As a leader in environmental protection, Lexmark is committed to building partnerships with key stakeholders and our local communities. Through our work with industry groups, we help to guide the formation of standards and guiding principles of environmental sustainability. Our memberships include the Electronics Industry Alliance-Environmental Issues Council (EIA-EIC), American Electronics Association in Europe (AeA Europe), the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). We are also a member of the European Information & Communications Technology Association (EICTA) and active participants in the implementation of the European Union Energy Using Product Directive (EuP) and the Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals Directive (REACH), balancing the need for innovative technologies with the needs for the environment.
These and other memberships allow us to continuously and proactively address global environmental challenges for our industry groups and support the environmental interests of our customers. We believe that environmental protection is a shared responsibility and we strive to proactively educate our customers on environmental regulations and standards.
To sustain our performance, Lexmark has a management system in place to identify potential environmental impacts and health and safety risks. Lexmark is proud of its record of regulatory compliance and identifies corporate citizenship as a fundamental value. Our approach is global, with program development and implementation at the local level.
Lexmark is committed to continual improvement and has established an environmental management system consistent with ISO 14001. All Lexmark manufacturing locations have achieved ISO 14001 certification after undergoing rigorous third-party audits. Lexmark is proud to present ISO 14001 certifications for the following locations:
Lexmark is committed to continual improvement in employee health and safety management and has established a management system consistent with OHSAS 18001.
As with ISO 14001, nearly all Lexmark manufacturing locations have undergone third-party audits and have been recognized for their health and safety management system. Our newest facility in Juárez, Mexico, expects to be recognized within the next year. Lexmark is proud to present OHSAS 18001 certifications for the following locations:
Our employees play a vital role in creating and maintaining a safe and healthy work place. Employees are members of employee-led safety and emergency response teams. Workplace safety training programs provide instruction on personal protective equipment, fork truck safety, control of hazardous energy sources, confined space entry, hazard communication and other safety programs.
One measure of safety performance is the injury rate, and Lexmark has improved its worldwide rate by over 50 percent since 2001. Lexmark's worldwide rate is less than 25 percent of the average rate for U.S. businesses in similar industries. Identification of potential risks is a fundamental process in our health and safety management system and provides the means to proactively minimize or eliminate the potential for injury.
Industry Average - 2.3 cases per 100 full-time employees
Employee wellness
Lexmark has a proactive approach to employee well-being, focusing on programs of preventive care, healthy lifestyle choices and raising awareness. Examples of health and wellness programs include early diagnosis and health screenings, immunizations, nutrition and weight counseling, fitness center discounts, travel clinics, substance abuse assistance and stress management assistance. Lexmark also offers educational opportunities through seminars that encourage employees to take responsibility for their health.
Our commitment to wellness extends to the communities in which we live and work. For example, in 2005, Lexmark Philippines held a medical and dental mission in Talisay City, Cebu, to provide a thorough medical and dental examination for children who did not have medical records.
Emergency preparedness and response
Lexmark has developed plans and programs to effectively respond to emergencies that may affect people or the environment. The plans include response to chemical releases, fires, security threats or weather incidents. Our emergency alarm systems are tested regularly and evacuation and shelter-in-place drills are conducted periodically. Our emergency teams are trained to control response operations and work with local emergency response units.
Lexmark routinely conducts environmental, health and safety compliance audits at our manufacturing and research and development facilities. The compliance audits complement ISO and OHSAS conformance audits and self-assessments and are used to improve our internal processes and promote best practices across our operations. Audit results are included in the review of our environmental, health and safety performance with Lexmark executive management and Lexmark's Board of Directors.
Lexmark builds partnerships with local communities for the prevention of air, water and land pollution. Our efforts include local assistance through donations of money, equipment and volunteers for projects such as tree plantings, litter clean-up days, environmental education programs and waste collection events. Since 2003, Lexmark has organized an annual global Earth Day celebration at our worldwide manufacturing facilities. Employees not only participate in our company-wide activities, but also partner with their local communities to promote environmental awareness through voluntary projects. For example, employees in the Philippines planted mangrove trees on Olango Island, home to a 2,275-acre wildlife sanctuary that is a haven for migratory birds. The trees help prevent shoreline erosion and provide a habitat for wildlife.
We also partner with cities and organizations to plan for emergencies, to help educate others on environmental safety and health issues, and to promote best practices. Lexmark's Orléans, France facility shared its ISO 14001 certification expertise with other companies by providing education and consultation to assist them in achieving their own certification. By pursuing such programs as community-based environmental partnerships and developing operational best practices, our goal is to provide a safe and healthy work environment while having a positive impact on the quality of life in the communities where we conduct business and in the world community.
Here's a snapshot of how we demonstrate our continuing global commitment to the environment by making ongoing voluntary investments in our communities at the local level.
Europe
Italy
Since 2004, Lexmark Italy has maintained a partnership with Lifegate, an ecocultural platform for environmental preservation. Through its zero impact program, our office in Italy has been able to quantify the impact of their activities on the emission of CO2, as well as provide funding for growing forest areas in the region. Over the last year, Lexmark Italy has helped to plant more than 8,000 trees throughout Italy's countryside.
Portugal
On Portugal's National Tree Day, Lexmark Portugal invited 250 people including Lexmark employees, journalists, local government representatives and VIPs to plant 1,000 trees in the Serra da Lousã, one of the areas hit hardest by forest fires in 2003. The tree planting reinforced Lexmark's commitment to educating people about environmental responsibility.
United Kingdom
The Financial Times Security Exchange awarded Lexmark membership in the FTSE4 Good Index Series. This series of financial indices identifies companies that meet globally-recognized corporate responsibility standards, including commitment to environmental responsibility.
Americas
Boulder, Colo. - Lexmark facility
Lexmark maintains the Partners for a Clean Environment Manufacturer's Certification and previously coordinated a pollution prevention workshop with Boulder civic and business leaders.
Brazil
In Brazil, our successful relationship with the Cinemark cinema chain encourages customers - with the incentive of free movie passes - to bring empty inkjet cartridges to collection centers at the theater.
Juárez and Chihuahua, Mexico - Lexmark facilities
Ongoing contributions of proceeds from recycling inkjet cartridge packaging and manufacturing waste materials help fund projects for children, the elderly and education.
Lexington, Ky. - Lexmark headquarters
Since 1999, Lexmark has co-sponsored Reforest the Bluegrass, an annual urban forest/storm water management event. Volunteers have planted 150,000 tree seedlings in Lexington, which has been designated a Five Star Restoration Site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Asia
Cebu, Philippines - Lexmark facility
Lexmark held a medical and dental mission in Talisay City, Cebu, to provide a thorough medical and dental examination for children who did not have medical records.
Malaysia and Thailand
Lexmark provided incentive programs for ink cartridge returns with donations going to charitable organizations and local schools, respectively, for cartridges collected.
Australia
Since 2003, Lexmark has worked with Planet Ark, an international, not-for-profit environmental organization on a cartridge collection program for Australia. The Cartridges 4 Planet Ark program is designed to keep used toner and inkjet cartridges out of the waste stream.
Africa
Lexmark South Africa marked a milestone in its recycling program with Cartridge Recycling Initiative for Babies (CRIB), keeping thousands of cartridges out of landfills while helping children in need. In April 2006, CRIB donated the 25,000th "Baby Day" to Cotlands, a charity organization that offers housing and care to abandoned, abused, neglected and HIV-positive children from birth to six years of age throughout South Africa. Through the initiative, Lexmark recovers empty inkjet and toner cartridges from its customers, recycles them, and most importantly, makes a valuable contribution to Cotlands in the form of "Baby Days."
