy and materials, and prevent pollution 
throughout the product life cycle, including design, 
manufacture, use, and end-of-life management.
Pursue continual improvement through the evaluation 
of our EHS performance by monitoring ongoing 
performance results and through periodic management 
reviews, as well as a commitment to correcting 
EHS nonconformities.
Ensure that all employees are aware of their role 
and responsibility to fulfill and sustain Apple’s EHS 
management systems and policy by providing training 
and tools in the user’s primary language.
Luca Maestri
Senior Vice President and CFO
February 2023
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Appendix

Appendix F
ISO 14001 
certification
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Appendix

CERT-067.14001: MMA IQNet NSAI 14001 2015 A4 (1) 
 
CERTIFICATE 
NSAI has issued an IQNet recognised certificate that the organisation: 
 
Apple Operations Europe 
Hollyhill Industrial Estate 
Hollyhill 
Cork 
Ireland 
 
has implemented and maintains a 
 
Environmental Management System 
 
for the following scope: 
 
The management of all EMEA operational activities related to manufacturing, sales, 
delivery and after sales support for direct retail and channel customers. 
 
which fulfils the requirements of the following standard: 
 
I.S. EN ISO 14001:2015 
 
Issued on: 14 July 2021 
First issued on: 20 March 2001 
Expires on: 10 July 2024 
 
This attestation is directly linked to the IQNet Partner’s original certificate and shall not be 
used as a stand-alone document 
 
Registration Number: IE-14.0202 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alex Stoichitoiu 
President of IQNet 
 
 Stewart Hickey 
Head – Business Excellence, NSAI 
 
IQNet Partners*: 
AENOR Spain  AFNOR Certification France   APCER Portugal  CCC Cyprus  CISQ Italy   CQC China  CQM China  CQS Czech 
Republic  Cro Cert Croatia  DQS Holding GmbH Germany  FCAV Brazil  FONDONORMA Venezuela  ICONTEC Colombia   
Inspecta Sertifiointi Oy Finland  INTECO Costa Rica  IRAM Argentina  JQA Japan  KFQ Korea  MIRTEC Greece  MSZT Hungary  
Nemko AS Norway  NSAI Ireland  NYCE-SIGE México  PCBC Poland  Quality Austria Austria  RR Russia  SII Israel  SIQ Slovenia   
SIRIM QAS International Malaysia  SQS Switzerland  SRAC Romania  TEST St Petersburg Russia  TSE Turkey  YUQS Serbia 
IQNet is represented in the USA by: AFNOR Certification, CISQ, DQS Holding GmbH and NSAI Inc. 
 
** The list of IQNet partners is valid at the time of issue of this certificate. Updated information is available under www.iqnet-
certification.com 
 
 
CERT-161 WM: 14001 2015 INAB (3) 
 
 
Certificate of Registration 
of Environmental Management 
System to I.S. EN ISO 14001:2015 
Apple Operations Europe 
Hollyhill Industrial Estate 
Hollyhill 
Cork 
Ireland 
  
NSAI certifies that the aforementioned company has been assessed and 
deemed to comply with the provisions of the standard referred to above in 
respect of:- 
 
The management of all EMEA operational activities related to manufacturing, 
sales, delivery and after sales support for direct retail and channel customers  
 
 
  
Approved by: 
Stewart Hickey 
Head - Business Excellence, NSAI 
 
 
 
Registration Number: 14.0202 
Original Registration: 20 March 2001 
Last amended on:  14 July 2021 
Valid from: 14 July 2021 
Remains valid to: 10 July 2024 
 
This certificate remains valid on condition 
that the Approved Environmental 
Management System is maintained in an 
adequate and efficacious manner.   NSAI is a 
partner of IQNet – the international 
certification network (www.iqnet-
certification.com) 
Partner of 
 
 
All valid certifications are listed on NSAI’s website – www.nsai.ie.  The continued validity of this certificate 
may be verified under “Certified Company Search” 
 
NSAI (National Standards Authority of Ireland), 1 Swift Square, Northwood, Santry, Dublin 9, Ireland T +353 1 807 3800 E: info@nsai.ie www.nsai.ie 
 
Appendix F
ISO 14001 
certification
Apple operates manufacturing facilities in Cork, Ireland. 
We certify 100 percent of these facilities with ISO 14001.
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Appendix

