It's green report card season: Proclamations from IBM, SAP, Toshiba and Xerox

Some scintillating corporate sustainability reading for your perusal today, folks. In all seriousness, the last few weeks have seen several of the biggest of the big high-tech vendors publish their latest environmental reports or corporate responsibility statements. Here’s a list of some of the most recent, along with a brief synopsis of what’s within. Who am I missing?

- SAP’s first-ever sustainability report provides the typical highlights about how the company performs relative to relevant Global Reporting Initiative guidelines for environmental performance. It actually ranks No. 1 among software companies on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. What’s unique about its report, however, is its decision to tie the information to a new SAP Collaboration Workspace where people can suggest ideas to help SAP continue evolving its profile.

- Toshiba has now provided an English edition of its Environmental Report 2008. The information includes Toshiba’s stated targets for greenhouse gas emissions reductions (it wants to increase “environmental efficiency” tenfold by 2050) and information about its Factor T calculations, which provide a profile of how different technology stands up when it comes to eco-efficiency. Consider, also, that Toshiba makes all sorts of energy-generating equipment, so one section of the report focuses exclusively on this.

- IBM’s annual Corporate Responsibility Report was also published this month and it covers way more than just environmental or green tech issues. If you’re looking for ideas, you might want to read about how IBM’s work-at-home program has affected its carbon dioxide footprint. There are also updates about its client-facing carbon management assessment and advisory services as well as its work in providing products that cut back on e-waste.

- Perennial sustainability innovator Xerox released its 2008 Report on Global Citizenship, which details its progress toward achieving a 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2012. It already cut energy consumption by 19 percent between 2002 and 2007, with an accompanying 21 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Another highlight: 80 percent of the products that Xerox introduced in 2007 meet the latest of the Energy Star requirements. As you might expect, there’s a big focus on what the company is doing to cut wasteful paper consumption. Here’s the link to the full report.

- Last but not least and another plug since it's relevant, Advanced Micro Devices, which I mentioned a couple of weeks back. The big news here is the company’s decision to include data on the green profile of its supply chain partners.