Polycom Solutions And Corporate Initiatives Promote A Greener Planet
Telepresence, Video and Voice Solutions Provide Polycom and its Customers with Green Travel Alternatives; Polycom Adheres to Sustainable Manufacturing and Operations
05 Jun 2008 : In conjunction with United Nations World Environment Day, Polycom, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLCM), the leader in unified collaborative communications solutions, today announced its internal and external sustainability initiatives to reduce carbon emissions for a greener environment. Polycom's commitment is threefold: 1. to show customers how they can reduce their own carbon footprint by implementing Polycom solutions; 2. to build green products; and 3. to minimise Polycom's own environmental impact as a billion dollar enterprise with locations in 40 countries across the world.
Visual Communications Contribute to a Greener Planet
Polycom's award-winning collaboration and communications solutions – from the iconic triangular conference phone to the industry's only immersive telepresence suite – are inherently environmentally friendly because they enable people to meet virtually in high definition and on-demand, providing an alternative to business travel and therefore reducing carbon emissions. Companies that communicate virtually, reduce operating expenses and increase productivity – all the while demonstrating environmental responsibility.
Consider this example of the reduced carbon impact of using video conferencing (from Conservation International's carbon calculator at www.conservation.org): Every time two people elect to meet with others over video instead of travelling roundtrip between Singapore and Mumbai, they save carbon emissions equivalent of eliminating one car's emissions for a year.
To meet the growing demand for green services and support, Polycom announced a new Going Green with Polycom programme today. (For more information see Polycom Announces Industry's First Green Services to Reduce Carbon Emissions Through Visual Communications.)
A Comprehensive Approach to Building Green Products
Polycom builds green solutions. Polycom's comprehensive approach focuses on improving the full product lifecycle: from research and development that minimises the use of potentially hazardous materials while increasing energy efficiency to clean manufacturing processes; and from greener product packaging and shipping/distribution models to proper product disposal. Polycom solutions are engineered to require less bandwidth, are software upgradeable for a longer lifespan, and are based on open standards to ensure interoperability in any environment. Polycom products are compatible with renewable energy from diverse sources and are RoHs and WEEE compliant.
Minimising Polycom's Own Carbon Footprint Across 40 Countries
"Polycom facilities, operations, and employees are continuously striving to improve our eco-friendliness in energy usage and behaviours. Interestingly, 70 percent of my team are based away from my office, therefore, to maintain team dynamics and focus, audio and video solutions are essential. With 19 Polycom offices across 10 countries in Asia Pacific, we proactively use Polycom solutions for effective communication. Polycom, in addition mandates the use of its own collaborative communications products in lieu of non-essential travel," said Michael See, Polycom's Regional Sales Director for ASEAN and RoA.
Polycom employees are encouraged to reduce their own personal carbon emissions using Polycom products in the office and from their homes. A recent survey of Polycom's 2,544 global employees, in which a quarter responded, found 35 per cent either telecommute from a home office or use transportation other than a personal car – such as public transportation, carpooling, bicycling or walking – to commute to work. Polycom employees conduct an estimated 975,000 meetings over video conference each year within its global network.
"Doing what's right for the environment isn't over with a single announcement of intention – it involves careful benchmarking, ongoing research into best practices and continuous improvement," said Geri Mitchell-Brown, chair of Polycom's Green Steering Committee. "We are fortunate to provide solutions that inherently help our customers reduce their carbon footprint. But we also carry a responsibility to show by example how collaborative communications solutions and our own use of resources can make a difference to business and to the planet."
About Polycom
Polycom, Inc. is the worldwide leader in unified collaborative communications (UCC) that maximise the efficiency and productivity of people and organisations. Polycom delivers the broadest array of high definition telepresence video, wired and wireless voice, and content solutions so people can enjoy the best communications, whether from a real-time collaborative interaction or on-demand streamed video experience. Spanning from the desktop to the industry's only immersive telepresence suite, Polycom's high quality collaboration and communications solutions are easy to deploy and manage, as well as intuitive to use. Based on open standards, they integrate seamlessly with leading telephony- and presence-based networks. With innovative market-driving technologies, a compelling vision for next generation visual communications, best-in-class products, alliance partnerships, and world-class service, Polycom is the smart choice for organisations to gain a competitive advantage with proven and trusted communication solutions. The NASDAQ-listed company is based in Pleasanton, California, USA, and has Asia Pacific offices in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. For additional information, visit the Polycom Asia Pacific site at www.polycomasia.com.
Polycom reserves the right to modify future product plans at any time. Products and/or related specifications referenced in this press release are not guaranteed, and will be delivered on a when and if available basis.
Polycom and the Polycom logo are registered trademarks of Polycom in the U.S. and various countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2008, Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved.