Environmental sustainability remains a top priority for Dolby, and we are strengthening our initiatives to combat climate change and its devastating impacts on people, communities, and our Earth. To manage and mitigate our environmental footprint, we prioritize reducing our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and waste from our operations and offset what we cannot reduce. We have implemented recycling and composting programs to capture waste materials and reduce landfill waste. We responsibly manage hazardous, universal, and electronic waste at our offices by reusing, recycling, and properly disposing of these materials.
We are also working to improve the environmental performance of our products. Dolby products are compliant with the requirements of the European RoHS Directive and REACH Regulation and we look for opportunities to make our products more energy-efficient. Our products also comply with the EU WEEE Directive and we have programs in place to address electronic waste, packaging waste, and battery waste, thereby reducing the impact of the eventual end-of-life of our products.
Reducing our carbon footprint
To improve our environmental performance, we monitor our energy use and emissions and are taking steps to reduce our greatest sources of consumption. This fiscal year, we are developing measurable greenhouse gas reduction goals with the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality by 2030. Our buildings are managed in an efficient manner while keeping the considerations of the environment at the forefront of our operations. We strive to minimize energy and utility consumption at all Dolby sites by reducing the use of HVAC systems overnight, employing “tower-free” cooling when the weather permits, retrofitting light fixtures with LED technology, and installing low-flow water fixtures. Electric vehicle chargers are provided onsite at many locations to promote the use of electric vehicles among employees. Our headquarters building in San Francisco and our office in Sunnyvale are powered by 100% renewable energy. In our most recent fiscal year, 19% of our energy use was derived from renewable resources. We engage a third party to assess our global energy and emissions data and to help us identify opportunities for improvement in our environmental practices.
We employ sustainable building practices at many of our office locations by taking an environment-first approach. Our Wroclaw office in Poland (pictured above) is LEED Platinum certified and our headquarters in San Francisco is LEED Gold certified. Other Dolby occupied LEED buildings include Munich, Beijing, and Shenzhen. Eighty percent of all materials that were demolished during the building process of our HQ were sorted and recycled. Supplemented by lighting controls and motion sensors, LED lighting throughout the workspace significantly decreases power consumption. Smart irrigation is used for all landscaping, including multiple green roofs.
In addition to our building operations, we recognize the impact of business travel as a global company and plan to invest in carbon offset projects that help compensate for the emissions associated with our global business travel.
Creating an environment where employees can do their best work
We believe that creating an environment where employees can do their best work is fundamental to business success and simply the right thing to do. To protect the health and safety of our employees, our operations, the environment, and the communities in which we operate, Dolby maintains up-to-date emergency plans and procedures. Employees at all job levels are held accountable for compliance with Environmental Health & Safety requirements to minimize the risk of accidents, injury, and exposure to health hazards for all employees, contractors, and visitors.
We emphasize the importance of health and wellbeing for all employees beyond traditional measures. Acoustically welcoming spaces, pleasant lighting, and comfortable temperatures enhance employee wellbeing and satisfaction. Numerous furnished terraces encourage people to work or relax outdoors while interconnecting stairways give people the option to walk rather than taking an elevator. Employees may also take advantage of our wellbeing and fitness programs, green and open spaces, onsite bicycle storage, and electric vehicle charging stations. We provide extensive ergonomic resources to employees, including ergonomic evaluations at our offices and for those who work remotely. To create an environmentally friendly workplace, we source products made from recycled, energy-efficient materials and where available, we source from local producers, which cuts down on emissions and supports the communities around us.
Learn more
For more information on Dolby’s environmental, social and governance efforts, visit the Sustainability@Dolby page and download our Sustainability Metrics At A Glance.