Winter 2006 
Sustainability
Accountability
Community

 

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 Sustainability
 
   Electronics Clean-Up Event Conducted in New Orleans
 

Dell joined local and national partners to host a one-day electronics recycling event in New Orleans on Dec. 3. Residents of the region could drop off storm-damaged computers and television sets for proper recycling. In addition to Dell, the event was made possible by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Louisiana Department of Environment Quality, Jefferson Parish, City of Kenner, the Pontchartrain Center and the National Recycling Coalition. Approximately 5 tons of equipment was collected.

   Computer Recycling Event Held at New Dell Facility in Oklahoma City
 

Dell hosted a computer recycling event in Oklahoma City on Nov. 12 in recognition of America Recycles Day (11/15), collecting 15 tons of unwanted computer equipment. Approximately 30 Dell team members volunteered at the event, helping unload cars, direct traffic and educate consumers who took part. Oklahoma State Rep. Al Lindley and Oklahoma State Senator Bernest Cain attended the event to learn more about the importance of responsible computer recycling. In September, Dell's Chief Executive Officer Kevin Rollins officially opened the company's new Oklahoma City customer contact center, marking the completion of a permanent building in which more than 800 Dell employees provide sales and technical support for North American customers. Dell announced expansion plans in October 2004 that included additional employees and the new customer contact center on a 60-acre site in Oklahoma City along the Oklahoma River - giving a boost to the city's empowerment zone and anchoring the western portion of the riverfront development.

   Michael Dell Reminds Consumers of Importance of Computer Reuse and Recycling
 

Speaking at the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last month, Dell Chairman Michael Dell reminded consumers that unwanted computers should be reused or responsibly recycled. "We're also very focused on helping our customers be environmentally responsible when they are ready for a new system,” said Dell. “We'll pick up your system at your home when you buy a new one, we'll pick it up for free, and we'll recycle it. And you can also donate your systems through our partner, the National Christina Foundation, in your local community. Last year, we recovered more than 25 million pounds of used products, up more than 200 percent over the prior year." During Dell’s keynote address, the crowd also heard his thoughts on how the PC is, and will remain, at the center of consumers’ digital lifestyles.

During the show, the U.S. EPA recognized its partners in the Plug-In to E-Cycling program, designed to raise awareness of electronics recycling. EPA also reported that collaboration among EPA and its 21 Plug-In to E-Cycling partners over the last three years has resulted in the safe recycling of more than 60 million pounds of old electronics.

   Australia Gives a Boost to Consumer Computer Recycling  
  Dell Australia in December began piloting a free with purchase recycling offer for consumers in metropolitan Sydney and Melbourne. Consumers in these cities who purchase a new Dell Dimension desktop or Inspiron notebook can recycle their old equipment (any make or model accepted) at no charge. Consumers in Australia not purchasing a new computer from Dell can also recycle their old one for a minimal fee. In December 2004, Dell became the first computer manufacturer in Australia to offer a paid recycling service for consumers to properly dispose of their unwanted computer equipment. Dell also conducted a one-day no-charge computer recycling event on Nov. 5 at the Cromer Public School in Sydney. Approximately 10 tons of used computer equipment was collected at Dell’s first collection event in Australia. More information on Dell's recycling options in Australia is available at www.dell.com.au/recycling. 
   Recycled Paper Goal Exceeded in 2005
  In 2005, Dell exceeded its recycled paper content goal. Dell established a Forest Products Stewardship Model in October 2004 that documented its paper-usage practices and established paper sourcing and recycling goals. One year into the program, Dell has exceeded its initial target by achieving 90 percent recycled paper content in the company's small and medium business catalog, using Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper sources for the majority of the catalog. In addition, Dell has increased its usage of post-consumer recycled content for catalog inserts to almost 15 percent and achieved about 30 percent post-consumer recycled content for office paper used companywide.
   Many Communities Benefit in 2005 from Dell Computer Recycling Events
  Dell conducted community computer recycling events in 2005 in Bracknell, United Kingdom, Munich, Germany, Sydney, Australia, Winston-Salem, N.C., Nashville, Tenn., and Oklahoma City. Dell employees volunteered at these events and helped collect more than 175 tons of unwanted computers and peripherals, keeping the equipment from going to landfills.
   Recycling Rates Increase for Waste from Dell's Manufacturing and Operations
  Dell recycled, reused or resold more than 45,000 tons of cardboard, plastics, pallets, paper and related materials generated from its manufacturing and other operations during the first half of 2005. The volume of recycled, reused or resold material represents more than 90 percent of the total nonhazardous waste generated at Dell facilities in the first half of the year, exceeding the 85 percent recycle/reuse rate achieved last year. All Dell facilities recycle or reuse a variety of materials, including cardboard, office paper, plastics, foams, metals, batteries, disks, aluminum cans, bottles and pallets. In order to reduce the volume of material for disposal, Dell has continued to refine its processes for collection and recycling of waste materials, working with suppliers to reduce or optimize packaging associated with incoming parts and materials and training employees to minimize and properly dispose of wastes.
   Electronics Recycling Discussed at the 2006 Goodwill Industries International Conference of Executives
  Dell in January sponsored the 2006 Goodwill Industries Conference of Executives, whose theme was ‘Take a Walk on the Wired Side.’ Attended by more than 200 CEOs of the Goodwill movement, the conference was a platform for the organizations’ leaders to learn more about the latest technology initiatives and share best practices. Shawn Dennis, Dell’s vice president of global branding, was a keynote speaker and addressed the audience with the message that technology plays a role in the larger social context, and helps to “deliver what really matters.” In discussing the promise of today’s technology growth, Ms. Dennis also warned of the challenge created by the increasing tide of end-of-life computer equipment. Finding solutions that make responsible reuse and recycling of unwanted computer equipment easy and affordable is important to Dell and Goodwill, said Dennis. Dell has partnered with Goodwill Industries to offer a comprehensive computer recovery, reuse and environmentally responsible recycling opportunity for consumers in Central Texas, San Francisco Bay Area and the state of Michigan.
   Dell Issues ‘Chemical Use’ Policy
  Dell recently issued a new Chemical Use policy, which lays out the company’s product design chemical selection policies and procedures. Dell’s goal is to avoid the use of substances that could seriously harm the environment or human health, and to ensure that the company acts responsibly. Further, the policy outlines how Dell will act responsibly with “substances of concern,” enforce the company’s precautionary measures and demonstrate its commitment to the policy. The policy states that Dell is striving to eliminate all remaining uses of brominated flame retardants. The new Chemical Use policy and a statement on brominated flame retardants are available on Dell's Web site here.
 
