Lexmark strives to be a responsible neighbor and employer through good management practices that help us reduce our environmental impact, improve workplace safety, promote our employees’ health and well-being, and provide opportunities for us to contribute to the quality of life in the communities where we live and work.
As a leader in environmental protection, Lexmark is committed to building partnerships with key stakeholders and our local communities. Through our work with industry groups, we help to guide the formation of standards and guiding principles of environmental sustainability. Our memberships include the Electronics Industry Alliance-Environmental Issues Council (EIA-EIC), American Electronics Association in Europe (AeA Europe), the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). We are also a member of the European Information & Communications Technology Association (EICTA) and active participants in the implementation of the European Union Energy Using Product Directive (EuP) and the Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals Directive (REACH), balancing the need for innovative technologies with the needs for the environment.
These and other memberships allow us to continuously and proactively address global environmental challenges for our industry groups and support the environmental interests of our customers. We believe that environmental protection is a shared responsibility and we strive to proactively educate our customers on environmental regulations and standards.
Good environmental performance is not just a legal or moral obligation. It also makes good business sense. Reducing pollution means increasing efficiency and wasting fewer resources. Improved health and safety conditions result in a more productive workforce. And supplying goods and services that respect the environment helps to expand markets and improve sales.
At Lexmark, we believe that good management practices are the foundation of being an environmentally responsible neighbor and employer.
ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 are voluntary standards that guide organizations in establishing management systems for their businesses. ISO 14001 provides a framework for environmental management, while OHSAS 18001 provides a framework for employee health and safety.
All of Lexmark’s global manufacturing facilities have achieved ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certification:
Lexmark routinely conducts environmental, health and safety compliance audits at our manufacturing and research and development facilities. The compliance audits complement ISO and OHSAS conformance audits and self-assessments and are used to improve our internal processes and promote best practices across our operations. Audit results are included in the review of our environmental, health and safety performance with Lexmark executive management and Lexmark's Board of Directors.
Industry Average - 2.3 cases per 100 full-time employees
Employee wellness
Lexmark has a proactive approach to employee well-being, focusing on programs of preventive care, healthy lifestyle choices and raising awareness. Examples of health and wellness programs include early diagnosis and health screenings, immunizations, nutrition and weight counseling, fitness center discounts, travel clinics, substance abuse assistance and stress management assistance. Lexmark also offers educational opportunities through seminars that encourage employees to take responsibility for their health.
Our commitment to wellness extends to the communities in which we live and work. For example, in 2005, Lexmark Philippines held a medical and dental mission in Talisay City, Cebu, to provide a thorough medical and dental examination for children who did not have medical records.
Electronics Industry Code of Conduct (EICC)
In 2007 Lexmark adopted the Electronics Industry Code of Conduct, a code of best practices for improving conditions in the electronics supply chain. EICC Group members are focused on achieving high standards of performance in five key areas: labor, health and safety, environmental, management systems, and ethics.
Lexmark has remained on the FTSE4GOOD Global Index Series since 2001, the year the index was launched. FTSE4Good is an innovative series of real-time indices designed to reflect the performance of socially responsible equities. The series, created and managed by global index provider FTSE Group, covers five markets: UK, Europe, Japan, US and Global.
Lexmark builds partnerships with local communities for the prevention of air, water and land pollution. Our efforts include local assistance through donations of money, equipment and volunteers for projects such as tree plantings, litter clean-up days, environmental education programs and waste collection events. Since 2003, Lexmark has organised an annual global Earth Day celebration at our worldwide manufacturing facilities. Employees not only participate in our company-wide activities, but also partner with their local communities to promote environmental awareness through voluntary projects.
We also partner with cities and organizations to plan for emergencies, to help educate others on environmental safety and health issues, and to promote best practices. Lexmark's Orléans, France facility shared its ISO 14001 certification expertise with other companies by providing education and consultation to assist them in achieving their own certification. By pursuing such programs as community-based environmental partnerships and developing operational best practices, our goal is to provide a safe and healthy work environment while having a positive impact on the quality of life in the communities where we conduct business and in the world community.
Here's a snapshot of how we demonstrate our continuing global commitment to the environment by making ongoing voluntary investments in our communities at the local level.
Europe Middle East & Africa
France
Cartridge collection programme in partnership with CONIBI :
Back to 2002, Lexmark formed a partnership with the CONIBI Company, Consortium Industriel Bureautique Informatique, specialising in the recovery of computer consumables, to collect cartridges on-site from business customers and route them to Lexmark for remanufacturing or recycling. CONIBI guarantees total transparency and traceability of the treatment process.
Partnership with the French cancer ligue :
This “Atout Coeur” initiative associates our environmental efforts to Health protection. It targets our Business users: for each Lexmark cartridge collected for reuse or recycling, Lexmark is giving 1 euro to the French Cancer ligue to support teenagers in their daily fight for life.
Italy
LifeGate Impatto Zero, LifeGate Energy :
Since 2004, Lexmark’s teams in Italy have united with Lifegate, an eco-company that promotes environmental values for Italian businesses and consumers. Lexmark first partnered with Lifegate through its Impatto Zero project. After calculating the carbon footprint of their offices in Milan and Rome, Lexmark helped offset those emissions through its support of Lifegate’s replanting and safeguard programme. Lexmark contributed to re-planting 19 hectares of woods in Ticino’s area and more than 66 hectares in Costa Rica to absorb more than 500 tons of CO2 emission from 2004 to 2006. Globally Lexmark contributed to the replanting of more than 85 hectares of parks and woods. This is equivalent to more than 12,000 trees in Italy and Costa Rica.
