Shareholder Coalition Makes a Dent in Mountain of E-Waste

BETHESDA, Md. — A coalition of investors led by Calvert Group, Ltd. and As You Sow Foundation has announced a key milestone in their electronic waste initiative as Dell Inc. became the first U.S. computer company to publicly release a global recycling goal. Dell's goal commits the company to recycling 50% more used and obsolete computer equipment in its 2005 fiscal year than it did in fiscal 2004.

Computer systems contain heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium and plastics that can cause harm to human health and the environment when landfilled or incinerated. Over the next decade, hundreds of millions of computers will need to be retired and responsibly processed. Dell's public goal begins to address the significant environmental and public health concern associated with the disposal of computer equipment.

"As institutional shareholders, we are pleased by Dell's efforts toward full life cycle management of its products," said Julie Frieder, Environment Analyst for Calvert. "We successfully used shareholder influence to encourage a mindset of responsible stewardship. No longer will Dell introduce a new product without considering what to do with that product at the end of its useful life."

Since 2001, the investor group -- which includes As You Sow Foundation, Calvert Group, Ltd., Dreyfus Premier Third Century Fund, Inc., Green Century Funds, ISIS Asset Management, Pax World Fund, and Walden Asset Management, -- has challenged U.S. computer companies to take greater responsibility for the e-waste problem by developing comprehensive computer recycling policies, programs, goals, and metrics.

"We are pleased with the progress Dell has made in the past three years," said Conrad MacKerron, Director of Corporate Responsibility for As You Sow Foundation "While there is still a long way to go, Dell's commitment sends an important message of accountability to customers, employees and shareholders.

The investor group will seek to leverage Dell's commitment to push other computer companies -- Apple, Dell, Hewlett-Packard and IBM -- to set goals and targets so that investors and other shareholders will be able to measure and compare companies' progress over time.