Membership Hack: Sustainability Pledge

At Dell Technologies World this week, one of the most interesting briefings I received was from Cassandra Garber, vice president of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance). That’s because when I first talked to Dell in the early 2000s on this topic, it was on the wrong side of the ESG effort.  There are two kinds of companies that talk about sustainability. One kind treats it as a marketing tool with little substance; the other treats it more like a religion. Dell’s initial effort was basically, “if you buy a product, we’ll plant a tree.” It sounds nice, but is also a clear indicator it’s just giving this important topic lip service. Since then, Dell has embraced its ESG commitment, funded it, and created showcases of its efforts — like Concept Luna, the sustainable design project that could redefine the technology market and make it far greener.