Dell tops new corporate sustainability index

Hewlett-Packard has got to be steamed. Dell has one-upped it on a new Corporate Sustainability Index that is being researched and rated by the Global Business Sustainability Service division of Technology Business Research. Ouch.

Dell earned an overall score of 317.9 on the index, compared with the 255.1 earned by HP, and the 258.8 brought in by IBM. Performance indicators used to crunch up the index numbers were emissions, energy, renewable energy, annualized emissions reductions, water use, recycling rates, and public environmental "commitment." The research firm cited Dell's renewable energy usage and recycling program as specific bright spots. (If you've been reading this blog with any regularity, that won't really surprise you. Dell regularly shows up on renewable energy usage lists, such as this one put out by the EPA. It also has been innovative with its tech recycling partnerships, such as the one it has inked with Goodwill.

Does this sort of thing matter when you're buying technology infrastructure? You decide. Better yet, ask your procurement people whether or not they're being pressured to opt for vendors that are more "sustainable," all other things considered.