Team Post #1 - Dell, Inc. On Marketing and Society

On the Dell webpage entitled, Commitment , it clearly states that Dell is committed to being a socially responsible corporation in the global marketplace. I was interested to see what kind of recognition Dell has received in being a good corporate citizen. I found that Business Ethics Magazine has awarded Dell the Environmental Progress Award for "responding to stakeholder concerns with industry-leading computer-recycling initiatives. According to the article in Business Ethics Magazine, for years, there had been a lack of accountability for the safe recycling of computer equipment, which is a serious issue because personal computers contain dangerous elements that if not properly handled, can be a threat to the environment and public health. In 2001, the socially responsible investing (SRI) community engaged in a dialogue with the four largest computer manufacturers - HP, IBM, Apple, and Dell - regarding their efforts in safe computer recycling. Dell, with the advantage of being a newer company and without an established environmental infrastructure, worked with SRI in building the internal infrastructure for a long-term commitment to recycling and emerged as the market leader.

In our Principles of Marketing (POM) textbook, on page 642, Kotler talks about how more and more companies are adopting policies of environmental sustainability, which is "developing strategies that both sustain the environment and produce profits for the company." There is a grid (page 643) that companies can use to gauge their progress toward environmental sustainability. According to Dell's comprehensive Environmental Policy, it seems that Dell has addressed all four levels of the grid:

1) Pollution Prevention (page 643) - Dell aims to operate their facilities to minimize harmful impacts on the environment by placing a high priority on waste minimization, recycling and reuse programs and pollution prevention. According to Business Ethics Magazine, "reclaimed materials are sent to metal, plastics, and glass recyclers that meet federal, state, and local requirements. Ninety-eight percent of these materials are reclaimed and reused somewhere along the supply chain."

2) Product Stewardship (page 645) - Dell has adopted a design for environment (DFE) program in which Dell incorporates environmental attributes - such as reduction of environmentally sensitive materials, extension of product life span, and utilization of parts that can be reused, resold, or recycled - into their product development.

3) New Environmental Technologies (page 646) - Dell has been working on and implementing new programs with regard to emissions reduction and reduction in energy consumption.

4) Sustainability Vision (page 646) - Dell's mission is to "fully integrate environmental stewardship into the business of providing quality products, best-in-class services, and the best customer experience at the best value." Dell's full 2005 sustainability report can be found here.

From browsing through Dell's numerous webpages, I am pleased by the wealth of information that is available with regard to how Dell is continually improving its technologies and practices to operate with more care for the environment. I am also pleased by Dell's response to the criticism it had received from environmentalists. In 2004, the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC) gave Dell a score of just 52.5 out of a possible 100 for computer take-back and related policies. In response, Dell has announced its aggressive aim of a 50 percent increase in global product recovery, making it the first company to publicly release a computer recycling goal. This shows that Dell understands that with being the global market leader, comes a great responsibility to society. Dell is well on its way in making progress toward environmental sustainability.