William Gallagher
Talking at a climate conference, Apple's environment executive Lisa Jackson said the company believes in regulation, and also in how sustainable design requires working directly with communities.
As vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, Jackson is one of several Apple executives who have been tipped to succeed Tim Cook. At Climate Week NYC, she's been talking to entrepreneur leaders across all industries, and according to Inc. magazine, advised them all to work with communities.
"If you design an answer in a vacuum away from the community that's impacted and away from the people who have to live with it and use it, it's not going to be a solution," she said. Specifically regarding Silicon Valley, she added that "we're so smart [there], but communities know what they need, as well."
Jackson also said that regulation over environmental issues was both welcome and essential. She said that it levels the playing field for all companies.
"For companies who are stepping up to do more, to do things that they aren't required to do by law," said Jackson, "it shouldn't be at a disadvantage because another company isn't even doing the minimum."
"I believe strongly in the role of regulation [and] in the idea that equity, justice, health, rely on somebody who's going to enforce the incredibly important regulations around air and water and land and pesticides and toxics and all the things that [the Environmental Protection Agency] is tasked to do under law," she added.
Asked for careers advice for people looking to follow her lead in working in environment and sustainability, she said simply, "Do science."
"But then I also say you don't have to be 'environmental' anything. I was a chemical engineer," she added, and recounted how Tim Cook had said during her interview that he liked that she was an engineer.
Jackson said that to be able to change people's minds, you need to be able to think the way they do, and to understand the complex topics.
Lisa Jackson does not give many interviews, but in a separate 2023 one she also touched on how Apple sees "education is the ladder, the way to equity," in her role with the company's Racial Equity and Justice Initiative.
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11 Comments
Oh wow. Based on those two snippets of interviews I hope she doesn’t become the next CEO. They need someone who will innovate at the helm, a visionary.
Sounds good for PR but when workers of large corporations are upset about the end of Hybrid work it sounds like the commitment to sustainable, lower emission practices only extends to what is under the media spotlight.
Amazon ends Hybrid work
Walmart ends Remote work positions
You can be sure that any regulations that the Fortune 100 want will NOT involved Hybrid/Remote Position work as a more efficient way to combat traffic gridlock and unnecessary emissions.
Yeah, just like Sam Altman wants AI regulation. Regulatory capture. Apple would almost definitely get a seat on whatever commission of industry leaders contribute to these regulations and could influence them in their favor. That being said, Apple's sustainability initiatives are admirable... but just looking at how they respond to pro-consumer regulations by the EU (namely: "No, you can't make us use USB-C!"... 2 years later: "Check out the all-new AirPods Max! What's new? USB-C!")... it makes a lot of sense to cozy up to the idea of regulations that they would actually have a hand in writing.
"Woman wants job security. News at 11."
Regulation always favors big business, so of course one of the biggest companies in the world is in favor of it. IP laws have the same effect. The big companies can afford to comply with regulations that often have a fixed cost that is a drop in the ocean to them, but several times the operating budget of small competitors. Patents are the same thing, plus the biggest corporations have massive war chests that they generally cross-license with their same-size competition to avoid all-out war in the courts, but if a small startup is trying to do something similar they get crushed. So much for freedom to create.