Report notes
About this report
This report is published annually, typically in April, and 
focuses primarily on fiscal year activities. This report 
addresses environmental impacts and activities at Apple 
facilities (corporate offices, data centers, and retail stores), 
as well as the life cycle impacts of our products, including 
in the manufacturing, transportation, use, and end-of-
life phases. To provide feedback on this report, please 
contact environment-report@apple.com.
Reporting year
We track our environmental progress based on Apple’s 
fiscal year. All references to a year throughout the report 
refer to Apple’s fiscal years, unless “calendar year” is 
specified. Apple’s fiscal year is the 52- or 53-week period 
that ends on the last Saturday of September.
Data assurance
We obtain third-party verification for some of the 
information in this report from Apex Companies and 
the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany (as denoted 
in Appendix D). Data in this report, including data 
or verification from third parties, reflects estimates 
using methodologies and assumptions believed 
to be reasonable and accurate. Those estimates, 
methodologies, and assumptions may change in the 
future as a result of new information or subsequent 
developments. In addition, the bulk of Apple’s recycled 
content data is certified and thus verified by an 
independent third party. Less than 5 percent of the total 
mass shipped in Apple products in fiscal year 2022 is 
recycled content data that is either supplier verified, 
meaning it has been reported by the supplier and cross-
checked by Apple, or supplier reported, meaning it has 
been reported by the supplier based on production and 
allocation values. In all cases, Apple defines recycled 
content in alignment with ISO 14021. Product claims are 
made as of the launch date of those individual products, 
and they are accurate as of product launch.
Forward-looking statements
The report does not cover all information about our 
business. References in this report to information should 
not be construed as a characterization regarding the 
materiality of such information to our financial results or 
for purposes of the U.S. securities laws. While certain 
matters discussed in this report may be significant, 
any significance should not be read as necessarily 
rising to the level of materiality used for the purposes 
of complying with the U.S. federal securities laws and 
regulations. The information covered by the report 
contains forward-looking statements within the meaning 
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, 
including statements regarding our environmental goals, 
commitments, and strategies and related business and 
stakeholder impacts. Forward-looking statements can 
be identified by words such as “future,” “anticipates,” 
“believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” 
“predicts,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “can,” “may,” “aim,” 
“strive,” and similar terms. These statements involve risks 
and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially 
from any future results expressed or implied by the 
forward-looking statements.
These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, 
any failure to meet stated environmental targets, goals, 
and commitments, and execute our strategies in the time 
frame expected or at all, global sociodemographic and 
economic trends, changing government regulations, 
technological innovations, climate-related conditions 
and weather events, our ability to gather and verify data 
regarding environmental impacts, the compliance of 
various third parties with our policies and procedures, and 
our expansion into new products, services, technologies, 
and geographic regions. More information on risks, 
uncertainties, and other potential factors that could affect 
our business and performance is included in our filings 
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 
including in the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s 
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and 
Results of Operations” sections of the company’s most 
recently filed periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 
10-Q and subsequent filings. Further, from time to time 
we engage in various initiatives (including voluntary 
disclosures, policies, and programs), but we cannot 
guarantee that these initiatives will have the desired 
effect. We assume no obligation, and expressly disclaim 
any duty (including in response to new or changed 
information) to update any forward-looking statements 
or information, which speak as of their respective 
dates. Readers should not place undue reliance on 
the forward-looking statements made in this report. 
Moreover, many of the assumptions, standards, metrics, 
and measurements used in preparing this report continue 
to evolve and are based on assumptions believed to be 
reasonable at the time of preparation, but should not be 
considered guarantees. Given the inherent uncertainty 
of the estimates, assumptions, and timelines contained 
in this report, we may not be able to anticipate whether, 
or the degree to which, we will be able to meet our plans, 
targets, or goals in advance.
For more information
Respect for human rights shapes how we make our 
products and services. Our responsibilities go beyond our 
stores and corporate offices: They extend to our supply 
chain, the communities we’re a part of, and the planet we 
all share. Read Our Commitment to Human Rights.
Apple’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative aims to help 
dismantle systemic barriers to opportunity and combat 
injustices faced by communities of color.
Read more about our work to uphold the highest 
standards of labor and human rights, health and safety, 
and environmental stewardship across our global supply 
chain in our People and Environment in Our Supply Chain 
2023 Annual Progress Report.
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Appendix