 Accountability
   Continued Work on the Electronics Industry Code of Conduct
 

Dell recently hosted the Implementation Group of the Electronic Industries Code of Conduct (EICC) strategic meeting in Austin, Texas. The meeting mapped out strategic priorities for 2006 for the EICC. The EICC represents the collective efforts of leading technology industry companies to ensure good working standards for employees of the industry’s supply chain. More information is available at www.eicc.info

   Financial Times Ranking of Most Respected Companies Worldwide
 

Dell was recently honored in the Financial Times for being voted No. 11 overall among the world’s most respected companies in an international survey of more than 900 chief executive officers across 25 countries. The survey, published November 18 in the Financial Times, also ranked Dell No. 2 in customer service and No. 4 in innovation.

   Martin Luther King Day Observations Held at Dell U.S. Facilities
 

Dell recently celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. day in the U.S. with a sponsorship of the MLK celebration event in Austin, Texas. The event featured Marian Wright Edelman, president and founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, as keynote speaker. Dell also organized a community meeting between Ms. Edelman and several Austin community-based organizations the following day to discuss meeting the needs of underserved members of the Central Texas community. In Nashville, Dell sponsored the local MLK celebration that featured civil rights leader Vernon Jordan as keynote speaker.

   “Best Places to Work” List of the Human Rights Campaign
  The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the United States’ largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) civil rights organization, has included Dell on its first “Best Places to Work” list. The list gives persons seeking employment an accessible roster of employers that have made a firm commitment to fair and equitable workplaces for GLBT employees. This information is generated from HRC’s Corporate Equality Index, which rates corporations on seven key equality criteria, including protection against discrimination and parity of care benefits for domestic partners. Dell's workplace policies ensure that all individuals have an equal opportunity to contribute to the company’s success. Dell scored 100 percent on the 2004 and 2005 Corporate Equality Index.
   Hispanic Network Magazine Names Dell to Three “Best of the Best” Lists
  Hispanic Network Magazine (HNM), a leading U.S. source of information for Hispanics interested in finding business and employment opportunities, recently named Dell to three “Best of the Best” lists for 2005. Dell’s efforts in recruiting top Hispanic talent and our focus on supplier diversity were among the reasons HNM listed Dell on its Best Companies for Supplier Diversity, Best Companies for Hispanics and Best Companies for Diversity lists.
   Dell Ranked No. 4 in Top 50 Organizations for Multicultural Business Opportunities
  The largest organization of diversity-owned businesses throughout the United States, DiversityBusiness.com, has ranked Dell fourth on its 2005 list of America’s Top 50 Organizations for Multicultural Business Opportunities. Dell ranked seventh on the list in 2004. More than 500,000 women and minority-owned businesses were invited to participate in this year’s selection process. Winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony during DiversityBusiness.com’s Multicultural Business Conference in late March. Visit the DiversityBusiness.com Web site and click on Top 50 Corporations to view the full list.
   Internet Keep Safe Coalition Launched in Tennessee
  Dell recently joined Tennessee First Lady Andrea Conte in launching the national Internet Keep Safe Coalition for Tennessee public schools. Dell is a member and sponsor of the coalition, which provides online safety resources to schools and families, including children’s books, animated short movies and an education Web site. Studies show one in five youths using the Internet receive an online sexual solicitation and 29 percent of children using the Internet freely give out their home address when asked. The Coalition’s goal is to reduce these statistics by ensuring children understand and practice safe online behavior.
   Technology Mentoring Program for Women Launched in Australia
  In response to a call to action by Australia’s Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, Dell joined seven other IT companies in launching the Women in IT Executive Mentoring (WITEM) program. This cross-organizational mentoring program is designed to accelerate the development of leadership competencies in executive women within the IT sector by addressing barriers to women’s advancement, such as a lack of general management experience, exclusion from informal networks and stereotypes about women’s roles and abilities.
   Focus on Supplier Diversity Earns Dell “Corporation of the Year” Honors
  Creating a mentor-protégé training camp, increasing year-over-year spending by 29 percent and providing quarterly feedback to minority business enterprise contractors are among the measures that earned Dell the 2005 Corporation of the Year award from the Central & South Texas Minority Business Council (CSTMBC). Given annually, the award goes to the member corporation that demonstrates the deepest commitment to minority business development. In presenting the award, CSTMBC President Dinah Lovett cited Dell’s annual supplier symposium, hands-on executive involvement and supplier diversity goals as some of the reasons for the honor.  
   
