2022 TxN 20: Texan-led leadership in conservation for a sustainable future in Technology.
The Texan by Nature team is excited to present the fourth annual list of Texan by Nature 20 (TxN 20) Honorees. TxN 20 recognizes outstanding work in conservation and sustainability from Texas-based businesses.
It’s an opportunity to showcase innovation, commitment to conservation, and best practices from the industries keep Texas running: Agriculture, Architecture, Financial Services, Food, Beverage, & Grocery, Technology, Energy, Healthcare, Municipal Services, Retail, Transportation, and Construction & Manufacturing.
Meet the 2022 TxN 20 Honorees leading sustainability in Technology: Cirrus Logic and IBM.
100% of Austin and London facilities transitioned to renewable electricity contracts – 2022 Honoree Cirrus Logic
Who is Cirrus Logic?
Cirrus Logic is a leading supplier of audio semiconductors, specializing in developing low-power, mixed-signal processing solutions for mobile technology.
How does Cirrus Logic set the standard?
Cirrus Logic has implemented a waste reduction strategy plan that emphasizes diverting e-waste from landfills. In addition to reselling and recycling electronics, Cirrus Logic donated approximately 380 computers to two organizations: Latinitas and Edinburgh Remakery. The company made significant progress in transitioning to renewable energy, increasing from 15% of renewable-energy-powered global operations to 79% in the 2022 fiscal year. Finally, Cirrus Logic thoroughly evaluated their greenhouse gas emissions to better understand their footprint and has set a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target to reduce their Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 90% by 2030.
Over 26,500 cubic meters of water recycled in 2021 – 2022 Honoree IBM
Who is IBM?
IBM is a world leader in technology, best known for producing computer hardware and software. IBM Cloud allows businesses to organize data and engage with customers in new, seamless ways.
How does IBM set the standard?
In 2021, IBM continued to cement their commitment to sustainability by joining the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact and becoming a founding member of the European Green Digital Coalition. In alignment with like-minded companies, IBM pledged to make important changes to protect the planet, from conserving water and purchasing renewable energy to developing energy-efficient products. In that same year, IBM avoided 90,000 MWh of energy consumption and 26,500 metric tons of CO2 emissions. In addition to conserving energy in their facilities, IBM products are designed to be increasingly efficient, getting four Power9-based server models and four storage products certified under the US EPA ENERGY STAR program.
Why Forward-Thinking Leaders in Technology Matter
The technology industry is built on innovation and constantly strives to find scalable solutions for problems big and small. According to calculations from the UN, digital technology could reduce the world’s carbon emissions by 17% through improved efficiency. This means tech companies are in a unique position to move not only themselves in a more sustainable direction, but drive innovation in other industries as well. Cirrus Logic and IBM have shown that tech companies can both mitigate their own environmental impact and give consumers sustainable options, creating positive change from the inside out.
How TxN20 Honorees Are Selected Each Year
To select the 2022 TxN 20 Honorees, the TxN Team evaluated submissions and conducted independent research across 2,000+ of Texas’ publicly traded and private companies in 12 key industry sectors.
All companies were evaluated on a 17-point scoring system, from which the top 60 highest-scoring companies moved on to the final round of TxN 20. A selection committee of top industry leaders and experts was then formed to evaluate the top 60 companies and select the final 20 businesses recognized as TxN 20 Honorees.
Honorable Mentions: Standouts in Sustainability
In addition to this year’s TxN 20 honorees, here are three industry standouts for best practices in conservation and sustainability coming from companies across the agriculture industry.
Industry Innovator: HP Inc.
- Initially launched in 2019, the HP Sustainable Forests Collaborative strives to counteract deforestation through restoration. In late 2021, the HP Sustainable Forests Collaborative took a big step toward achieving their goals when they became the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) largest corporate partner. They pledged $80 million to aid in addressing the impacts on forests from paper used in printing with HP printers and protect ever-important forest ecosystems.
- In 2021, 134,000 tons of recycled plastic were used in manufacturing 5.4 million Original HP and Samsung cartridges, including plastic from recycled HP cartridges.
Industry Innovator: Cisco Systems Inc.
- Cisco has various platforms and forums for their employees to promote and educate on sustainability. SustainX is Cisco’s annual sustainability speaker series. SustainX has brought experts to give presentations on topics from reducing carbon emissions to environmental justice. Additionally, Cisco encourages employee-led groups and initiatives like GreenHouse, a platform where employees that are passionate about sustainability are encouraged to share and connect with like-minded colleagues, and the Green Team Network, a collection of chapters that raise awareness and sponsor discussions about ways to live more sustainably.
- Connected Conservation, a wildlife conservation organization based in Zimbabwe, uses Cisco’s surveillance, data, and analytic technology to support their mission of protecting endangered species.
Get Involved:
Is your company at the forefront of sustainability in Texas? Share your work with Texan by Nature by submitting Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) data that showcases how your company benefits people, prosperity, and natural resources to programs@texanbynature.org.
To be considered for the official TxN 20 list, companies must:
- Have operations and employees based in Texas;
- Share a demonstrated commitment to conservation & sustainability;
- Showcase tangible efforts, impact, and data in conservation;
- NOT be a conservation-based nonprofit (501c3).