HP, Inc. Palo Alto

Environmental stewardship is a priority at HP, which has integrated waste reduction solutions throughout its operations, including implementing sustainable procurement practices, the use of reusables in its cafeterias and central composting and recycling collection at all its facilities. At its corporate headquarters, HP has worked closely with the City of Palo Alto and GreenWaste Recovery Inc. to significantly lower its waste diversion rates and operational costs.

Key zero waste achievements at the Palo Alto campus include:

• Sorting waste to maximize recycling and composting of materials equates to about 96% of waste on campus being diverted from landfills.
• Recycling, composting and decreasing waste sent to landfills has resulted in HP reducing waste hauling costs by more than 20% over the past two years.
• Implementing sustainable practices to reduce cafeteria and catering waste, including reusables cutlery and flatware, eliminating single-use plastics in favor of compostables and reusables, donating leftover food from cafeterias.
• Deploying reuse programs to extend the life of office supplies, furnishings and computer equipment.
• Hosting employee engagement events, developing educational materials related to the principles of zero waste and starting a new community garden to grow food and herbs for use in the cafeteria.
• Installed more “zero waste” collection points throughout the campus and eliminated desk side recycling and garbage containers. This has helped decrease our recycling contamination by 20% and resulted in increased awareness about recycling and composting sorting.
• Earth Day campaign to eliminate single use plastic water bottles from our campus and installed more water filter stations to use and offer alternative to plastic water bottles, including reusable drink options in catering and cafeteria and glass/aluminum alternatives. Nearly 500 Palo Alto campus employees have pledged to use reusable bottles instead of single use plastic for Earth Day. This campaign has reached all of our 200 HP facilities globally as well.