Targus publishes second annual 2024 Global Sustainability Report detailing company’s environmental progress, initiatives, roadmap through 2050

Targus has saved more than 32.2 million plastic bottles through its EcoSmart line.

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Targus, which positions itself as the number one third-party docking station and laptop bag brand in the US and a leader in laptop cases and mobile computing accessories, today announced the availability of its second annual 2024 Global Sustainability Report, which describes how the company continues to reduce its environmental footprint globally with greater transparency and mutual accountability.

In the new report, Targus demonstrates its progress and latest achievements to reduce its environmental footprint and outlines its sustainability goals and roadmap, such as reducing its total plastic packaging mass by 50% by 2025 versus 2020 and achieving net zero by 2050.

“We recognise the vital responsibility our company has to protect people and our planet, not just through words, but by taking purposeful and tangible actions to address it,” according to Mikel Williams, President and CEO of Targus. “Publishing an annual Global Sustainability Report ensures that we hold ourselves accountable towards building annual goals, monitoring our progress and sharing best practices with transparency and mutual accountability throughout our entire business. While we’re proud of the progress that we have made, we realise that we are still at the beginning of our journey.”

Throughout this report, Targus clearly communicates what it is doing as a global business to support common sustainability goals and its ongoing progress by aligning its journey with five of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) where it can make the most meaningful positive impact. The report covers three main areas: the business, SDGs and forward-looking roadmap. Here are a few of the highlights.

Targus has recycled 32.2 million plastic bottles through its EcoSmart products, to date, and in the past year introduced certified ocean-bound plastic to its laptop bags. Since the inception of its EcoSmart technology in 2008, a process that turns plastic bottles into recycled materials to make its laptop bags, Targus has repurposed 32.2 million bottles – saving the equivalent of 2 008 477lbs (911 029kgs) of CO compared to virgin plastic.* In 2024, Targus also introduced a new Coastline Collection, laptop bags made from certified ocean-bound plastic and a high percentage of recycled material. Today, there are 5 trillion pieces of plastic in our ocean, with 11 million tons entering our oceans each year, according to OceanCycle. Using repurposed ocean-bound plastic helps to combat plastic waste in our waterways by preventing or diverting plastic from entering the oceans.**

The company strengthens its global reporting and certifications, providing greater transparency and accountability. Targus has completed Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions reporting through Project Gigaton, a programme created by Walmart to engage suppliers in climate action along with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders. In the reporting year, Targus saved 8.9Mt of COe emissions through its recycling activities and avoided 7.1Mt of COe in greenhouse gas emissions.*** In doing so, Targus has achieved Giga Guru status, signifying superior environmental leadership among Walmart suppliers. Targus also improved its annual EcoVadis sustainability rating. The company has earned a bronze EcoVadis rating in 2023 at the 64th percentile, which is the top 16% of companies in the computer wholesale, computer peripheral equipment and software industries globally. That’s a 13-point increase from our 51st percentile ranking in 2022.

Sustainability needs to be a top priority for all businesses. According to a Targus global workplace survey among businesses and workers in North America and Europe, 88% of decision-makers say that sustainability is important to their organisation. Meanwhile, 53% of workers state that sustainable attributes influence their purchasing considerations for tech accessories.****

As the climate crisis continues to become increasingly urgent, Targus recognises the vital role it plays in tackling it. Read the full report to learn about the company’s latest developments and forward-looking roadmap towards achieving a greener future.

* Targus global sales results: units + revenue, 2019-2023.

** Ocean-bound or prevented/diverted plastic is plastic waste recovered from within 50km (30mi) of an ocean coastline or major waterway that feeds into the ocean in a geographic region that lacks formal waste management. Except in the case of a sea, material collected from major waterways may be no further than 200km (120mi) from the mouth or end point of that waterway.

*** Walmart Project Gigaton Survey, Walmart Sustainability Hub Portal, reporting period: 01 Aug 2022 - 31 July 2023.

**** Targus Empower Your Life Survey, November 2022, n=1,000 senior business decision makers and 6,000 people in North America (US and Canada) and Europe (UK, France, and Germany)

Source: Circana, US/Canada Retail and US B2B Reseller in Unit Sales, ending December 2023 (Laptop Bag case type = Briefcase, Sleeve, Attache, Slipcase, Messenger Bag)

Source: Circana, US B2B Reseller, Docking Stations Unit Sales, ending December 2023