Adobe Data Summary Reveals Sustainability Achievements

Adobe System’s, Inc.’s recently published 5-Year Data Summary 2008-2012 for its corporate responsibility programs shows that the digital marketing and digital media solutions company is on the right track. One of the major achievements revealed in the summary is that the company achieved LEED certification for 58 percent of its global real estate portfolio square footage in 2012, up from 47 percent in 2008.

Another achievement revealed in the summary is that Adobe achieved waste and water reductions. At its San Jose, California headquarters, the company achieved a 100 percent waste diversion in 2012. Adobe reduced total water consumption from 314,766 in 2008 to 217,941 in 2012. The total water saved at U.S. owned and managed facilities increased from nothing in 2008 to 73,508 gallons.

Adobe’s summary also reveals achievements in energy use and emissions reductions:

• Electricity use at owned facilities decreased from 52.2 percent in 2008 to 39 percent in 2012
• Electricity use at leased facilities decreased from 22 percent in 2011 to 17 percent in 2012
• Percentage of renewable electricity produced increased from nothing in 2008 to 23 percent in 2012
• Scope 1 emissions (metric tons) decreased from 3,241 in 2008 to 2,457 in 2012
• Emissions reductions from renewable energy installations (metric tons) went from nothing in 2008 to 16,442 in 2012
• Emissions reductions from energy efficiency projects (metric tons) increased from 362 in 2008 to 6,416 in 2012
• Total business travel (millions of miles) decreased from 74.7 in 2008 to 54.3 in 2012

Other achievements include community investment increases and making the supply chain more sustainable:

• Total community investment increased from over $42 million in 2008 to over $67 million in 2012
• Over $275 million in community cash and product donations invested from 2008 through 2012
• Annual paper usage (tons) decreased from 1,868 in 2008 to 1,248 in 2012
• Annual material paper waste (tons) produced decreased from 220 in 2008 to 198 in 2012
• Annual material plastic waste (tons) produced decreased from 24 in 2008 to 21 in 2012
• Percentage of software distributed electronically increased from 59 percent in 2008 to 73 percent in 2012
• Percentage of software distributed as hard goods decreased from 41 percent in 2008 to 27 percent in 2012

Adobe’s goals, according to a blog post, include achieving global carbon neutrality by 2015. The company already has achieved carbon neutrality at its owned facilities in North America in 2012. Adobe’s website and 2012 CR brief show that the company has accomplished many sustainability feats. Since 2002, Adobe has completed over 160 energy efficiency projects in its nine owned North American facilities. The projects have reduced electricity use by 50 percent, natural gas use by 30 percent, domestic water use by 79 percent and irrigation water use by 71 percent. In 2009, Adobe installed 20 wind turbines at its San Jose, California headquarters. A year later, Adobe installed Bloom Energy Server fuel cells, known as Bloom Boxes, which generate on-site power at its California offices. The installed Bloom Boxes at its facilities in San Jose and San Francisco account for 30 percent and 50 percent of the electricity supply.

Photo: JohanA