In November 2006, Lexmark Italy furthered its collaboration with Lifegate, entering into an agreement to purchase renewable energy supplies through Lifegate Energy. Lexmark now uses energy provided by solar towers and kite wind generators. As a result, Lexmark Italy eliminated 106 tons of CO2 emissions in its first year.
Serra da Lousã, Portugal
Tree Planting Programs :
In 2005, Lexmark Portugal launched the “Adjudje-Nos a Plantar 1,000 Ávores” program, inviting others to join us in planting 1,000 trees in the mountainous hillsides of Serra da Lousã, a popular recreational area whose upper reaches are frequently blackened by forest fires. That successful effort was repeated in 2006, on Portugal’s National Tree Day, when more than 250 people, including Lexmark employees, customers, journalists and local government representatives, turned out to plant another 1,000 trees to help preserve this delicate landscape.
South Africa
Lexmark South Africa marked a milestone in its recycling program with Cartridge Recycling Initiative for Babies (CRIB), keeping thousands of cartridges out of landfills while helping children in need. In April 2006, CRIB donated the 25,000th "Baby Day" to Cotlands, a charity organization that offers housing and care to abandoned, abused, neglected and HIV-positive children from birth to six years of age throughout South Africa. Through the initiative, Lexmark recovers empty inkjet and toner cartridges from its customers, recycles them, and most importantly, makes a valuable contribution to Cotlands in the form of "Baby Days."
Switzerland
Energy-conservation policy :
Lexmark developed an integrated energy-conservation policy based on two major initiatives:
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Operations using clean energy, thanks to a collaboration with an electricity supplier who uses renewable resources, such as hydro-electricity.
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The implementation of an employee information programme to develop energy-saving habits, such as more moderate use of electricity, turning out lights and shutting off equipment when leaving the office, and using low-watt light bulbs and rechargeable batteries.
Turkey
For the 2008 “new year” gifts, Turkey initiated a very succesful campaign with the TEMA foundation. TEMA is a Non Governmental Organisation in Turkey, who is fighting against erosion and deforestation.
At this occasion, Lexmark Turkey financed the purchase of 1550 sapling. TEMA organised the planting of these young trees on behalf of Lexmark Turkey in the Tekirdag Forest. Lexmark’s customers and journalists received their trees certificate during a visit that has been organised to celebrate Lexmark commitment towards the environment.
United Kingdom
The Financial Times Security Exchange awarded Lexmark membership in the FTSE4 Good Index Series. This series of financial indices identifies companies that meet globally-recognized corporate responsibility standards, including commitment to environmental responsibility.
Americas
Boulder, Colo. - Lexmark facility
7,000 in Seven :
Employees who work at Lexmark’s toner manufacturing and research and development facility in Boulder, Colorado, rolled up their sleeves in 2007 to help the metropolitan Denver area reach its goal of planting 7,000 new trees in seven days between Earth Day and Arbor Day. In addition, our Boulder employees keep a 2.3-mile section of Highway 52 litter-free through their participation in the Adopt-A-Highway program and are helping to raise awareness of the dangers of nonpoint source pollution by marking storm water drains.
Brazil
In Brazil, our successful relationship with the Cinemark cinema chain encourages customers - with the incentive of free movie passes - to bring empty inkjet cartridges to collection centers at the theater.
Juárez and Chihuahua, Mexico - Lexmark facilities
Ongoing contributions of proceeds from recycling inkjet cartridge packaging and manufacturing waste materials help fund projects for children, the elderly and education.
Lexington, Ky. - Lexmark headquarters
Cane Run Creek Clean-Up :
In April 2007 Lexmark joined forces with the Lexington-Fayette County Urban County Government, the University of Kentucky, and local TV station WLEX 18, to conduct a waterway clean-up near Lexmark’s global headquarters in Lexington, Ky. Employee volunteers removed more than 20 cubic yards of garbage and debris from Cane Run Creek, which feeds into a watershed that supplies water to communities north of Lexington. The Cane Run Watershed Project is now an ongoing initiative, and Lexmark is continuing to help re-establish the riparian buffer along the stream banks within the watershed.
Reforest the Bluegrass :
Since 1999, Lexmark has been a co-sponsor of Reforest the Bluegrass, an annual urban forest and storm water management event. Volunteers have planted 150,000 tree seedlings in Lexington, which has been designated a Five Star Restoration Site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Asia
Cebu, Philippines - Lexmark facility
Lexmark held a medical and dental mission in Talisay City, Cebu, to provide a thorough medical and dental examination for children who did not have medical records. Lexmark’s workforce in Cebu, the Philippines, has been actively involved in rehabilitating coastal resources on nearby Olango Island since 2002. To date, Lexmark employees have reforested more than 12 acres (5 hectares) of mangroves on the island, home to a 2,275-acre wildlife sanctuary. In addition to providing wildlife habitat, mangroves are highly regarded for their ability to prevent shoreline erosion and mitigate the damage and loss of life caused by the destructive tsunami forces.
Malaysia and Thailand
Lexmark provided incentive programs for ink cartridge returns with donations going to charitable organizations and local schools, respectively, for cartridges collected.
Australia
Since 2003, Lexmark has worked with Planet Ark, an international, not-for-profit environmental organization on a cartridge collection program for Australia. The Cartridges 4 Planet Ark program is designed to keep used toner and inkjet cartridges out of the waste stream.
