Politico

Following Tim Cook’s announcement last night that former EPA administrator Lisa Jackson would be joining Apple to head up environmental responsibilities, Greenpeace has issued a statement calling the hire “a bold move” that could “make Apple the top environmental leader in the tech sector”:

“Apple has made a bold move in hiring Lisa Jackson, a proven advocate with a track record of combating toxic waste and the dirty energy that causes global warming, two of Apple’s biggest challenges as it continues to grow,” says Greenpeace’s Senior IT Analyst Gary Cook.  ”Jackson can make Apple the top environmental leader in the tech sector by helping the company use its influence to push electric utilities and governments to provide the clean energy that both Apple and America need right now.”

Apple has come under pressure from Greenpeace a few times in recent years and at one point accused the company of powering its iCloud service with ‘dirty coal energy.’ Last year Apple dropped to No.6 in the organization’s 18th annual Guide to Green Electronics due to lack of transparency on a number of environmental related issues including GHG emission reporting, clean energy advocacy, and further information on its management of toxic chemicals.

Jackson said she is “thrilled to be joining the team” and to continue Apple’s commitment to the environment in a statement to Politico following Cook’s announcement (below):
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Yesterday Politico reported that Tim Cook will appear before Congress next week to testify in a hearing regarding how the company is handling its overseas finances and domestic taxes, and today Politico has published a brand new interview with the Apple CEO.

Tim Cook and Apple tend to avoid any public discussion aside from comments during quarterly earnings calls, but it seems the company is on a PR offense leading up to next week’s public hearings.

“We don’t have a large presence in Washington, as you probably know, but we care deeply about public policy and believe creative policy can be a huge catalyst for a better society and a stronger economy.”

Cook went on to defend Apple against any accusations that may come its way next week.

“I can tell you unequivocally Apple does not funnel its domestic profits overseas. We don’t do that. We pay taxes on all the products we sell in the U.S., and we pay every dollar that we owe. And so I’d like to be really clear on that.”

The Apple CEO also noted the company’s $100 million project to produce a Mac line in the United States this year, which the company says will add jobs to the economy.
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