Climate Change
Introduction
End notes
7	
We plan to reach carbon neutrality beginning with our fiscal year 2030 
carbon footprint.
8	
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), “Summary for 
Policymakers of IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C 
approved by governments,” press release, www.ipcc.ch/2018/10/08/
summary-for-policymakers-of-ipcc-special-report-on-global-
warming-of-1-5c-approved-by-governments.
9	
Corporate emissions include scope 1 and 2 emissions from Apple 
retail stores, corporate offices, Apple-owned and colocated data 
centers, and Apple-produced digital content for Apple One services, 
as well as scope 3 emissions associated with business travel, 
employee commute, work from home, upstream impacts from scope 1 
fuels, and use of third-party cloud services.
10	 Refer to Appendix A for a description of our methodology for 
calculating life cycle carbon emissions.
11	 The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has validated the following 
emissions reduction target for Apple: 61.7 percent by fiscal year 2030 
relative to our fiscal year 2019 emissions. This SBTi-validated target 
is derived from our target to reduce emissions by 75 percent by fiscal 
year 2030 relative to 2015, with a base year of 2019 instead. Our SBTi 
target excludes less than 3 percent of scope 1 and 2 emissions in the 
base year, including fire suppressants, refrigerant leakage, purchased 
or landlord-provided steam and chilled water, and certain greenhouse 
gases (HFC, PFC, SF6, and NF3), which do not meet Apple’s 
relevance threshold. In addition, our SBTi target excludes the following 
scope 3 categories, which collectively are approximately 10 percent 
of our base year scope 3 emissions: “capital goods” due to limited 
data availability, which limits our ability to influence these emissions, 
as well as “fuel and energy related activities” and “waste generated in 
operations,” as these emissions are negligible.
12	 Gross carbon footprint refers to Apple’s carbon footprint before 
applying carbon offsets. Our net carbon footprint incorporates 
carbon offsets.
13	 Testing was done under the condition of streaming 4K movies 
played on Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) with the Siri Remote from 
the Apple TV app.
14	 Based on sales-weighted averages of Mac, iPad, iPhone, 
Apple Watch, Apple TV, HomePod, AirPods, and Beats.
15	 Eligible products are those in a product category for which 
ENERGY STAR certification exists. For more information, visit 
www.energystar.gov. ENERGY STAR and the ENERGY STAR mark 
are registered trademarks owned by the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency.
16	 Apple lists eligible products sold in the United States and Canada 
on the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) 
Registry. Eligible products are those in a product category for which 
EPEAT registration exists, including desktop computers, notebook 
computers, computer displays, mobile phones, and tablets. For more 
information, visit www.epeat.net.
17	 Testing was done under the condition of streaming 4K movies played 
on Apple TV 4K with the Siri Remote from the Apple TV app.
18	 Testing was conducted by Apple in February 2022 using 
preproduction Mac Studio systems with Apple M1 Ultra with 20-core 
CPU and 64-core GPU. Power was measured using a representative 
workload in a commercial application. High-end PC desktop data 
comes from testing Alienware Aurora R13 with Core i9-12900KF and 
GeForce RTX 3090. Performance tests are conducted using specific 
computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of 
Mac Studio.
19	 Efficiency performance is based on the U.S. Department of Energy 
Federal Energy Conservation Standards for Battery Chargers. The 
energy efficiency values are based on the following conditions:
• Power adapter, no load: Condition in which the Apple USB Power 
Adapter with the USB-C to Lightning Cable (1 m) is connected to 
AC power but not connected to iPhone
• Power adapter efficiency: Average of the Apple 20W USB Power 
Adapter with the USB-C to Lightning Cable (1 m) measured efficiency 
when tested at 100 percent, 75 percent, 50 percent, and 25 percent of 
the power adapter’s rated output current
20	 Apple began sourcing 100 percent renewable electricity for its 
corporate operations on January 1, 2018.
21 	 Apple’s independent assurance provider for the Supplier Clean 
Energy Program conducts work against standard procedures and 
guidelines for external verification of sustainability reports, based 
on current best practice in independent assurance. The procedures 
are based on principles and methods described in International 
