Corporate social responsibility is no longer a fad, and sustainability reporting has made its way into many large corporations' annual financial reports. Companies in the energy intensive sector typically say they are streamlining their processes. Carmakers report increasingly more hybrids and electrics on the road and in production. But what does a software company say?

Autodesk, familiar to most designers and engineers, released its 2015 sustainability report this past June, which was entitled, "Sustainability in Action." The report highlighted everything from the company's 27% reduction in internal carbon emissions en route to a 100% renewable energy commitment, to the sustainability solutions it has embedded within its software, to the support of cleantech startups through the Autodesk Foundation. The highlights of the report are contained in this infographic.

Now, the company has taken another step. In line with the reporting framework of the Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB), an international consortium of businesses and environmental NGOs whose supporters include Samsung and BT, it included its sustainability results as part of its 10-K financial report.

Lynelle Cameron, Autodesk's senior director of sustainability and philanthropy, gave Design News the following statement:

This latest step continues the alignment by the company with sustainability. Cameron said in an interview earlier this year, "The door is beginning to open for designs that embrace and embody sustainability principles to become more fully appreciated in the marketplace. Autodesk is well-positioned to tackle sustainable design with tools."

READ MORE ARTICLES BY RP SIEGEL ON DESIGN NEWS:

RP Siegel, PE, has a master's degree in mechanical engineering and worked for 20 years in R&D at Xerox Corp. An inventor with 50 patents, and now a full-time writer, RP finds his primary interest at the intersection of technology and society. His work has appeared in multiple consumer and industry outlets, and he also co-authored the eco-thriller Vapor Trails.

Like reading Design News? Then have our content delivered to your inbox every day by registering with DesignNews.com and signing up for Design News Daily plus our other e-newsletters. Register here!

Design engineers and professionals, the West Coast's most important design, innovation, and manufacturing event, Pacific Design & Manufacturing, is taking place in Anaheim, Feb. 9-11, 2016. A Design News event, Pacific Design & Manufacturing is your chance to meet qualified suppliers, get hands-on access to the latest technologies, be informed from a world-class conference program, and expand your network. (You might even meet a Design News editor.) Learn more about Pacific Design & Manufacturing here.