Example certifications to look for in suppliers BOX 5 –ISO 14001: International Standard for environmental management systems that provides a framework for companies to identify, manage and improve their environmental performance.112 –Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): Certification ensuring products come from responsibly managed forests.113 –Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA): Verification of mine sites indicating environmental and social performance has been measured by independent audit teams.114 –R2v3: Global standard for responsible electronics recycling and refurbishing.115 –Sustainability certifications for construction of new buildings or major renovations (e.g. LEED and WELL), especially for construction suppliers or property managers. –ISO 50001: International standard onenergy management, especially for energy-intensive suppliers. 6.2 Lower-impact metals, minerals –Engage with metal and mineral suppliers for recycled materials and mining companies for lower impact materials. Metal and mineral inputs are a critical focus in the tech supply chain. By seeking suppliers that invest in biodiversity management, support local community stewardship and implement restoration commitments, tech companies can continue to grow while supporting the nature-positive transition. –Book and claim transactions can serve as a mechanism to facilitate reaching deeper in the value chain, allowing tech companies to financially support and claim the environmental attributes of lower-impact or recycled materials even when physical traceability is not feasible. –Participation in sustainable industry coalitions and traceability initiatives can further amplify these efforts. Example: Apple prioritizes recycled inputs: in 2024, the company avoided 6.2 million tonnes of emissions by sourcing recycled and other low-carbon materials, as per ISO 14021 specifications.116 6.3 Lower-impact chemicals, gases –Collaborate with suppliers to identify and replace high-impact chemicals and gases with less impactful versions. Substances such as PFASs, industrial solvents and potent GHGs are critical to replace, given downstream effects on air, soil and water ecosystems. –By collaborating with suppliers to find less harmful alternatives, tech companies can reduce their ecological footprint without compromising performance. Example: Tokyo Electron Limited developed a new etch process for semiconductor manufacturing that reduces the CO2 footprint by using an alternative chemistry to the current process and operating at cryogenic temperatures, reducing GHG emissions by 83%.117 6.4 Lower-carbon building materials –Seek out zero- or low-carbon alternatives for building materials and other material inputs. As highlighted by RMI’s primer on the topic, embodied carbon in building materials accounts for 11% of global GHGs.118 –One data centre company conducted a 30-year life cycle assessment and identified the largest carbon impact as their cooling equipment, due to the lifecycle only being 5-7 years and equipment requiring frequent replacement. When designing, building or updating facilities, accounting for these impacts and targeting more sustainable approaches is critical. Example: Microsoft signed a deal with a low-carbon cement startup, Sublime Systems, enabling it to claim 622,500 tonnes of emission reductions over a 6-9 year period.119 6.5 Research and develop low-impact chemicals and gases –For high-impact chemicals and gases that do not have existing alternatives, tech companies can work with suppliers to develop new processes and inputs to start phasing out high-impact materials. –Given that many critical materials still lack scalable, sustainable alternatives, joint R&D programmes and supplier incentive schemes can accelerate the transition to nature positive. Embodied carbon in building materials accounts for 11% of global greenhouse gases. Nature Positive: Role of the Technology Sector 41

Nature Positive Role of the Technology Sector 2025