Standard on Assurance Engagements (ISAE) 3000 (Revised), 
Assurance Engagements Other than Audits or Reviews of Historical 
Financial Information (Effective for assurance reports dated on or 
after December 15, 2015), issued by the International Auditing and 
Assurance Standards Board, and ISO 14064-3:2019, Greenhouse 
gases — Part 3: Specification with guidance for the verification and 
validation of greenhouse gas statements.
22 	Our use of the term RECs covers renewable energy certificates and 
similar certifications around the world, such as Guarantees of Origin 
(GOs) in Europe, Large-Scale Generation Certificates (LGCs) in 
Australia, and Green Electricity Certificates (GECs) in China.
23 	2021 renewable electricity figures associated with Apple’s Supplier 
Clean Energy Program do not include REC purchases that Apple made 
to address a small increase to its carbon footprint. When accounting 
for the REC purchases, the total renewable energy online in Apple’s 
supply chain was 10.6 gigawatts, generating 18.6 million megawatt-
hours and avoiding 14.2 million metric tons of carbon emissions.
24	 ELYSIS was used in the production of the 16-inch MacBook Pro that 
was released in 2019. The 16-inch MacBook Pro released in 2021 now 
features a 100 percent recycled aluminum enclosure.
1 	 Apple is carbon neutral for corporate emissions, which include scope 
1 and 2 emissions, as well as scope 3 emissions from employee travel, 
business commute, work from home, and third-party cloud services.
2 	 Apple follows the GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting 
Standard (GHG Protocol) to calculate value chain emissions. The 
GHG Protocol defines scope 1 emissions as direct greenhouse gas 
emissions that occur from sources that are owned or controlled by 
the company; scope 2 emissions as the indirect greenhouse gas 
emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heat, 
and cooling consumed by the company; and scope 3 emissions as all 
“other indirect emissions” that occur in the value chain of the reporting 
company, including both upstream and downstream emissions. Apple 
sets an operational boundary for its emissions and excludes the 
following scope 3 categories, as defined by the GHG Protocol, which 
collectively make up less than 10 percent of our 2015 base year scope 
3 emissions: “capital goods” due to limited data availability, which 
limits our ability to influence these emissions, and “waste generated in 
operations,” as these emissions are negligible.
3 	 Apple reports data about the recycled content of its products at 
different levels of fidelity, based on the level of independent data 
verification. The bulk of Apple’s recycled content data is certified and 
thus verified by an independent third party. Less than 5 percent of 
the total mass shipped in Apple products in fiscal year 2022 contains 
recycled content that is either supplier verified, meaning it has been 
reported by the supplier and cross-checked by Apple, or supplier 
reported, meaning it has been reported by the supplier based 
on production and allocation values. In all cases, Apple defines 
recycled content in alignment with ISO 14021. We do not currently 
include industry-average recycled content, which may result in 
underreporting actual recycled content. Total recycled material 
shipped in products is driven by product material composition and 
total sales — as a result, this overall recycled or renewable content 
percentage may fluctuate based on the number and type of products 
sold each year. 
4 	 Renewable electricity refers to fossil fuel–free sources of energy, like 
wind, solar, and low-impact hydroelectricity projects. Clean electricity 
refers to both renewable electricity as well as other projects that 
Apple considers “low carbon” but not “renewable,” like nuclear and 
large-impact hydroelectricity projects, which may be included as a 
result of low-carbon electricity provided by the grid.
5 	 We plan to reach carbon neutrality beginning with our fiscal year 2030 
carbon footprint.
6 	 Beginning in fiscal year 2025, we plan to eliminate plastic 
from our packaging. Apple’s goal to eliminate plastic from our 
packaging includes retail bags, all finished goods boxes (including 
plastic content in labels and in-box documentation), packaging sent 
to our customers as part of Apple Trade In, AppleCare packaging 
for whole units and service modules (with the exception of plastics 
needed to protect items from electrostatic discharge), and secondary 
packaging of Apple products and accessories sold by Apple. Our 
goal does not include the inks, coatings, or adhesives used in our 
packaging. We plan to eliminate plastic from the packaging of 
refurbished Apple products by 2027, once old product packaging 
