• by Emily Burg , April 5, 2007

Chinese PC maker Lenovo, once ranked last in Greenpeace's "Green Ranking" quarterly guide of the technology industry, has shot to first place--while Apple Inc., in total misstep with its savvy, socially conscious brand image, ranks last.

The Greenpeace Guide, which was launched in August, ranks companies on their policies regarding chemicals and waste out of a possible 10 points. Of the 14 companies ranked, nine scored a five out of 10, an improvement since the December edition of the guide.

Lenovo's move to first place knocked Nokia from the top spot it has maintained for the past eight months. Nokia now ranks second, followed by Sony Ericsson, Dell and Samsung.

Apple has made no improvements since the guide was launched, prompting Greenpeace.com to lampoon Apple's current advertising campaign, in which actors John Hodgman and Justin Long represent a PC and a Mac, respectively. The Greenpeace ad shows lookalike actors standing above designations that say "I'm a PC" and "I'm a Mac," adding a picture of an Asian baby next to them, with the blurb "I'm a victim" underneath, representing the 20 to 50 million tons of e-waste discarded by the U.S. in Asia every year, to which it accuses Apple of being a major contributor.

Below that reads: "Apple's releasing more than new products these days, they're also releasing tons of toxic chemicals. That's because under their skin, apples are full of toxic chemicals. When they get tossed, they can end up at the fingertips of children in developing world countries, who dismantle them for parts. Take Action! Tell Steve Jobs that you want a green apple."

The disconnect between Apple's brand image and its environmental fallibility is clear. The language across Greenpeace shows its affection for Apple and its disappointment with its environmental record. Members have created a "Green My Apple" microsite that mimics the look and feel of the Apple.com. It also began a letter-writing campaign on its Web site, saying "Steve, green our Apple in 2007," urging Greenpeace members to participate by stating: "If you love Apple like we do, don't you wish it came in Green?"

Apple Inc. did not return calls seeking comment on its 2.7 score in "Green Ranking."

The irony that a Chinese company would come out on top of a list of environmental technology leaders is rich. But Lenovo, which has made huge investments in building its brand in the U.S., recognizes the importance of a green-conscious campaign to refining its image.

"Demonstrating corporate social responsibility is important to our success and that of our industry," said Fran O'Sullivan, senior vice president/Product Group, Lenovo.

Lenovo scored 8 out of 10 with Greenpeace thanks to its e-waste policies and practice, as well as its global take-back and recycling programs. The company also reports the amount of e-waste it recycles as a percentage of its sales. In particular, in December Lenovo initiated a free take-back program for its products in China.

"While we are proud of achieving the top position in this report, Lenovo understands that the environment is a long-term commitment, and we are taking the steps necessary to be a leader in this arena," said Mike Pierce, Lenovo's Director of Environmental Affairs.