HP lists its top suppliers

Hewlett-Packard on Thursday issued a mammoth social responsibility report including a list of most of its suppliers.

HP released the list "with the intent of promoting transparency and progress in raising social and environmental standards in the electronics industry supply chain."

While this list may have transparency benefits, I find it a fascinating list because it exposes the HP ecosystem and results of a social responsibility audit. Most supply chain details are kept close to the vest and suppliers are largely unknown. HP's list also surfaces a few companies--Elpida Memory, Kinpo Electronics and Pegatron to name a few--you've probably never heard of.

The list--delivered in HP's 2007 Global Citizenship Report--includes contract manufacturers, electronic manufacturing services providers, original design manufacturers and commodity suppliers. If other companies follow HP's lead the list may become a way to cross reference suppliers, find investments and also just point out emerging trends and companies we should watch.

There are a lot of details in the report, which is definitely worth checking out.