 Community
 
   Dell Employees Celebrate Global Community Involvement Month
  From Kid’s Day Out with the Hope Foundation in India to washing cars for the International Red Cross in Denmark to collecting food and funds for Nutre Hogar in Panama to helping neighbors build safe communities in the U.S. with Habitat for Humanity, and every cause and issue in between, Dell team members generously gave their time, skills and muscle celebrating Global Community Involvement Month (GCIM) in September 2005. More than 29,000 Dell employees, in all areas of the world, reached out to help community organizations with projects, educate and play with children, support research to fight diseases and beautify parks and public places.
   TechKnow Program Graduates More Than 10,000 Students
 

The Dell TechKnow program – an initiative to help underserved students across the United States become more competitive in a global economy – has now graduated more than 10,000 students from 42 school districts. The achievement was celebrated at a Chicago Public Schools event that showcased 100 middle school students from the nation’s third-largest school district and included Michael Dell congratulating 7th-grader Samantha McGhee, the 10,000th TechKnow program graduate. “We started Dell TechKnow to help teach underserved students the 21st Century skills they’ll need to compete in our digital economy. Now 10,000 graduates later, this program is a great example of how a global company like Dell can help enable local benefits to customers and communities,” said Dell.

   Dell, Operation Homelink Give 110 Computers to Fort Campbell Families
  Local dignitaries and volunteers joined Dell’s vice president of Fulfillment Operations Frank Miller and 25 Dell volunteers in Fort Campbell, Ky. recently as Dell and Operation Homelink provided 110 refurbished computers to families of Fort Campbell soldiers deployed outside of the continental United States. The refurbished Optiplex desktops will enable the families stationed at Fort Campbell, which is located near Dell’s Tennessee operations, to stay in touch with the service men and women via e-mail. Operation Homelink is a non profit organization that provides refurbished computers at no cost to the parents and spouses of junior enlisted, deployed service men and women. Dell's involvement with Operation Homelink reflects the company's commitment to providing technology access to those who need it — at school, at home or elsewhere in the community. Since April 2004, Dell has worked with Operation Homelink to donate more than 350 computers to military families at Fort Campbell, Fort Bragg (N.C.) and Fort Hood (Texas).
   Dell Tennessee Raises $25,000 for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
  Dell Tennessee team members worked together to raise $25,159 in support of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) through a number of fun and creative activities. The team set a new company record with 180 registered walkers at the JDRF Race to Find a Cure. Golf tournaments, ticket raffles, Pie-In-Face contests, walks at work and other activities netted the final amount, which ranked fourth among more than 25 corporate sponsors in Middle Tennessee.
   Dell “Full Speed Ahead” Toward Ottawa Customer Contact Center Opening
  In early December, 50 of Dell’s newest team members were welcomed by Dell executives, the Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty, Ottawa Mayor Bob Chiarelli and other community leaders during a series of community meetings marking the on-schedule progress of Dell’s expansion into Ottawa. The center is scheduled to begin operations in February 2006 and in the next several years is expected to employ about 500 people. In Canada, Dell is the leading provider of PC-based systems, and recently expanded an Edmonton customer contact center that began operations last fall. Even before the facility opens, twenty of Dell's new Ottawa team members and their families kicked off Dell's involvement in the area by volunteering during the holidays at Food Bank. For more on the Ottawa Customer Contact Center, click here.
   Dell India Team Members Run to Support AIDS/HIV-Affected Children
  1,800 team members and their families recently braved a chilly Sunday morning in Bangalore to run in the third annual Dell Champion Road Run. The 4.5- kilometer run benefiting the Freedom Foundation, an organization that supports and cares for AIDS/HIV-affected children, is one of the ways the Dell India team is giving back to the community. Dell is committed both to being a good neighbor in the communities where we live and work and to doing our part to fight the spread of HIV. The Dell Bangalore team’s involvement with the Freedom Foundation is an important part of both of those efforts.
 
 

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