Apple is striving to make its entire product portfolio carbon neutral by 2030. But VP Lisa Jackson, essentially Apple's chief sustainability officer, retired in January 2026 -- and it sounds like the iPhone maker essentially plans to eliminate the CSO role.
On the upside, Apple has reduced its CO₂ emissions by 60% since 2015, according to an April 2025 statement. And since 2018, all of Apple’s corporate offices, data centers and retail stores worldwide have been powered by renewable electricity, the company asserts.
On the partner front, more than 300 global suppliers have now joined Apple’s Supplier Clean Energy Program, committing to 100% renewable electricity for all production by the end of this decade, the company asserts.
Beyond its 2030 carbon neutral goal, Apple is also working toward a 90% reduction in emissions by 2050, the company said.
Still, some critics think Apple can do more to influence sustainability practices globally. And critics worry that Jackson's departure -- and the elimination of her overall position -- will weaken Apple's sustainability focus.
With that context in mind, here's a closer look at key sustainability milestones, priorities and challenges facing the company...
March 2026 - Business Updates:
- Right to Repair: Apple is touting the sustainability of its new, low-cost MacBook Neo notebook. The Neo is ‘the most repairable MacBook’ in years, according to iFixit, as reported by TechCrunch.
- China: During a visit in China, Apple CEO Tim Cook reaffirmed Apple's commitment to working with China on innovation and sustainability, MarketScreener reported.
February 2026 - Business Updates:
- Greenwashing Lawsuit Dismissed: Apple convinced a federal judge to dismiss a proposed class action alleging the company duped buyers into believing certain Apple Watches they purchased were “carbon neutral," Bloomberg Law reported.
- Executive Pay Packages: Apple quietly dropped a so-called “ESG modifier” from its 2025 pay packages for CEO Tim Cook and other top executives, Bloomberg reported. The provision, in place since 2021, had allowed Apple’s board to adjust annual bonuses up or down by as much as 10% depending on the company’s performance on a variety of measures, including greenhouse-gas reductions and renewable energy use among suppliers, the report said.
December 2025 - Business Updates:
- CSO Leaving: Lisa Jackson, vice president for Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives, will retire in late January 2026. No successor for Jackson is planned. Instead, Apple's Environment and Social Initiatives teams will report to Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan.
- AI Executive Shakeup: Apple AI chief John Giannandrea is stepping down in the most visible shake up yet to the iPhone maker’s AI group since launching the struggling Apple Intelligence suite in 2024, CNBC noted. Microsoft and Google DeepMind veteran Amar Subramanya will succeed Giannandrea in the Apple AI role.
November 2025 - Business Updates:
- Staff Cuts: Apple layoffs will impact dozens of salespeople, Bloomberg reported.
- 3D Printing in Manufacturing: All Apple Watch Ultra 3 and titanium Apple Watch Series 11 cases as of 2025 are 3D-printed with 100% recycled aerospace-grade titanium powder, the company said.
- CEO Transition?: Apple is sharpening its CEO succession plan amid rumors that Tim Cook could step down as soon as 2026, the Financial Times reported.
- Supply Chain Sustainability: Seven in 10 AI giants received failing grades for their supply chain decarbonization efforts, according to Greenpeace. However, Apple was honored with a grade of B, according to Euronews.
- Australia and New Zealand: Apple continues to expand its sustainability efforts in Australia and New Zealand, MacObserver reported.
October 2025 - Business Updates
- October 31 - iPhone Right to Repair: Apple's Self Service Repair program now includes the new iPhone 17 lineup, NewsBytesApp reported.
- October 14 - European Renewable Energy Consumption: Apple will "significantly expand" its use of solar and wind projects across Europe. The effort involves solar and wind farms that will add add 650 MW of renewable energy capacity, the company said.
September 2025 - Business Updates
- September 7 - South Korea: Apple will lean on South Korean companies as part of a larger global supply chain and sustainability strategy, according to Pulse, as reported by DevDiscourse.
August 2025 - Business Updates and Industry Viewpoints
- August 26 - Apple Watch - Not Carbon Neutral?: Apple can no longer advertise its Apple Watch as a "CO2-neutral product" in Germany, following a court ruling that upheld a complaint from environmentalists, finding that the U.S. tech company had misled consumers, Reuters reported.
- August 14 - Critical Opinion: In a Trellis editorial, two sustainability experts called on Apple to extend beyond its internal climate efforts and "drive change at a societal level." Among their key points: "By using power, lobbying force, political influence and more, the company could change the corporate climate game," co-authors Auden Schendler and Bill Weihl asserted.
- August 12 - AI Opportunities and Challenges: The company is on track to be carbon neutral across its entire footprint by 2030, Apple told Wired. But Wired suggests that Apple's progress on sustainability is slowing down.
July 2025 Updates
June 2025 Business Updates
- June 21 - Mobile Device Energy Consumption: In the European Union, Apple's website now features energy labels on product pages for iPhones and iPads, TechTimes reported. The labels, similar to those on home appliances, are designed to tell consumers about the device's energy efficiency, longevity, and repairability, the report said.
- June 20 - Lawsuit vs. Apple AI Claims: Shareholders sued Apple in a proposed securities fraud class action, alleging Apple downplayed how long it needed to integrate advanced AI into its Siri voice assistant, hurting iPhone sales and its stock price, Reuters reported.
April 2025 - Business Updates
March 2025 - Business Updates
- China Green Energy Investment: Apple set up new clean energy fund in China worth 720 million yuan ($99.22 million), coinciding with a Beijing visit of its CEO Tim Cook, Reuters reported. The move is part of the company's efforts to transition its supply chain to 100% renewable energy by 2030, Apple said.
More: Continue to the next page for additional Apple sustainability strategy updates.