designs are phased out.
Resources
27 	Apple reports data about the recycled content of its products at 
different levels of fidelity, based on the level of independent data 
verification. The bulk of Apple’s recycled content data is certified 
and thus verified by an independent third party. Less than 5 percent 
of the total mass shipped in Apple products in fiscal year 2022 
contains recycled content that is either supplier verified, meaning 
it has been reported by the supplier and cross-checked by Apple, 
or supplier reported, meaning it has been reported by the supplier 
based on production and allocation values. In all cases, Apple defines 
recycled content in alignment with ISO 14021. We do not currently 
include industry-average recycled content, which may result in 
underreporting actual recycled content. Total recycled material 
shipped in products is driven by product material composition and 
total sales — as a result, this overall recycled or renewable content 
percentage may fluctuate based on the number and type of products 
sold each year. 
28 	Beginning in fiscal year 2025, we plan to use 100 percent recycled 
cobalt in all Apple-designed batteries (on a mass-balance basis), 
100 percent recycled tin soldering and 100 percent recycled gold 
plating of all Apple-designed rigid and flexible printed circuit boards, 
and 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets. We 
calculate our use of recycled cobalt on a mass-balance basis at the 
end of each fiscal year.
29 	Apple’s goal to eliminate plastic from our packaging includes retail 
bags, all finished goods boxes (including plastic content in labels 
and in-box documentation), packaging sent to our customers as part 
of Apple Trade In, AppleCare packaging for whole units and service 
modules (with the exception of plastics needed to protect items from 
electrostatic discharge), and secondary packaging of Apple products 
and accessories sold by Apple. Our goal does not include the inks, 
coatings, or adhesives used in our packaging. We plan to eliminate 
plastic from the packaging of refurbished Apple products by 2027, 
once old product packaging designs are phased out.
30 	We currently do not account for industry average recycled content, 
and therefore it is likely that far more than 4 percent recycled gold 
exists in Apple’s supply chains today. Apple’s focus is on creating 
certified and ethical sources of recycled gold.
31	 Apple reports data about the recycled content of its products at 
different levels of fidelity, based on the level of independent data 
verification. The bulk of Apple’s recycled content data is certified 
and thus verified by an independent third party. Less than 5 percent 
of the total mass shipped in Apple products in fiscal year 2022 
contains recycled content that is either supplier verified, meaning 
it has been reported by the supplier and cross-checked by Apple, 
or supplier reported, meaning it has been reported by the supplier 
based on production and allocation values. In all cases, Apple defines 
recycled content in alignment with ISO 14021. We do not currently 
include industry-average recycled content, which may result in 
underreporting actual recycled content. Total recycled material 
shipped in products is driven by product material composition and 
total sales — as a result, this overall recycled or renewable content 
percentage may fluctuate based on the number and type of products 
sold each year. 
25 	Based on the methodology Apple uses to calculate transportation 
emissions, which is regularly reviewed by a third party, 
Fraunhofer IZM.
26	 Rogelj, J., D. Shindell, K. Jiang, S. Fifita, P. Forster, V. Ginzburg, C. 
Handa, H. Kheshgi, S. Kobayashi, E. Kriegler, L. Mundaca, 
R. Séférian, and M.V.Vilariño, 2018: “Mitigation Pathways Compatible 
with 1.5°C in the Context of Sustainable Development.” 
In: Global Warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC Special Report on the impacts 
of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related 
global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of 
strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, 
sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty [Masson-
Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, H.-O. Pörtner, D. Roberts, J. Skea, P.R. Shukla, 
A. Pirani, W. Moufouma-Okia, C. Péan, R. Pidcock, S. Connors, J.B.R. 
Matthews, Y. Chen, X. Zhou, M.I. Gomis, E. Lonnoy, T. Maycock, M. 
Tignor, and T. Waterfield (eds.)]. In Press. www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/
uploads/sites/2/2019/02/SR15_Chapter2_Low_Res.pdf.
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Introduction 
Appendix

