Tech brands are doing their best to convey their "greeness" - but it's not working for all of them.

According to a survey by Added Value obtained by Freelance UK show that consumers are thinking about the environment when buying electronics. However, when asked to name tech companies that respect the environment, the highest score was received by Sony with a mere 21%, followed by Microsoft at 18%. However, a massive 40% of surveyors simply couldn't name any environmentally friendly tech brand.

Even worse, "53% didn't know or couldn't name a technology brand that is known for 'pro-actively combating climate change.’"

Those seen as 'leading the way in the area of climate change in the future' included Microsoft at 18%, Sony at 14%, Apple at just under 12% And Philips at 10%- hardly huge votes of confidence.

In response to this issue, some of the biggest names in the technology sector are actively engaged in 'eco-proofing' their business operations, from the products themselves to the entire manufacturing process.

For example, many of the companies, including Sony, Microsoft, HP and Dell, already offer a global recycling and take-back service. In addition, Sony has set for itself stringent environmental targets with its Green Management 2010 strategy, while Nokia has formed strong links with the WWF to raise staff awareness of environmental issues.

What's the result? It's paying off on the bottom line: NEC's 'Refreshed PCs' division, which repurchases, refurbishes and resells its second-hand computers, has made profits from year one.

This is all very well, but true success will be seen when these companies will be able to win over consumers by showing that their commitment is real, substantial, and lasting. As, Lucy Richardson, the chief executive of Added Value UK, said: "It looks like technology companies face an uphill battle in overturning their image among consumers as active contributors to the 'throw-away' society, interested only in selling more products by offering an endless array of new models with 'must-have' features. It's time for companies to show their committment to being "green" over the long term, thus contributing to consumers taking notice and affecting their spending habits.

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