During their annual Global Press Conference which took place on Thursday, May 27 2021, The Acer Group announced that it has joined the RE100 initiative and has pledged to achieve 100% renewable energy use by the year 2035. In line with this, Acer declared its mission to help tackle environmental challenges through their new “Earthion” platform which unites the strengths of its employees and supply chain partners and expands the circle of impact of its sustainability efforts.
These strengths and efforts were further exemplified by the launch of Aspire Vero notebook, Acer’s first sustainability focused notebook under the Earthion platform which sets a benchmark for sustainable product design.
Setting a new commitment to source renewable energy for all of its energy use by 2035, Acer also announced that it has joined RE100, a global corporate renewable energy initiative that brings together hundreds of large and ambitious businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity.
Earthion – Combining Strengths Across the Supply Chain
Acer decided to take its environmental commitments further with Earthion, a platform that combines the strengths of the company, its supply chain partners, consumers (channels), and their employees. “Earthion” is a blend of the words “Earth + Mission,” and is the name Acer has created to represent its mission to help tackle environmental challenges through innovative and integrated solutions. The driving force behind Earthion is each member’s belief that its mutual collaboration can effectively create a positive impact on the environment.
Acer Aspire Vero – a Sustainability-focused Notebook
The first product within the Earthion platform, Acer’s Aspire Vero is a step towards reimagining what the computer manufacturing process looks like. Post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic is used throughout the device’s chassis and keyboard caps. Eco-friendly packaging takes this a step further: the Aspire Vero ships in a box made from 80-85% recycled paper pulp, and plastic bagging for adapter protection is reduced by using paper sleeves instead. Furthermore, the laptop bag and the sheet between the keyboard and screen is made with 100% industrial recycled plastic.
This emphasis on sustainability carries over to the design language, too. All graphics on the shipping box are printed with soy ink, and the notebook itself contains no paint on the chassis, reducing the impact on the environment. It is held together by easily accessible, standardized screws for a simpler disassembly process. The notebook stands out with unique yellow and volcano grey accents on its bumpers, and the text on the R and E keys have been inverted, calling out the 3 Re’s: reduce, reuse and recycle.
Behind all of this is an attractive and impressive computer. The latest 11th Gen Intel Core processor with Intel Iris Xe graphics lets it power through daily productivity tasks and more, while up to 1 TB of M.2 SSD storage gives users plenty of space to store music, movies and files. This display features a lifting-hinge design that slightly elevates the notebook when opened, allowing for a more ergonomic typing experience, while AI noise suppression offers clarity during video calls. The notebook also comes with Intel Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+), a USB Type-C port, two USB 3.2 ports and an HDMI 2.0 port for video-out.
Global Accolades on Sustainability
Acer’s transparent reporting efforts have been recognized by global sustainability indices, and the company has won industry accolades for ESG performance. In 2020, Acer was listed on three global sustainability indices: the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) Emerging Markets Index for the seventh consecutive year, the MSCI ESG Leaders Indexes with an “AA” rating, and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index for the fifth year. In addition, Acer was ranked among the 100 most sustainably managed companies in the world by The Wall Street Journal.