42	 This statistic compares the carbon footprint of aluminum from 
recycled sources with primary aluminum smelted with electricity 
generated from coal.
43 	Apple’s commitment is to use 100 percent recycled cobalt, on a mass 
balance–system basis, in all Apple-designed batteries beginning in 
fiscal year 2025. We calculate our use of recycled cobalt on a mass 
balance–system basis at the end of each fiscal year.
44 	Apple’s commitment is to use 100 percent recycled tin soldering and 
gold plating in all Apple-designed rigid and flexible printed circuit 
boards beginning in fiscal year 2025.
45 	This achievement was made in 2023 and is not reflected in the total 
estimated recycled content, which captures fiscal year 2022 data.
46	 Apple’s commitment is to use 100 percent recycled rare earth 
elements in all magnets beginning in fiscal year 2025.
47 	Apple’s commitment is to use 100 percent recycled tin soldering and 
gold plating in all Apple-designed rigid and flexible printed circuit 
boards beginning in fiscal year 2025.
48	 Beginning in fiscal year 2025, we plan to eliminate plastic from our  
packaging. Apple’s goal to eliminate plastic from our packaging 
includes retail bags, all finished goods boxes (including plastic 
content in labels and in-box documentation), packaging sent to our 
customers as part of Apple Trade In, AppleCare packaging for whole 
units and service modules (with the exception of plastics needed to 
protect items from electrostatic discharge), and secondary packaging 
of Apple products and accessories sold by Apple. Our goal does 
not include the inks, coatings, or adhesives used in our packaging. 
We plan to eliminate plastic from the packaging of refurbished 
Apple products by 2027, once old product packaging designs are 
phased out.
49 	Breakdown of U.S. retail packaging by weight. Adhesives, inks, and 
coatings are excluded from our calculations of plastic content and 
packaging weight.
50 	Refers to retail packaging.
51 	 Estimation of avoided plastics, paper, and carbon emissions are based 
on weight of materials per unit and projected sales data. 
52 	Estimation of avoided plastics, paper, and carbon emissions are based 
on weight of materials per unit and projected sales data. 
53 	Our packaging design guidelines apply to retail packaging 
and shippers, and  exclude plastic-based components, wraps, 
and adhesives.
54 	Based on expected equivalent fiber production from our forestry 
projects and virgin fiber used for Apple product packaging. To 
determine the output of Apple’s projects, we work with our partners 
to understand the productive potential of these working forests. The 
forest management plans required to achieve or maintain certification 
limit harvest volumes to sustainable levels. We use these potential 
harvest volumes to estimate the sustainable productive capacity of 
these forests.
55 	According to “2021–2022’s Phone Depreciation Report” published 
by BankMyCell, a website that tracks the trade-in and sale value of 
technology products.
56 	This applies specifically to our U.S.-based Trade In program.
57 	MIL-STD 810H is a certification for military equipment. Tested 
categories include: Altitude, High Temperature, Low Temperature, 
Temperature Shock, Immersion, Freeze/Thaw, Shock, Vibration.
58	 Estimated based on rock-to-metal ratios from USGS — a change 
from our previous report, which used ore-to-metal ratios — and on 
recovery rates from iPhone main logic boards and flexes.
59	 Apple is willing to license five patents relating to Daisy and certain 
other associated intellectual property on reasonable, royalty-
free terms.
60 	Apple’s commitment is to use 100 percent recycled cobalt, on a mass 
balance–system basis, in all Apple-designed batteries beginning in 
fiscal year 2025. We calculate our use of recycled cobalt on a mass 
balance–system basis at the end of each fiscal year.
61 	We define high stress as areas with high or extremely high overall 
water stress based on the WRI Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas tool and 
refined by additional local knowledge and research.
62 	We calculate water discharge based on known evaporation, from 
activities like cooling and irrigation. For sites where these evaporative 
activities are not present, we estimate that water withdrawn is 
returned to municipal systems. We estimate our margin of error to be 
approximately 10 percent, and we will continue to update our model 
with new sources of data.
63 	Based on previous estimated consumption and observed use patterns 
of nearby facilities.
64 	These savings do not include reduction in water use from facility 
closures and reduced occupancy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
We consider those savings temporary, and we acknowledge that the 
water use was transferred to employees’ homes.
65 	These savings are based on data observed from pilot operations.
66 	We account for savings through this program on a fiscal-year basis, 
rather than a calendar-year basis as reported in publications before 
fiscal year 2021.
67 	Per the WRI Volumetric Benefit Accounting methodology.
68	 Waste diversion rates do not include construction and demolition 
waste or electronic waste for fiscal year 2022. Electronic waste is 
accounted for in the total metric tons of electronic waste that we sent 
to recycling, found on page 83.
69 	These sites have been third-party verified by UL Solutions against 
