E-Paper
Sign In
Why HP says sustainability can no longer sit on the sidelines
Lavina Punjabi, Sustainability Lead for the Middle East and Africa at HP Inc., explains why circularity, smarter technology and resource efficiency are becoming central to business decisions
- PUBLISHED: Wed 22 Jul 2026, 2:56 PM
The technology sector is facing a growing sustainability challenge. As AI adoption accelerates and businesses invest in digital infrastructure, questions around energy use, materials and environmental impact are becoming harder to ignore. At the same time, companies are under increasing pressure to show measurable progress on their commitments while continuing to invest, innovate and grow.
This scrutiny now extends across the entire product lifecycle. From the materials used in manufacturing to how long devices remain in use and what happens at the end of their life, businesses are paying closer attention to the environmental cost of their investments. As a result, the sustainability conversation has moved beyond operational emissions to include product design, packaging and supply chains.
Recommended For You
For HP Inc., the focus has increasingly turned to how products are designed, used and recovered. The company has reduced its total carbon footprint by 28 per cent since 2019, while 47 per cent of its product and packaging materials now come from recycled, reused or renewable sources. Since 2016, it has recycled more than 1.21 million tonnes of hardware and supplies.
These efforts come as businesses across the UAE and the wider region look to balance rapid technology adoption with growing sustainability ambitions. Speaking to Khaleej Times, Lavina Punjabi, Sustainability Lead for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) at HP Inc., discusses the company’s sustainability priorities, its push towards circularity and the role technology and AI could play in helping businesses reduce their environmental impact.
HP recently released its Sustainable Impact Report 2025. Looking at the progress made so far, what are the company’s biggest sustainability priorities today, and how have they evolved in response to changing environmental and business expectations?
One of the most significant changes we’ve seen is that sustainability is no longer a standalone conversation. As organisations accelerate digital transformation and AI adoption, they are looking for technology that helps them operate more efficiently, strengthen resilience, and support their sustainability goals.
That shift has shaped our priorities. Today, we’re focused on helping customers achieve their sustainability ambitions through more circular products, more responsible operations and technology that’s designed to deliver long-term value while making more efficient use of resources. Sustainability is no longer something that sits alongside innovation. It’s becoming part of how innovation is delivered. Across the UAE and the wider region, we’re seeing the same shift, with sustainability becoming an increasingly important consideration in technology investment decisions rather than an objective addressed separately.
Our Sustainability Progress Report reflects that progress. We’ve reduced our total carbon footprint by 28 per cent since 2019, while nearly half of the materials used in HP products and packaging now come from recycled, reused or renewable sources. These outcomes reflect a broader shift in how we approach sustainability, embedding it into the way we design, innovate and create value for our customers.
Circularity has become an increasingly important part of sustainable technology. How is HP advancing circular design through areas such as recycled materials, product lifecycles, packaging and responsible recycling, and what impact are these initiatives having?
Circularity is often associated with recycling, but it begins much earlier. The greatest opportunity to reduce a product’s environmental impact comes at the design stage, where decisions around materials, durability and repairability shape its entire lifecycle.
That’s why we take a lifecycle approach to circularity rather than focusing solely on end-of-life recovery. We’re increasing the use of recycled and renewable materials across our portfolio while designing products that are built to last longer, are easier to repair and refurbish, and can be responsibly recovered at the end of their lifecycle. The same principles guide our approach to packaging, as well as programmes such as HP Planet Partners and HP Renew Solutions.
Today, 47 per cent of the materials used in HP products and packaging come from recycled, reused or renewable sources, and since 2016 we’ve recycled more than 1.21 million tonnes of hardware and supplies. Just as importantly, the conversation with customers is evolving. Organisations are increasingly evaluating technology over its full lifecycle, recognising that circularity is not only an environmental priority, but also a smarter way to maximise value from technology investments.
As AI adoption accelerates and digital infrastructure continues to expand, how can technology itself become part of the solution to sustainability challenges? What role do innovation and AI play in helping organisations reduce their environmental footprint?
Sustainability and innovation should go hand in hand. The real opportunity is not simply to deploy more technology, but to use it more intelligently to improve efficiency, optimise resources and maximise the value organisations get from the technology they already have.
A good example is HP’s approach to device lifecycle management. Greater visibility into device performance, energy consumption and utilisation enables organisations to optimise their IT environments, extend the life of devices where appropriate, and make more informed decisions about repair, refurbishment or replacement. Those are practical actions that can reduce environmental impact while also improving operational efficiency.
Capabilities such as AI-driven device insights and Product Carbon Footprint reporting are helping organisations better understand the environmental impact of their technology environments and make more informed decisions over time. Ultimately, the goal is to embed sustainability into everyday technology decisions, making it a measurable part of how organisations plan, manage and evolve their IT environments.
Businesses today are expected to deliver growth while also meeting increasingly ambitious sustainability goals. How does HP balance commercial success with long-term environmental commitments, and what lessons can other organisations learn from this approach?
Business growth and sustainability are no longer competing priorities. In practice, the investments that strengthen a business, whether through greater efficiency, innovation or resilience, are often the same investments that support long-term sustainability.
At HP, rather than treating sustainability as a separate initiative, it’s integrated into the decisions that shape how we innovate, invest and create value for customers. Those principles are reflected across the business, from product design and supply chain management to the way we bring more circular innovations to market.
One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is that sustainability creates the greatest impact when it’s built into the business from the outset. When it’s part of everyday decision-making, it becomes a driver of innovation, resilience and long-term value.
The UAE has placed sustainability at the centre of its long-term economic vision through initiatives such as Net Zero 2050. From your perspective, what sustainability trends are you seeing across the region, and where do you see the biggest opportunities for businesses to accelerate progress over the coming years?
Across the UAE, sustainability is becoming a core measure of long-term business resilience rather than simply an environmental commitment. Organisations are increasingly evaluating it alongside innovation, investment and competitiveness, reflecting a more integrated approach to business transformation.
Technology is playing a much broader role in that transformation. Beyond enabling productivity, organisations are looking for solutions that provide greater visibility into their environmental impact, support more informed decision-making, and align business growth with sustainability objectives.
The biggest opportunity now is to build sustainability into business and technology decisions from the outset rather than treating it as a separate workstream. The UAE has already established a strong foundation through its long-term vision and continued investment in innovation. Sustaining that momentum will depend on how effectively organisations combine technology, skills and collaboration to deliver measurable outcomes over the long term.
As a passionate storyteller and content writer, Kushmita Bose loves weaving narratives that inform, inspire, and entertain. Whether she's unraveling tech revolutions, dissecting industry reports, or bringing a brand’s journey to life, Kushmita thrives on transforming ideas into captivating stories. When she’s not busy crafting content, you’ll probably find her daydreaming about her next travel adventure.