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Apple's strict environmental goals are putting pressure on the company's global supply chains, DigiTimes reports.

apple-park-solar.jpg

In a paywalled report, DigiTimes claims that Apple's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 is putting pressure on its supply chain, with major suppliers such as TSMC scrambling to meet the company's demands. Sources speaking to DigiTimes said that TSMC was making slow progress toward carbon neutrality and is being forced to take more assertive action to reach its environmental goals.

TSMC supplies all of Apple's custom silicon chips for the Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The company is said to be concerned about the high cost of achieving net-zero carbon emissions and is finding it difficult to purchase enough green energy. Despite this, TSMC now sees its green credentials as key to its ability to stay competitive in the years ahead, with the tangential benefit of improving efficiency.

Just as Apple is compelling its suppliers to save energy and reduce carbon emissions, TSMC is putting the same pressure on its own supply chain. Several hundred factories in Taiwan singularly depend on TSMC for orders and the chip manufacturer has urged its suppliers to reduce their carbon footprint by using energy from renewable sources.

TSMC previously announced a 20 percent energy-savings goal for its supply chain by 2030, and now it has warned suppliers that they could lose orders if their processes are not considered to be green enough in the future. Some of the chip maker's suppliers that are themselves struggling to meet environmental goals have reportedly sought assistance from TSMC and external organizations.

While demand for TSMC's chips continues to expand, the push for green manufacturing and renewable energy procurement and the cost of carbon taxes and fees is significantly increasing production costs. As such, environmental goals are said to be "major risks" for TSMC's operations going forward.

Article Link: Apple Suppliers Struggling to Meet Environmental Goals
 

Mr. Dee

Suspended
Dec 4, 2003
5,990
12,801
Jamaica
If I were TSMC I would slap Apple and tell them ‘since you know it all, why don’t you tell us exactly what do and eat some of cost too?’ Apple’s business is what’s contributing, don’t build new iPhones and iPads and iMacs every year and TSMC would obviously become sustainable.
 

nylonsteel

macrumors 68000
Nov 5, 2010
1,524
481
re: pic
the spaceship looks alittle forlorn a bit lonely with workers working from home
 

now i see it

macrumors G4
Jan 2, 2002
10,481
21,808
It may not be possible to consume the same amount of energy we are used to using by using green energy only.

It may also not be possible to stop the downhill slide humans have tilted the global climate.

All evidence suggests that the earth is long down the path of the 6th global mass extinction.

just sayin.

Have a good day!
 

Adarna

Suspended
Jan 1, 2015
685
429
How about making those AirPod batteries replacable? There's a competitor that has already managed to do such thing with similar bluetooth earpods.

While they're at it, Apple could also make iPhones and Macbooks more repairable and upgradeable. After that they can start talking about using green energy etc.

How much heavier or bulkier are these rival earpods?

I'd love user replaceable batteries but will it mean physically larger and heavier laptops and smartphones?
 

Shirasaki

macrumors P6
May 16, 2015
15,136
10,155
So here’s the deal. Apple can claim environmental benefit all they want, but if whatever they cut can’t make up for whatever supplier supplies, then it’s a net loss.
Good thing is, there is no point of return now, just that science community very wary about saying out loud the truth.
 

citysnaps

macrumors G4
Oct 10, 2011
11,204
24,228
How about making those AirPod batteries replacable? There's a competitor that has already managed to do such thing with similar bluetooth earpods.

While they're at it, Apple could also make iPhones and Macbooks more repairable and upgradeable. After that they can start talking about using green energy etc.

How-aboutism at its finest.

The story is about Apple holding its suppliers accountable meeting certain environmental goals in their processes.
 

businessnumbersmoneypeopl

macrumors regular
Nov 24, 2020
137
291
How much heavier or bulkier are these rival earpods?

I'd love user replaceable batteries but will it mean physically larger and heavier laptops and smartphones?

Google "PQ earbuds" and you'll find them. Haven't tried out myself and I'm pretty sure there are many issues and caveats with that design, but Apple is pretty good in solving such problems when they really decide to do so.
 

jz0309

Contributor
Sep 25, 2018
9,064
23,442
SoCal
good for Apple to have an aggressive goal. One has to review though TSMC's goal to truly understand where their goals, I sure don't trust Digitizes ... and, in general, Asia is behind when it comes to environmental goals, when most manufacturing is moved to Asia from both US and EU for cheap labor and low environmental control, well ... things need to change, there is only 1 earth and we are all breathing the same air ...
 

citysnaps

macrumors G4
Oct 10, 2011
11,204
24,228
good for Apple to have an aggressive goal. One has to review though TSMC's goal to truly understand where their goals, I sure don't trust Digitizes ... and, in general, Asia is behind when it comes to environmental goals, when most manufacturing is moved to Asia from both US and EU for cheap labor and low environmental control, well ... things need to change, there is only 1 earth and we are all breathing the same air ...

Spot on assessment.
 

carestudio

macrumors 6502a
Aug 6, 2008
635
154
If I were TSMC I would slap Apple and tell them ‘since you know it all, why don’t you tell us exactly what do and eat some of cost too?’ Apple’s business is what’s contributing, don’t build new iPhones and iPads and iMacs every year and TSMC would obviously become sustainable.
If TSMC is struggling, I believe all others are on the same boat or even worse.
 

Jim Lahey

macrumors 68000
Apr 8, 2014
1,970
3,785
Maybe try a small Gen IV nuclear reactor? The panels look great now but how will they look when they have to be disposed of?

Also is not true that solar panels require vast quantities of coal to manufacture?
 

binaryfuneral

macrumors member
Jun 14, 2014
40
59
Wisconsin
It may not be possible to consume the same amount of energy we are used to using by using green energy only.

It may also not be possible to stop the downhill slide humans have tilted the global climate.

All evidence suggests that the earth is long down the path of the 6th global mass extinction.

just sayin.

Have a good day!
Time to drink some Kool-Aid and see if you can catch the next comet then, huh?
 
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Reactions: gaximus and Huck

repoman016

macrumors 6502
Mar 28, 2017
256
608
Ohio
Maybe they should take some of the crap out of their fancy boxes that people dont use, like all the inserts and fancy cut outs. Maybe put a cord back in there that people would actually use instead of forcing them to buy more packaging for a cable that should have already been in the box
 
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