the UL 2799 Zero Waste to Landfill Environmental Claim Validation 
Procedure (ECVP). UL Solutions requires at least 90 percent diversion 
through methods other than waste-to-energy to achieve Zero Waste 
to Landfill (Silver: 90–94 percent, Gold: 95–99 percent, and Platinum: 
100 percent) designations.
© 2023 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Restore 
Fund, and Power for Impact are trademarks of Apple Inc. Beats is a 
trademark of Beats Electronics, LLC., registered in the U.S. and other 
countries and regions. iOS is a trademark or registered trademark of Cisco 
in the U.S. and other countries and is used under license. ENERGY STAR 
and the ENERGY STAR mark are registered trademarks owned by the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency. Other product and company names 
mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.
Resources continued
32 	Recycled cobalt is used in all Apple-designed batteries across iPhone, 
iPad, and Mac devices and is accounted for on a mass balance–
system basis.
33 	Since publishing the “Material Impact Profiles” white paper, we’ve 
expanded our analysis to include biodiversity factors.
34 	In Apple’s 2022 Environmental Progress Report, we stated that the 
14 priority materials account for 90 percent of the total product mass 
shipped. For fiscal year 2022, Apple has improved its internal data 
models, resulting in an increase in the total product mass shipped, 
thereby reducing the coverage of our priority materials to 87 percent 
of the total product mass shipped.
35 	Recycling makes better use of finite resources by sourcing from 
recovered, rather than mined, materials. Apple defines recycled 
content in alignment with ISO 14021.
36 	We define biomaterials as those that can be regenerated in a human 
lifespan, like paper fibers and sugarcane. Biomaterials can help us 
use fewer finite resources. But even though biomaterials can regrow, 
they’re not always managed responsibly. Renewable materials are 
a type of biomaterial managed in a way that enables continuous 
production without depleting the earth’s resources. That’s why we 
focus on sources that are certified for their management practices.
37	 Apple reports data about the recycled content of its products at 
different levels of fidelity, based on the level of independent data 
verification. The bulk of Apple’s recycled content data is certified 
and thus verified by an independent third party. Less than 5 percent 
of the total mass shipped in Apple products in fiscal year 2022 
contains recycled content that is either supplier verified, meaning 
it has been reported by the supplier and cross-checked by Apple, 
or supplier reported, meaning it has been reported by the supplier 
based on production and allocation values. In all cases, Apple defines 
recycled content in alignment with ISO 14021. We do not currently 
include industry-average recycled content, which may result in 
underreporting actual recycled content. Total recycled material 
shipped in products is driven by product material composition and 
total sales — as a result, this overall recycled or renewable content 
percentage may fluctuate based on the number and type of products 
sold each year. 
38 	Apple’s commitment is to use 100 percent recycled cobalt, on a mass 
balance–system basis, in all Apple-designed batteries beginning in 
fiscal year 2025. We calculate our use of recycled cobalt on a mass 
balance–system basis at the end of each fiscal year.
39 	Apple’s commitment is to use 100 percent recycled tin soldering and 
gold plating in all Apple-designed rigid and flexible printed circuit 
boards beginning in fiscal year 2025.
40	 Apple’s commitment is to use 100 percent recycled rare earth 
elements in all magnets beginning in fiscal year 2025.
41 	To account for recycled aluminum, we leverage third-party certified 
recycled aluminum data, as well as supplier verified data, meaning it 
has been reported by the supplier and cross-checked by Apple.
70 	Our Mesa and Prineville data centers are third-party certified 
as Zero Waste by USGBC TRUE, receiving their certifications in 
2021 and 2020, respectively. TRUE requires 90 percent diversion 
or higher from the landfill without the use of waste-to-energy to 
achieve the TRUE-certified project designation.
71 	 All established final assembly supplier sites — or those that have 
been Apple suppliers for more than one year — for iPhone, iPad, 
Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, HomePod, Apple TV, and Beats are 
third-party verified as Zero Waste by UL Solutions (UL 2799 
Zero Waste to Landfill Environmental Claim Validation Procedure 
(ECVP). UL Solutions requires at least 90 percent diversion 
through methods other than waste-to-energy to achieve Zero 
Waste to Landfill (Silver: 90–94 percent, Gold: 95–99 percent, 
and Platinum: 100 percent) designations.
72 	These sites have been third-party verified by UL Solutions against 
the UL 2799 Zero Waste to Landfill Environmental Claim Validation 
Procedure (ECVP). UL Solutions requires at least 90 percent 
diversion through methods other than waste-to-energy to 
achieve Zero Waste to Landfill (Silver: 90–94 percent, Gold: 
95–99 percent, and Platinum: 100 percent) designations.
2023 Environmental Progress Report 114
Climate Change
Resources
Smarter Chemistry
Engagement and Advocacy
Introduction 
Appendix